Free Republic

Top News Story The lies Khatami spoke in the US. Amir Taheri, New York Post reported that in his recent speeches in the US, Khatami used a vocabulary carefully designed to hoodwink the Americans. The trick was reinforced by the fact that he often said one thing in Persian, while the interpreter said something else in English for the benefit of the Harvard audience. A must read.   The West is still divided on what to do next with Iran. New Press reported that key European nations called on Iran to negotiate its nuclear dispute with the international community,...

Top News Story Sharansky: A troubling story from Putin. Natan Sharansky, Los Angeles Times reported that in 2000, Russian President Vladimir V. Putin told me a story that he has been unable to get out of his mind. The story involves a nephew, a suitcase, a train to Manhattan and a nuclear bomb.   France's Sarkozy: Iran is an outlaw nation. NDTV reported that French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said that Iran had "made itself into an outlaw nation" and must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.   Did Bush promise a pre-emptive attack on Iran? Mario Loyola,...

Top News Story Khatami questioned at Harvard and slips. Russell Berman, Telos reported on a Khatami's response at Harvard to a question from an Iranian in the audience who questioned him about the case of the suppression of free speech: the arrest, rape and murder of Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi. Khatami's answer was very revealing.Yahoo News reported Khatami was met by protesters when he arrived at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Many angrily called on him to stand up for human rights where Harvard College Democrats teamed with their Republican peers for the protest.   Blair warns the West...

Top News Story Islamic Republic's sub missile launch a fake. Los Angeles Times reported that U.S. military intelligence has determined that a video released by the Iranian government purporting to show a test of a new submarine missile is bogus. it matched a video of an earlier Chinese test. "It's the identical launch," a Pentagon official said. "The plume, everything, is the same."   Ahmadinejad visits Venezuela and Cuba. IranMania reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to hold talks next week in Venezuela to meet with Chavez who recently told cheering students that "we should unite and save...

Top News Story Khatami served with a court summons at CAIR reception. PRNewswire reported that seven Jewish-Iranian families have filed suit in an American federal court against former President Mohammad Khatami over charges that he is responsible for the kidnapping and torture of their missing family members. The summons was served on Khatami at a reception hosted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations.   Bush personally signed off on Khatami's visit. Paul Gigot, The Wall Street Journal interviewed President Bush on Iran who said he personally signed off on the U.S. visit this week by former Iranian President Mohammad...

Top News Story Harvard Crimson Student protestors seeking amends for human rights abuses in Iran will greet former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami when he makes a highly scrutinized appearance at the Kennedy School of Government on Sunday. Khatami, an Islamic cleric who led Iran from 1997 to 2005, is set to speak at 4 p.m. tomorrow on the “Ethics of Tolerance in the Age of Violence” at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum. The Iran Freedom Concert Coalition, a student group that staged concerts to support Iranian dissidents last spring, is organizing the protest, which takes place when many...

Top News Story The under-reported Iranian opposition press conference in Washington DC on Khatami's visit. Kenneth R. Timmerman, NewsMax.com reported on the press conference of former Iranian political prisoners and their relatives gave grisly testimony of torture under the regime of former president Mohammad Khatami, who is currently visiting the United States.Senator Sam Brownback, who attended the press conference, introduced the Iran Human Rights Act, which would establish a State Department special envoy for human rights and democracy in Iran, support Iranian pro-democracy and human rights groups, and reform U.S.-funded broadcasts to the Iranian people.U.S. Senator Rick Santorum said...

Top News Story Bush ramps up the rhetoric on Iran. John Pohoretz, The New York Post reported that President Bush just delivered what may be the most important speech of his presidency. The time has come, the president all but said yesterday, to take the gloves off with Iran.The Wall Street Journal reported that in a major speech President Bush quoted extensively from recent threats by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad such as his call for "a world without the United States and Zionism."   Ahmadinejad threatens Bush and the American people. Khaleej Times Online reported on a veiled threat...

Top News Story The opposition to Khatami's visit to the US heats up. Kathryn Jean Lopez, The Corner reported that Governor Mitt Romney today ordered all Massachusetts state government agencies to decline support, if asked, for former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami’s September 10 visit to the Boston area saying: “State taxpayers should not be providing special treatment to an individual who supports violent jihad and the destruction of Israel.”A Press briefing will take place in Washington D.C. September 7th on the visit of former President Khatami. Led by torture victims of the Islamic Regime, former political prisoners and opposition...

Top News Story Three must read letters on Khatami's visit to the US. Iran Press News published two must-read letters about Khatami's visit about Khatami's visit to the U.S.SOSIran also published a letter on Khatami's visit to the US called: Khatami - Master of deception.   No unity on Iran among the Europeans. Expatica reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has underlined there can be "no military option" for dealing with Iran's nuclear program.Die Welt reported that Britain, France and Germany each received a secret letter in response to the demand that Iran cease producing nuclear fuel. 'Some of...

