Tuesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 6.28.2005:

'No More Mullahs'

Amir Taheri, The Wall Street Journal:

In one of his rare outings during the Iranian presidential election campaign last week, Ali-Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the man then designated as the likely winner by almost everyone, ran into a spot of bother. An old woman broke through his security ring, shouting, "May I have a word with you?" Once allowed to approach Mr. Rafsanjani, the woman removed his turban with a blow and shouted, "No more mullahs!"

A couple of nights before that, Mr. Rafsanjani had been booed by students at Tehran University with cries of "mullahs back to the mosques!" Acknowledging the rising antimullah sentiments, Mr. Rafsanjani had himself photographed without a turban for the last posters in his forlorn campaign.

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There are many ways to interpret the surprise victory of Mahmoud Ahamadinejad, who becomes the sixth president of the Islamic Republic. But one thing is certain: It marks a shift of power within the Khomeinist regime from the mullahs to the military. This is the first time that a mullah, in this case the most prominent of all political mullahs, has been defeated by a virtually unknown nonmullah in a high-profile election. READ MORE

A Must Read!

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

• Islamic Republic News Agency said that Iran's President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will swear in as new president of the Islamic Republic on August 4.
• Reporters without Borders said that three Iranian dailies allowed to reappear, a fourth still suspended.
• Khaleej Times reported that two men accused of spying on Iran’s nuclear facilities will go on trial in August.
• MEMRI reported on Iran's ‘Second Islamic Revolution’: Fulfilled by Election of Conservative President.
• Roozonline reported that the number of students wanting to enroll in journalism programs and universities offering degrees increased manifold.
• The Financial Times reported that International oil company executives believe the election of conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad may prove positive for foreign investment.
• The Guardian reported Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is called Ali Shah by many Iranians.
• Iranian blogger Ramin Parham, Iran-Shar Blog examines the western media's willful ignorance of the Islamic Repulic of Iran.
• The National Review reported the nuclear threat just went from bad to worse. There are three things you need to understand about Iran’s recent sham elections.
• Radio Free Europe exposed the new paradigm and math used in the recent election.
• Irish Independent reports that an Iranian court has sentenced a man to have his eyes surgically removed for a crime he committed as a teenager 12 years ago.
• The Washington Times said Ken Timmerman's research concludes that the Islamist regime may be no more than six months away from perfecting the technology for nuclear weapons and could already have enough nuclear material for 20 to 25 bombs.
• The Wall Street Journal said, If there's a silver lining in the Iranian election, it is that the West may at last see the unveiled face of the Iranian regime and begin acting accordingly.
• The New York Times reported that on the streets of Tehran America is spoken of more like an estranged cousin, maybe an annoying cousin, but nevertheless one with whom people would like to reconcile.
• The Christian Science Monitor reported Ahmadinejad said, The EU should not talk to us from a proud distance and should come down from the ivory tower.
• And finally, a cartoon about Iranian bloggers.