Free Republic

Thirty years after the end of the war between Iran and Iraq a fierce battle is being fought amongst statesmen, military commanders and scholars about the war. Three questions remain contested: Why did the war began in the first place? Why did the war continue after Iran's liberation of territories occupied by Iraq? And why did the war with Iraq end? -excerpt- Thanks to the Iraqi invasion of Iran, Grand Ayatollah Khomeini and the revolutionary regime managed to rally a fragmented nation around the revolutionary leadership. The revolutionary leadership also managed to keep the remains of the Imperial Army busy...

BBC Persian is reporting that opposition figure Mehdi Karroubi has made a pointed intervention with a letter to former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, in Rafsanjani's capacity as the head of the Assembly of Experts. Karroubi's letter, sent to Rafsanjani just before this week's bi-annual Assembly meeting, called on the Assembly to exercise its powers to "monitor the functions and institutions under the auspices of Iran's Supreme Leader". Karroubi cited problems such as "a lack of independence of the judiciary and courts", the interference of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and Basij militia in political issues, and the IRGC's expanded involvement in...

Iran's Oil Mafia April 16, 2007 Frontpagemagazine.com Hassan Daioleslam Robert William (Bob) Ney is a current federal prisoner and a former Ohio Congressman from 1995 until November 3, 2006. Ney pled guilty to charges of conspiracy and making false statements in relation to the Jack Abramoff lobbying and bribery scandal. Ney reportedly received bribes from Abramoff, other lobbyists, and two foreign businessmen - a felon and an arms dealer - in exchange for using his position to advance their interests. Conspicuously missing from this dossier of disservice to the country was Ney’s assistance in the creation of a Washington-based lobbying...

Rooz Online, Iran's reformist English-Language newspaper reported that Ayatollah Khamenei is rumored to have "authorized the arrest" of Ranking Reformist Mehdi Karroubi. In response, Hashemi Rafsanjani reacted to the issurance of the directive by declaring "I will resign from everything." Meanwhile, subsequent to Iran's NSC ordering the Iranian media not to publish reports about the election supporters of Ahmadinejad published numerous attack pieces against Karroubi who has accused the government of raping and torturing demonstrators in prison.

According to Majid Ansari, member of the Association of Combatant Clerics, cases of sexual abuse of prisoners are certain and the evidence regarding them has been already handed to officials of the Islamic Republic. Mehdi Karoubi, a disputing candidate of the recent presidential elections in Iran, was the first to officially publicize reports of the alleged sexual assault. In a letter to Hashemi Rafsanjani, Chairman of Council of Experts, he had urged an immediate investigation of the reports. After ten days, having received no response from Ayatollah Rafsanjani, he released the letter to the media. While Karoubi and Ansari and...

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran's supreme leader told politicians Monday not to disturb the country's security in a strong warning to the opposition to back down after one of its top figures called for a referendum on the government. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed "Iran's elite" and warned them to be cautious in the positions they take on the turmoil that has shaken the country since the disputed presidential election on June 12.

"Friday Prayers, another occasion to come out into the streets As with other such days, I felt a dual sense of fear and fervor, heightened by the uncertainty of whether people would turn out or not. I arranged to go with friends, because the past month’s experiences have taught me that going alone is unsafe. I remembered to put my name and number on a piece of paper in my pocket so if anything happens to me, my family can be notified. Two kilometers left to the venue: Tehran University, Prayer Hall" -- "Generosity has become commonplace in Tehran these...

The Iranian army has arrested 36 officers who planned to attend last week's Friday prayer sermon by former president Hashemi Rafsanjani in their military uniforms as an act of political defiance, according to Farsi-language websites. The officers intended the gesture to show solidarity with the demonstrations against last month's presidential election result, which was won by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad but which has been clouded by allegations of mass fraud. Rafsanjani used the sermon at Tehran university to challenge the authority of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, by questioning the result in the presence of the defeated reformist candidate, Mir Hossein...

Under the headline of a call for unity, former Iranian President Ali Akbar Rafsanjani has actually ensured that the divisions in Iran will continue and possibly increase. Mr Rafsanjani's first public comments since the election were eagerly awaited. It was clear the government was extremely nervous: media coverage of Friday prayers was restricted. Some journalists and opposition supporters reported problems over being allowed access to the ceremony at Tehran University. No doubt there was a fierce battle behind the scenes for him to be allowed to speak. Open challengeSince the election more moderate voices appear to have been sidelined...

