Iranian Alert -- September 1, 2003 -- LIVE THREAD PING LIST

The regime is working hard to keep the news about the protest movment in Iran from being reported.

From jamming satellite broadcasts, to prohibiting news reporters from covering any demonstrations to shutting down all cell phones and even hiring foreign security to control the population, the regime is doing everything in its power to keep the popular movement from expressing its demand for an end of the regime.

These efforts by the regime, while successful in the short term, do not resolve the fundamental reasons why this regime is crumbling from within.

Iran is a country ready for a regime change. If you follow this thread you will witness, I believe, the transformation of a nation. This daily thread provides a central place where those interested in the events in Iran can find the best news and commentary.

Please continue to join us here, post your news stories and comments to this thread.

Appeal for Urgent Action to Save the Lives of Deported Iranian Kurds

September 01, 2003
Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan
The Bureau of International Relations

Appeal to humanitarian organization for urgent action to save the lives of deported Iranian Kurdish refugees to Iranian authorities by Turkish police.

According to news obtained by the International Relations Bureau of PDKI from refugee groups stationed in Van, Turkish police have detained a number of Iranian Kurdish refugees on Saturday and Sunday of 30 and 31 of August, and has transferred these detainees to unknown locations. According to these sources, the threat of being deported to Iranian authorities endangers the lives of these refugees. The past cases have proven that such deportations to Iranian agents can lead to executions. The cases of Karim Toujali and Khalid Showghi prove these claims: they were sent to prison right after their deportation, and consequently, after a few years of imprisonment and torture they were executed on the 24 January 2002 and 7 October 2002 respectively.

It is the existence of such threats that we appeal to all the international human rights organizations and centers to reach out to assist these refugees before it is too late, and pressure the Turkish government to stop the deportation of these desperate people to the assassins of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

It should be noted that the International Relations Bureau, in defense of these refugees, is in constant contact with the UNHCR offices in Geneva, Ankara and Van and also with Amnesty International, France-Liberty Foundation, and the League for the Defense of Human Rights in Iran and others institutions.

Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan

The Bureau of International Relations

Paris 2003/09/01

http://iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news.pl?l=en&y=2003&m=09&d=01&a=9

Iran Bans Travel by 40 Senior Officials, Generals

September 02, 2003
The Middle East Online
MENL

London -- Iran has banned travel abroad by 40 senior officials and military commanders out of concern that they could be arrested on charges of being involved in Islamic insurgency attacks sponsored by the Teheran regime.

The London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat reported on Monday that the Iranian regime imposed the ban in wake of the arrest in Britain of a former Iranian ambassador to Argentina last month. Hadi Soleimanpur, who was enrolled at Britain's Durham University, has been charged with participating in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires in which 85 people were killed.

Argentina has issued arrest warrants for Soleimanpur and 11 other prominent Iranians. They include former Intelligence Minister Ali Fallahijan. Last week, an Iranian diplomat was stopped in the Netherlands and briefly questioned before he left for Teheran.

A-Sharq Al Awsat, in an article written by Ali Nuri Zadeh, said the ban on travel was imposed on nine Iranian diplomats, four generals and a former minister. The newspaper said the decision by the Supreme Council for National Security included Fallahijan and seven Iranian diplomats sought by Argentina in connection with the 1994 attack.

http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2003/september/09_02_1.html

Bombing Democracy

September 02, 2003
The New York Times
Marc Gerecht

WASHINGTON -- Of all the bad news from Iraq recently - the bombing of the UN headquarters, attacks on coalition soldiers, hints of foreign terrorists being drawn to a holy war - the car bombing Friday in the Shiite holy city of An Najaf is clearly the most worrisome.

The attack, which killed scores of Iraqis, including the prominent cleric Ayatollah Muhammad Bakr al-Hakim - and which took place less than a week after a bomb went off at the home of Hakim's uncle, Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Said al-Hakim - has convulsed the Shiite community. That should be of vital concern to the United States, whose fortunes in Iraq will rise or fall with the political sentiments of the Shiites, who make up at least 60 percent of Iraq's population.

