The Week in Review

DoctorZin provides a brief week in review on the major news events affecting Iran.

The Europeans:

• An important distinction has appeared between the US and some of the Europeans. While President Bush is speaking the language of freedom and human rights (traditional European concerns) Germany’s Schroeder speaks of stability and is silent on freedom.
• The Europeans are pushing on recognition of the state of Israel, but Iran has flatly rejected these demands. On the issue of Iran’s heavy water reactor (which are universally used for production of plutonium), Iran is rejecting any EU3 discussions on closing this facility, saying they want to be an exporter of enriched uranium.
• Once again, the WTO has rejected Iran’s application for membership. France wants the US to reconsider its opposition to it.
  
• Bush makes it clear to the Europeans that military action against is not our first choice.
  

The Iranian Threat:

• Iran will produce an atomic bomb exclaims a Hezbollah leader.
• This week the media was focused on a mysterious blast reported in southern Iran many suspected was the result of an unmanned drone attack. Iran denies it was attacked. Chester has some interesting observations.
• Iran tried to call for a “common front” to confront the US efforts in the region. It fell on deaf ears and even Syria tried to back away from it.
• A nuclear fuel deal with Russia is imminent. But Iran has begun mining uranium ore for a new facility. They already of 500 tons of uranium ore and will not be dependent on Russia for its uranium fuel.
  
• Israel claims that Iran will know how to build their own nuclear bombs in less than 6 months.
• New satellite images show tunnel construction at the Esfahan facility.
• U.S. General reminds us that Iran is a threat in the Persian Gulf.

More evidence of a growing popular struggle inside of Iran.

• There were more anti-regime demonstrations in Iran this week. But as a result, the Mullahs retaliated by cutting off the offending city's natural gas. It is still winter...
• Proof that Iranians no longer support their regime can be seen in their refusal to participate in their elections. In the last election, only 12% bothered to vote. Much of the world pretends Iran is a democracy. At the time, of the last election, the world media largely failed to report this story. Many claim the Iranians refused to vote because they are not free to elect leaders of their own choosing (Iran’s religious clerics approve the candidates they want the people to choose from and thus keep a strangle hold on the government). Iran’s next presidential election is scheduled to occur on June 17th. This time when the people of Iran refuse to participate in these phony elections the world will be watching.
• There is further evidence that Iranians are largely pro US and pro Bush. A sample quote from this report: Tehran University student who said,

  "The Iranian people support President Bush because he supports our cause. As long President Bush stands with the Iranian people, the Iranian people will stand with him."

• Roger L Simon, film producer, writer, and popular blogger can now add revolutionary to his resume. He has come out in support of the Iranian people’s quest for a referendum on their form of government. This blog and others are currently preparing a major blogosphere campaign in support of this. Stay tuned.
• UPI produced some interesting facts about Iranian bloggers.
• Iranians appear to be increasingly convinced that the US is going to cause a regime change in Iran. IPS weighs in as well.
• Michael Ledeen, writes: These Are Revolutionary Times. Faster Please, President Bush.
  

Iran’s Neighbors:

• Who is Ayatollah Sistani of Iraq? The Times provide a glimpse of this important US ally and his website.
• Jihadism appears to be in retreat in Iraq.
• Is freedom on the move in Lebanon? The murder this past week of former Lebanonese prime minister Rafiq Hariri has put the spotlight on Syria and its meddling in Lebanon. The evidence appears to point to Syria as the culprit in the murder. Some are speculating that Hariri was preparing a coup to oust the Syrians from the country. Reports are coming in of popular demonstrations in the streets of Lebanon for Syria to leave. If this movement gains momentum and Syria is forced out, it will seriously weaken this ally of Iran. – See the report from the Belmont Club and Amir Taheri.

Odd and Ends:

• Maureen Dowd of the NY Times drove some Iranians crazy this past week when she denied that Iran is a totalitarian state.
• The American Thinker published a report of Iran’s Supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, in his own words. It is long but well worth reading.
• More Iranian TV Video Clips - MemriTV.org.
• And finally, I have produced a list of interesting quotes of week.