Week in Review

DoctorZin provides a review of this past week's [5/15-5/21] major news events regarding Iran.

Iran's Presidential Elections:

• IranMania reported that a leading reformist has warned voter apathy and an undemocratic election would give rise to large-scale crises at the national and international levels.
• Businessday.co.za reported that Iran’s presidential frontrunner Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and his family are increasingly targets for attacks over money and morality.
• Reuters reported that Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, an architect of the Islamic revolution, said, "Iranians would not vote in large numbers on June 17."
• The New York Times reported that Rafsanjani said he wanted to repair relations with the United States. But the U.S. has to do the repairing.
• Iran va Jahan said "Mullah Rafsanjani is the living personification of Hutzpah!"
• The Brooding Persian, an Iranian blogger provided a brief history of Iranian elections.
• BBC News reported that more than 500 politicians and intellectuals in Iran have announced that they will not take part in the presidential election next month.
• BBC News reported that a record 1,010 people have registered to run in Iran's presidential election next month.

The EU3 Negotiations with Iran:

Saturday -

• IranMania reported that EU3 diplomatic sources said that no final decision has yet been taken on the venue of next week's talks.
• Reuters reported that Iran doused hope of compromise in nuclear talks.
  

Thursday -

• The Associated Press reported that Iran will endure U.N. economic sanctions rather than give up nuclear fuel development.

Wednesday -

• Reuters the U.S. and Britain vowed on Tuesday to remain united in curbing Iran's nuclear programs.
• Agence France-Presse reports that Iran said regarding reaching an agreement in emergency nuclear talks with the EU3, "There is not a very big chance for an agreement."
• ICHarrow.co.uk reported that Mr Straw said it was clear what Tehran had to do, but not whether it would do it, saying "I hope but I cannot predict that the negotiations at the beginning of next week will be fruitful."

Monday -

• The Washington Times asked, "Is Tehran Toying with Europe?"

Last Sunday -

• Tehran Times reported that Iran-EU talks cannot continue without resumption of some nuclear activities.
• China Daily reported that French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier confirmed that a meeting between the Iran and the EU3 on Tehran's nuclear program would take place in the coming days.

Iran's trouble making outside of Iran:

• The Washington Times in an Op-Ed said that Hezbollah is believed to have cells in at least 10 U.S. cities.
• Iran Focus reported that Tehran fueled Muslim feelings over alleged desecration of Quran at Guantanamo Bay. Agence France-Presse.

Iran's Nuclear Program:

• Reuters reported that Iran has been using front companies to skirt international export controls and purchase a graphite compound that can be used in nuclear and conventional arms.
• Reuters reported that Iran's parliament voted to oblige the government to develop a nuclear fuel cycle.

Iran's military:

• United Press International reported that Iran's military is focusing on asymmetric warfare and nuclear weapons because its conventional armed forces are outdated.
• IranMania reported Iran has developed advanced cannons.
• The American Thinker provided a brief review of activities and statements concerning Iran’s existing capacities.

US Policy and Iran:

• The Associated Press reported that the State Department says there will be no new economic incentives for Iran.
• U.S. Department of State said "The United States hopes for better relations with Iran, but the onus is on the government in Tehran to change its policies..."
• The Associated Press reported that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Iran's leaders "should not consider themselves immune" to the changes taking place in the region.
• The Los Angeles Times reported that a senior State Department official said they saw no signs that current disarmament efforts would deter the country's rulers from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
• The Committee to Protect Bloggers discussed U.S. Congressman Christopher Cox's bill called the Global Internet Freedom Act.

Human Rights/Freedom of the press inside of Iran:

• The Globe and Mail reported that a doctor who treated Montreal photojournalist Zahra Kazemi has reportedly been arrested by Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
• Radio Free Europe reported that journalist Akbar Ganji announced he has begun "an unlimited hunger strike" to protest against his imprisonment.
• Iran Press Service reported that Iranian journalists are threatening to stop reporting parliament news.
• Amnesty International reports that the trial of 36-year-old Iranian woman, Afsaneh Norouzi, was unfair.
• The Globe and Mail reported that Canada will further limit diplomatic contacts with Iran to push for a new investigation into the death of a Canadian photojournalist.

Popular struggle for freedom inside of Iran:

• Iran Focus reported that dozens of workers in Mashad gathered outside the provincial headquarters of the Department of Labour, protesting overdue wages.
• Iranian Student News Agency published photos of an Iranian student protest.
• Iran Press Service reports an Iranian activists as saying, “People are expecting something to happen; something like in Ukraine...”
  

Popular struggle for freedom outside of Iran:

• Anjomane Padeshahi launched Operation Thunder One in Brussels, a protest operation designed to shame the European governments support for Iran. I have included an update with photos.
• SMCCDI's website is back online.
• The Iran Freedom Foundation (IFF) launched the Iran Freedom Walk, a 200-mile journey by foot aimed at promoting awareness and solidarity between the people of America and Iran.
  

Iran and the world community:

• Janes Defense Weekly reported that "For Iran, close and secret ties with Syrian intelligence and military officials will enable Tehran ... the possibility of promoting a coup in Syria ..."
• Reuters reported that Iran's foreign minister pledged on Tuesday that his country would act to stop insurgents crossing into Iraq. Iraq the Model doesn't think so.
• WorldTribune.com reported that China has dismissed U.S. sanctions and apparently believes it can more than compensate for lost U.S. business by continuing to export missile components and technology to Iran.
• CNN.com reported that Iran's foreign minister arrived in Baghdad for talks with top Iraqi officials.
• Tehran Times reported that Iran and Saudi Arabia expand ties.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Iranian President Khatami tells neighbors not to fear 'a powerful Iran.'

Must Read reports in the Mainstream Media:

• Saul Singer of the Jerusalem Post asked, "Is invasion America's only means to topple rogue regimes?"
• Newsweek reported that the MEK hurts its dissident members.
• The Guardian reported, "Tehran's Conservative Bazaar Now Reject the Whole System."
• Saul Singer of the Jerusalem Post says,"Iran is Pivotal."

Strange Reports:

• The Pennisula reported that Iran's state television network has embarked on giving the Iranian public a crash course in the joys of atomic power.
• Washington Times reported on Hooshang Amirahmadi, a U.S. citizen, president of the American Iranian Council, and now a Iranian presidential candidate. Iranian opposition groups claim "the AIC has been accommodating the Iranian theocracy."

The Experts:

• Voice of America News reported that a new book by Anthony Cordesman details Iran's military capabilities and its efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction.
• The Washington Institute for Near East Policy reported on "Nuclear Dangers in the Middle East: Threats and Responses."
• Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi reported that agents and spies of the terrorist regime mill about among us freely here in Washington, deceiving well-meaning and usually very under-informed Westerners with their lies. They infiltrate opposition movements active in the West; they bribe journalists and politicians to spin their lies.
• Amir Taheri warned the U.S. against the fashionable idea is that the Western democracies should seek a strategic alliance with Islamist parties.
• The National Review Online came out in support of the 60000000.com's referendum movement.

And finally, The Quote of the Week:

The NY Sun reported that Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian human rights lawyer who won the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize said:

"We must take care that Western countries not take advantage of democracy and human rights and use these concepts as a license to attack other countries."