These bombings were undoubtedly intended to terrorize Iraq's clerical establishment and to snuff out the growing dialogue between mainstream Shiites and Americans. Both ayatollahs had been talking to U.S. officials and favored democracy. Muhammad Bakr al-Hakim controlled the only effective Shiite paramilitary force, but had chosen not to direct it against the occupation. This had angered Shiite extremists, notably the young cleric Moktada al-Sadr, leader of a violent faction known as the Sadriyyin.

It may never be totally clear who planned the two bombings: the Sadriyyin, fundamentalist Sunni Muslims, Baath Party loyalists or agents of Iran's hard-core mullahs. Some U.S. officials and Ahmad Chalabi, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council, quickly blamed anti-American Sunnis.

This may well be true, but it is important to note that the Baath Party loyalists and Sunni fundamentalists, at least until now, have kept their distance from the Shiite south, killing "collaborationists" and American soldiers only in the Sunni regions.

It is also possible that the bombings were the result of an unexpected marriage of convenience. When I was in Iraq in June, there was much gossip among Shiites that Sadr and his Sadriyyin were trying to forge an alliance with Sunni fundamentalists. If so, U.S. troops may face an ugly two-front war, far worse than the isolated attacks they have endured so far.

Still, whether or not Sunnis were involved in the bombings, the greater concern is that they will spur a Shiite-versus-Shiite tug of war. The Sadriyyin movement has aggressively vied for power with the grand ayatollahs of An Najaf. The Sadriyyin are hard-core revolutionaries, spiritual disciples of the "Khomeini of Iraq," Muhammad Bakr al-Sadr, who was killed by Saddam Hussein in 1980.

In recent weeks Moktada al-Sadr had been ramping up his anti-American vitriol. The reason is clear: Time is working against him. Local governance in the Shiite regions has been solidifying as American administrators have passed more responsibility to Iraqis. As Iraqis slowly gain confidence in the Governing Council, the debate over the coming constitutional convention will dominate Iraqi politics. And if Iraqis succeed in drawing up a new, broadly accepted constitution, the radicals know they will be exiled to the fringes of society.

Indeed, the two bombings can be seen as evidence of extremists' failure to gain traction on the "Shiite street." If so, the decision to resort to violence may backfire. Few Shiites will countenance violence against such respected figures, or such ghastly slaughter so near the Imam Ali mosque.

It is critical for the American administration to react decisively. Until now it has shown commendable restraint toward the Sadriyyin movement, not wanting to aid the extremists' recruitment efforts. But if American officials get solid proof that Sadr's followers were involved in the bombings, the military should move quickly and ruthlessly.

And Washington should not tolerate the small stream of holy warriors coming over the Syrian and Iranian borders. Shiite leaders view U.S. efforts against these foreigners as a test of America's resolve and capacities. The only way to stop the flow will be to apply pressure on Syria and Iran to end it. Saddam was never able to seal the Iranian-Iraqi border, and thousands of additional U.S. troops won't either.

In the long term, America's goal must be to create a civil society among Iraqis of all faiths and races. But the principal focus for now must be helping the Shiites and their senior clergy, America's strongest allies in the country. They - not the United Nations and more foreign troops - are the key to creating the democracy America has promised.

The writer, a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

http://www.iht.com/articles/108426.html

Iran Blocks Director From Festival
Associated Press

VENICE, Italy - Iranian officials have blocked a director from appearing at the Venice Film Festival to promote his movie about a Muslim boy who falls in love with a Jewish girl, the producer said Monday.

Abolfazl Jalili was to appear Monday with his film "Abjad," or "The First Letter." But producer Emmanuel Benbihy said the director has been unable to get permission for the trip.

"He doesn't have the official authorization to leave," Benbihy told The Associated Press. "If he doesn't obey, he is in serious trouble. It's not his way to avoid a problem."

Benbihy said the director was not in custody but added that he hadn't heard from him on Monday and was worried.