Top News Story 2nd most powerful Ayatollah in Iran: The Islamic Republic is the only legitimate nation on earth. Amir Taheri, Asharq Alawsat reported that Ali-Akbar Meshkini, the second most powerful Ayatollah in Iran, Meshkini said "Among all the governments in the world, the only legitimate government endorsed by the Almighty is the Islamic Republic of Iran." There cannot be give-and-take between "an extension of God" and an "illegitimate and oppressive regimes." A must read.Ardeshir Dolat reported that Seyed Yahya Safavi, the head of the Revolutionary Guards Corps said “The Islamic world will soon become a major world superpower.”...

Top News Story Xinhua TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian cleric Mohammad Ali Abtahi has an impeccable résumé. He was a top adviser to the former president, and his father is a grand ayatollah, the highest religious honor a Shiite Muslim can attain. While Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's doctrine is still supported by some, including Mohsen Gharavian, above, a midlevel cleric and editor of the magazine Ma'rafaat, clerics such as the Grand Ayatollah Ali Saanei, below, who was Iran's general prosecutor in the first years after the revolution, now oppose the government. Yet despite his establishment credentials, he has a political vision...

Top News Story Most mainstream media bury the real news in the IAEA Report... United Press International reported that the IAEA told the U.N. Security Council its inspectors have found new traces of enriched uranium in Iran. The discovery marked the third instance that highly enriched uranium was found at an Iranian facility.   Now that Iran ignored the UN deadline: Europe blinks, Russia ... The Times Online reported that Iran's defiance of the United Nations' deadline was supposed to be the climax of this long-running stand-off. Instead, Europeans blinked. What happened...The Times Online reported that Iran’s defiance of...

Top News Story UNSC deadline for Iran passes with no immediate action. Reuters reported that the UN said Iran failed to meet its nuclear deadline.Vital Perspectives published a copy of the IAEA report being distributed to diplomats at the UN today on Iran's nuclear program.   Bush: There must be consequences for Iran's defiance. Reuters reported that President George W. Bush said "It is time for Iran to make a choice... We've made our choice. We will continue to work closely with our allies to find a diplomatic solution, but there must be consequences for Iran's defiance and we...

Top News Story What to expect when UNSC deadline for Iran comes Thursday. The Washington Times reported that the UN nuclear watchdog agency will hand over a report that says Iran has resumed enriching a small amount of uranium to the U.N. Security Council.The Christian Science Monitor reported that we should expect Thursday's deadline for Iran to stop enriching uranium to pass with more of a whimper than a bang. As the United States experiences what one observer calls "confrontation fatigue," and as international unity against a nuclear-armed Iran threatens to splinter under pressure, quick action against Iran is...

Top News Story Ahmadinejad challenged Bush to an uncensored debate. Reuters reported that Ahmadinejad challenged President Bush to a televised debate, saying: "The debate should be go uncensored in order for the American people to be able to listen to what we say and they should not restrict the American people from hearing the truth."Dow Jones Newswires reported that the White House dismissed the idea of a televised debate between President George W. Bush and Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as a diversion. A White House spokesman added: "Iran may want to look first to allowing free expression and open...

Top News Story The Islamic Republic's new tactic to impose Islamic rules on its population. Time Magazine reported that for the past few months, Iranians have been subjected to stronger enforcement of Islamic codes using a new tactic. Is this a revival of the dogmatic strictures of the country's revolutionary past? A must read.   Iranian women prepare to challenge the Islamic Republic. Radio Free Europe reported that activists in Iran have started a petition drive calling for changes to laws that discriminate against women. Organizers hope to attract the signature of 1 million Iranians -- a challenge that...

Top News Story Iran tests a submarine launched missile. MyWayNews reported that Iran test fired a new submarine-to-surface missile during war games in the Persian Gulf on Sunday. A brief video clip showed the long-range missile, called Thaqeb, or Saturn, exiting the water and hitting a target on the water's surface within less than a mile.   Iran's Foreign Minister admits the Islamic Republic is against democracy and human rights. De Velt Blog reported that they are sure Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki didn't mean it to say it so plainly when he said: 'that the US aggrandizes such...

Top News Story Senior Iranian official warns Iran may develop nuclear weapons. Haaretz reported that a senior Iranian official warned yesterday Iran may develop nuclear weapons and pull out from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if international pressure against its nuclear program continues. \ Ahmadinejad says its not a threat to anyone, while it shells Iraqi Kurdistan. Xinhua reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday that the Iranian people would "use force" to protect the country's disputed nuclear program as he inaugurated a heavy water plant. He added: "There is no talk of nuclear weapons and there is...

Top News Story Xinhua PRAGUE, August 25, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- There have been different views on Iran's role in the war between Hizballah and Israel. Some observers suggested that Iran had given Hizballah orders to attack and kidnap Israeli soldiers in order to divert the world's attention from Iran's controversial nuclear program. Others said the conflict was the result of a miscalculation by Hizballah -- which likely didn't expect such a fierce reaction from Israel. Many blamed Iran for the conflict because of reports that they were helping Hizballah financially and supplying it with weapons and missiles. Iran says...