Free Republic

An outlawed Iranian opposition group, which obtained a permit from the New York Police Department to hold a demonstration in front of the United Nations today, attracted an estimated 2,500 supporters to protest the presence of Iran’s president at the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly. But many of the crowd, coming from Denmark, Germany, Canada, Eritrea and Sudan, acknowledged that they had been recruited by the organization to attend the rally for money, and that all their expenses – including international air fare, hotels, and a daily stipend - had been paid by the organization. “Basically, what you...

Movement Calls for Massive Support of Bush and the opening of an internal front SMCCDI (Information Service) Apr 9, 2004 The Movement called, this morning (09:00 AM Tehran's local time), for a massive support of George W. Bush in preparation of the upcoming US Presidential election. The call was made by Aryo B. Pirouznia, of SMCCDI, during an interview made with the popular Los Angeles based "National Iranian TV" (NITV) which broadcasts for Iran, America and Europe. The Movement's Coordinator who was speaking during a round table, hosted by Cyrus Sharafshahi of NITV, stated: " The dynamic for the Iranian...

U.S. Questions Cuba About Jamming TV Signals to Iran Friday, July 18, 2003 WASHINGTON — The United States has confronted Cuban representatives in Washington about whether Cuba has been blocking U.S. satellite signals used to broadcast television to Iran. "We have indeed raised the jamming with the government of Cuba. I think I would say the interference with Loral Skynet's (search) commercial satellite transmissions appears to be emanating from the vicinity of Cuba. It does appear to be intentional. So, yesterday, we called in Cuban government representatives in Washington, and we formally requested the Cuban government to look into the...

June 21 — News travels fast between Tehran and Los Angeles. Last Wednesday, during student protests at Tehran University, satellite-TV talk-show host Shahram Homayoun was chatting on the air at Channel One TV in L.A. when a caller from Iran broke in with important news. Students were massing in Amirabad Street, the caller reported excitedly. “They are shouting ‘Freedom! Justice!’ she said. Then she shoved the phone out the window so Hamayoun could hear for himself. The calm Homayoun instantly became animated, exhorting his unseen viewers half a world away. “If you need freedom, now is the time,” he urged,...

Some experts call it a "media movement" or a "satellite revolution." But whatever the label, one thing is clear: A growing network of Iranian American media outlets -- from television to radio to Web sites -- is helping spark the student-led protests erupting in that Islamic nation. The demonstrations would have occurred anyway, the experts say, but satellite networks like National Iranian Television and Radio Iran (both based in Los Angeles) are beaming programming that actively supports the demonstrators' cause into the country.

LOS ANGELES - Reza Fazeli was a household name when he fled Iran in 1979, abandoning a career as an actor and film director. He's back in front of the camera today, but in a much different role - news anchor for one of four Los Angeles Iranian television studios that beams satellite broadcasts every day into Iranian living rooms. When rumors surfaced of an explosion at Tehran University during recent student protests in the capital, Fazeli asked his listeners for information. Within minutes, the phone lines were lit up and faxes were pouring in from Iran, where it was...

Half a world from the protests rocking the Iranian regime, a new weapon is being aimed at the ruling ayatollahs from a warehouse in a run-down part of Hollywood. As Teheran was gripped by an eighth straight night of tense anti-government protests and clashes late Wednesday, a team of Persian exiles toiled in a Los Angeles television studio to encourage revolution against Iran's leaders. "I want to change things from the inside now (to avoid) Iran being attacked by another country," said former rock star Zia Atabay, who runs Iranian National Television (NITV), a California-based satellite broadcaster. Since the protests...

Iranian exiles in the United States have played an important role in supporting the recent protests in Tehran - but their role is coming under increasing scrutiny. Arrests have not stopped the rallies in Iran A nondescript industrial estate in the San Fernando Valley on the outskirts of Los Angeles may be an unlikely place to start another Iranian revolution. But Woodland Hills, California, is the headquarters of the satellite television station National Iranian TV (NITV) whose programmes are beamed into Tehran and other parts of Iran to illegal satellite dishes in private homes. It is one of half a...