Saturday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 6.4.2005:

Iran: Toward a Fourth Republic?

The Washington Institute:

For the first time, Iranians are looking abroad for assistance. Specifically, the United States can do three things to signal its support for the promotion of democracy in Iran:

1. The U.S. government could announce that it will not recognize the results of the June 17 elections ...
2. The United States could put the spotlight on the human rights situation in Iran...
3. The United States could focus on Iran's role in sponsoring terrorism... READ MORE
   

Here are a few other news items you may have missed.

• SMCCDI reports that Iranians boycotted massively the commemorative or official ceremonies marking the 16th anniversary of the death of Khomeini.
• The Peninsula reports that Iran's reformist camps faces a dilemma: Change or drop out.
• The Washington Post reports an Iranian ayatollah urged a massive turnout at polling places two weeks from Friday, when Iran will elect a new president.
• Yahoo! News reports a statement President Bush made may have misled the Iranians into thinking Washington is open to their being able to enrich uranium to low levels.
• Iran Focus reports political prisoners announced are going on a hunger strike to protest what they called the “sham undemocratic [June 17 presidential] elections” and the lack of respect for human rights in Iran.
• NBC News reporter Tom Brokaw takes a looks at an Iranian video highlighting Iran's nuclear ambitions. Video.
  
• NBC News reporter Tom Brokaw says Iran pretends to be a democracy. But in Iranian policy whichever candidate wins the presidential election on June 17, one man still will have all the power. Video.
• NBC News profiles the life of women in Iran today. Video.
• OhMyNews.com reports that only four years have passed since Hossein Derakhshan published a guide to making a weblog in Persian. Now the influence of weblogs has spread to every aspect of Iranian people's daily lives.
• Yahoo News takes a look at Hashem Aghajari -- the dissident who dared to say Muslims were not "monkeys" and nearly paid the ultimate price.
• Payvand reports that Iranian students wonder whether they should vote.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reports that Iran's Supreme Leader warned against the efforts by the enemies of Iran to discourage people from participating in the elections.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reports that a group of women from "Women Activists Movement" staged a protest voicing objection against disqualification of all women candidates.
• US News and World Report says Dennis Ross claims, the Iranians seem to believe they can continue to move incrementally toward developing fissile material openly and clandestinely and without incurring any real costs--and recent history would suggest they're right.
• Iran va Jahan reports that Reza Pahlavi warns European leaders, We are anxious to see whether, true to your ideals, you emphasize human rights and democracy in Iran or you are content to down grade those ideals as you cut deals on arms and trade. Audio.
• SMCCDI reports dozens injured or arrested in Iran-N. Korea soccer riots.
• The Associated Press reports that U.S. intelligence and foreign allies have growing evidence that wanted terrorists have been residing in Iran.
• The Guardian suggests that one result of the French and Dutch referendums is to damage seriously the credibility of the EU's ambition to be a global actor.
• Investors.com blames former President Jimmy Carter for our problems with Iran and Islamic terrorism.
• And finally, Townhall.com reports that the son of the late Shah said, Boycott Iran's Sham Election.