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Several prominent Iranian conservative figures and hard-line newspapers offered sharp criticism on Saturday of former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who delivered a speech on Friday that assailed the government’s handling of last month’s presidential election.

The past month in Iran has been harrowing for anyone who believes that human beings deserve freedom from tyranny. We have witnessed an election stolen by an old guard of conservative elements headed by the regime’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei (I call this group KhamCo for short), followed by a popular uprising unparalleled since the 1979 revolution. This old guard trampled roughshod over the will and aspirations of the people of Iran with impunity, thinking that they could use the fact that there was an 85% turnout of the electorate in the June 12th presidential to legitimize the regime without...

Tens of thousands of Iranians flooded the streets of Tehran yesterday to hear the country’s most influential powerbroker pronounce the Islamic Republic in crisis and as he called for the release of those arrested in recent pro-democracy demonstrations. Militiamen confront protestors outside Tehran University today In a devastating attack on the regime, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a leading cleric and former President, told a crowd at Tehran University that the Government had lost the people’s trust. Referring to the handling of last month’s disputed election, which President Ahmadinejad claims to have won, he said that the custodians of the Islamic...

There will be no regime change in Iran unless (a) protests continue in the face of the recent repression and (b) the regime fractures. Today, brought evidence that both of these conditions (which are necessary but perhaps not sufficient) may be fulfilled. First, protests broke out in Tehran. Second, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran's former president and a key figure in the regime, criticized the government and called for the release of hundreds of protesters and democracy advocates arrested in recent weeks. As to the first development, thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets chanting against the regime. It was...

TEHRAN, Iran – Tens of thousands of government opponents packed Iran's main Islamic prayer service Friday, chanting "freedom, freedom" and other slogans as their top clerical backer Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani delivered a sermon bluntly criticizing the country's leadership over the crackdown on election protests.

Video at the BBC Website: Amateur video appearing to show protests after Friday's prayers Former Iranian President Ali Akbar Rafsanjani has called for the release of people jailed after protesting at the result of the recent election.In his first Friday sermon since the vote, he also said large numbers of Iranians still doubted its result. Outside, police fired tear gas at thousands of opposition supporters who were chanting slogans in support of defeated candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. Chanting also broke out among some of the tens of thousands of people inside. Thousands of opposition supporters rallied in streets near the...

Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's harsh rebuke of Ahmadinejad supporters is followed by renewed violence, suggesting the discontent over recent election results is as strong as ever.Reporting from Tehran and Beirut -- Security forces fired tear gas and plainclothes militiamen armed with batons charged at crowds of protesters gathered near Tehran University after a Friday prayer sermon delivered by the cleric and opposition supporter Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, his first appearance at the nation's weekly keynote sermon since before the election. Rafsanjani, in a closely watched speech, lashed out at the hard-line camp supporting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, criticized the...

Tehran University's prayer hall has been the stage for high drama since the early days of the Islamic revolution, and Hashemi Rafsanjani'sappearance today was another of many electrifying moments in Iran's recent history. Rafsanjani's calls to restore trust by releasing prisoners, freeing the media, using only legal means, and by dialogue between opposition and the regime, were couched in the language of legitimacy and justice. "Don't let our enemies laugh at us by putting people in prison," the cleric urged. "We must search for unity to find a way out of our quandary."

Rafsanjani says many Iranians have election doubts 1 hr 48 mins ago TEHRAN (Reuters) – Former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said on Friday a "large group of Iranians" had doubts about last month's disputed presidential election and that something should be done about the situation. Rafsanjani also called for the release of protesters and others detained after the June poll. "In the current situation it is not necessary for us to have a number of people in prisons ... we should allow them to return to their families," he said during a Friday prayer sermon.

TEHRAN, Iran — Senior Iranian cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is calling for the release of opposition supporters arrested in the government's crackdown on postelection protests. Rafsanjani has made the call during his sermon at Iran's main Friday prayers, where tens of thousands of opposition supporters have gathered in a show of strength for their movement. Rafsanjani is considered their top supporters in Iran's clerical leadership. Rafsanjani says keeping the detainees in prison "is not necessary," saying "we should not let enemies criticize or laugh at us ... for keeping our people in jail."

Former president Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is also head of the powerful Expediency Council, has met with the families of some of the political prisoners and promised to pursue their cases. Rafsanjani's much-anticipated Friday prayer sermon this week will likely generate another boost for the reformists and their call for the release of all prisoners. The test for Rafsanjani, who has yet to congratulate Ahmadinejad for his electoral victory, is how to press the demands of the reformists while at the same time playing an effective mediating role and a vital bridge over the great chasm that has...