The film is about a 16-year-old Iranian boy from a religious family who falls in love with the daughter of a Jewish cinema manager. The story starts before the Islamic Revolution and follows its effect on the main characters.

"We all think we made a film about love," the producer said during a news conference. "It goes beyond religion to talk about love."

Also, Iran confiscated the prints of another film in competition here, "Silence Between Two Thoughts," by director Babak Payami. The film was being shown here on digital video.

"The negatives of my film have been confiscated by the authorities in Iran," the director said in an earlier statement. "It has taken a lot of effort and anxiety to prepare a special version of my film to be shown."

The film tells the story of a woman who is sentenced to death but cannot be executed because she is a virgin. A local spiritual leader resolves the situation by marrying the woman to the man who will execute her.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/entertainment/6668898.htm

9/1/03
Iran FM: US has made mistake in drawing up Iraq strategy

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said in Kuwait City on Monday that the United States has made mistake in drawing up its strategy on Iraq, IRNA reported.

In a meeting with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad as-Sabah, Kharrazi said that the Americans did not heed Iran`s advice which could have helped restore peace and stability in Iraq.

"Iran had urged for an immediate hand-over of administration in Iraq to the United Nations. Iraq should be ceded to Iraqis themselves to restore national sovereignty with participation of people from all walks of life and from different ethnic background," he said.

Kharrazi regretted that the former Iraqi regime set afire the region two times and destroyed financial resources, a reference to Iraqi-imposed war and Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

He expressed grief at martyrdom of Iraqi religious leader Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer Hakim and said that it was a great loss for the Iraqi people and the entire region.

He called for implementation of the accords already signed between the two countries and for activation of the special committee on joint investment.

As-Sabah called for exchange of views between Iranian and Kuwaiti officials and said that Kuwait is willing to develop relations with the Islamic Republic of iran.

He said that the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) is interested in developing cooperation with other countries. As-Sabah said that martyrdom of late Ayatollah Mohamamd Baqer Hakim was a great blow to peace and security of the region.

http://www.payvand.com/news/03/sep/1000.html

Spokesman says EU has not threatened Iran over nuclear issue

Tehran, Sept 1, IRNA -- Government Spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh in
his weekly press conference here on Monday said Iran has not been
threatened by the European Union on the nuclear issues.
Concerning Iran`s reply to the EU`s Foreign Policy Chief Javier
Solana on signing the additional protocol to the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by Iran, Ramezanzadeh said that Iran
has never been threatened on the issue and does not expect its EU
friends to do so.
"The world is well aware that we shall not accept any threat,
but would rather base our foreign and domestic policies on securing
our national interests and that of other nations," he noted.
Turning to the world concerns over the weapons of mass destruction
(WMD), he expressed Iran`s firm belief that the Middle East should be
free from all types of WMD and nuclear weapons.
"That`s why atomic weapons have no place in our defensive
strategies," he added.
Referring to production of nuclear weapons as a measure against
human and Islamic principles, ramezanzadeh said that a Middle East
free from WMD will also be in Iran`s interest.
Pointing to the recent visit of International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) legal delegation to Iran and its meetings with a number of
Iranian high-ranking officials, he said that it was mainly aiming at
clarifying some ambiguous points on the issue.
Asked on the schedule for signing the Additional Protocol, he
said that no date has yet been specified adding that Iran is ready to
launch negotiations on how to approach the Protocol.
"The inspection delegation was mainly concerned with briefing us
on the requirements and content of the Additional Protocol to prepare
us for the upcoming negotiations," he added.
There still remain several ambiguous points to be clarified, one
being the official acknowledgement of our right to peaceful
application of atomic energy, said Ramezanzadeh.
He added that Iran is willing to find out the benefit of signing
such a protocol and whether IAEA will fulfill its commitments if Iran
accepts all the conditions set.
Stressing that Iran has no worries over inspection, he said that
IAEA inspectors have been allowed to inspect all the nuclear
installations of their request within the past two months.

http://www.irna.ir/#2003_09_0122_06_143

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