Week in Review

DoctorZin provides a review of this past week's [5/29-6/4] major news events regarding Iran.

Iran's Presidential Elections:

• Townhall.com reported that the son of the late Shah said, Boycott Iran's Sham Election.
• Payvand reported that Iranian students wonder whether they should vote.
• The Peninsula reported that Iran's reformist camps faces a dilemma: Change or drop out.
• Khaleej Times reported the brother of Iran's president was assaulted by hardliners at pro-reform rally: party.
• Reuters reported that Iran's leading reformist presidential candidate, Moin, launched a radical platform, promising profound reviews of the Islamic state's political structure and of Tehran's relations with the United States.
• Iran Focus reported an Iranian survey predicts: 92 percent of voters to stay away from presidential polls.
• Khaleeji Times reported that Rafsanjani said the Islamic regime needed a radical rethink of the way it deals with the international community. Rafsanjani's student supporters.
• Agence Franc Presse reports that the Iranian public is being told, voting is as important as praying.
• Ekbatan Observer Blog reported amongst Iranian political activists boycotting this election is the only honorable option left to the citizens.
• Answers.com provides a useful briefing on "who's who" in the Iranian Presidential elections, set for June 17.
• OpenDemocracy.com reported that Rafsanjani says he has spent all his money.
• LA Times reports that recent moves by Khamenei removed whatever tiny doubt remained about who calls the political shots: What he says, goes.
  

Iran's trouble making outside of Iran:

• The Associated Press reported that U.S. intelligence and foreign allies have growing evidence that wanted terrorists have been residing in Iran.
• SMCCDI reported that many believe the murder of an Iranian residing in France is the work of Islamic regime's notorious hit squads.
• Kuwait News Agency reported that Yemen condemned clerics to death on charge of spying for Iran.
• Reuters reported that Al Qaeda's leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had fled the country after being seriously injured in a U.S. missile attack and may have been moved to Iran. The Iranians denied this. Dan Darling and Richard Miniter weigh in. Finally, Donald Rumsfeld warned Iraq's neighbors not to shelter Zarqawi.

Iran's Military:

• Arutz Sheva asked, Does Iran Already Have Nuclear Weapons?
• Sunday Times reported that Iran announced that it had successfully tested a new solid fuel missile motor for its arsenal of medium-range ballistic missiles.

US Policy and Iran:

• Yahoo! News reported 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.
• VOA News reported that Condoleezza Rice says she hopes Iran is ready to support stability and democracy in Iraq rather than interfering in its affairs.
• Expatica reported that President Bush said the United States would not compromise with Iran on the uranium enrichment issue.
• The Hill reported that members of Congress push tougher line on Iran.
• The New York Times reported that the Bush administration is preparing to discuss efforts to join forces with other nations in intercepting weapons and missile technology bound for Iran.
• VOA News reported that Nicholas Burns as saying, Iran presents a serious challenge to the United States and other democratic countries.
• The Associate Press reported that President Bush says it was a "reasonable decision" to let Iran apply for membership in the WTO.
• Bloomberg reported that the US Secretary of State Condi Rice says nuclear material headed to Iran intercepted.
• The Jerusalem Post reported that the Bush administration is revising its counter-terrorism strategy.
• WebIndia123.com reported that Secretary of State Condi Rice described Iran's elections as "a country where an un-elected few continue to suppress the desires of its people for democratic elections." Iran responded.
• Washington Times reported that U.S. lawmakers and former military officers are backing the MEK.

Human Rights/Freedom of the press inside of Iran:

• Iran Focus reported Iranian political prisoners announced are going on a hunger strike.
• Iran va Jahan reminded us that the offspring of dictators openly and baldly flaunt the most basic laws, this is true in Iran.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that a group of women from "Women Activists Movement" staged a protest.
• Yahoo News took a look at Hashem Aghajari -- the dissident.
• Photos of Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji at home.
• Iran Press Service reported that Iranian dissident Qasem Sho'leh Sa'di was prevented from leaving Iran.
• BosNewsLife News Center reported that an Islamic court acquitted Christian lay pastor Hamid Pourmand on apostasy.

Iranian Bloggers:

• Yahoo News reported on Iranian bloggers.
• Wired reports on the end of the Iranian blog spring.
• OhMyNews.com reported on the influence of weblogs has spread to every aspect of Iranian people's daily lives.

Popular struggle for freedom inside of Iran:

• SMCCDI reported Iran's soccer victory over N. Korea leads to mass celebration and unrest. More.
• SMCCDI reported that Iranians boycotted massively the commemorative or official ceremonies marking the 16th anniversary of the death of Khomeini.
• Iran Focus reported that Tehran students protested against paramilitary forces.
• SMCCDI reported that several of the Islamic regime's plainclothes agents were gunned down in the rebellious City of Esfahan.
• SMCCDI reported that students of Shiraz University protested against the persistent repression in Iran. Photos.
• SMCCDI reported that sporadic clashes happened at Khoy University, in western Iran.
• SMCCDI reported of sporadic clashes between dissident students and the Bassij students at the Amir Kabir University. Photos. More Photos.
• SMCCDI reported that the body of a young man who was hanged from a tree has been found in the rebellious City of Eslamshahr. A MUST READ!
• Photos of Iranian students supporting imprisoned dissident Akbar Ganji.
• Photos of Iranian students asking people to boycott the upcoming elections.

Popular struggle for freedom outside of Iran:

• RegimeChangeIran.com asked blogs to join the "Blogosphere Supports Real Democracy in Iran" Campaign. MSNBC gave us an encouraging plug.
• Iran va Jahan reported that Reza Pahlavi warned European leaders.
• SOSIran.com has just released a petition directed at the leaders of the G8 nations.

Iran and the world community:

• Asian News International Iran is reportedly contemplating to hold a trilateral meeting with India and Pakistan.
• Adnkronos International reported that Iranians living abroad have accumulated more than a trillion dollars in earnings.
• People's Daily (China) reported that Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has proposed that all Muslims take what he calls the "Great Islamic Middle East" initiative to counter the US "Great Middle East" plan.

Must Read reports in the Mainstream Media:

• The American Spectator asked, if France can have a referendum, why not Iran?
• NBC News reporter Tom Brokaw was in Tehran and produced three reports on : Women, the elections and nuclear issue. Video clips.
  
• Investors.com blamed former President Jimmy Carter for our problems with Iran and Islamic terrorism.

The Experts:

• Ryan Mauro has just published an interview with me regarding current events in Iran and possible U.S. options.
• Dennis Ross claimed, 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.
• The Washington Institute suggested three things the U.S. can do to signal its support for the promotion of democracy in Iran.
• Charles R. Kesler took a close look at Democracy and the Bush Doctrine.
• Henry Sokolski, Policy Review took a serious look at our options at defusing Iran’s bomb.
• The Washington Institute reviewed the "Lawful Crimes" in Iran.
• The Middle East Economic and Political Analysis issued a report, Iran's Nuclear Programme - Assessment of Goals and Future Actions.
• Michael Ledeen warned that President Bush is drifting in his war on terror.
• The Boston Globe interviewed Gene Sharp, author of 'From Dictatorship to Democracy," about how to turn nonviolence into a weapon against totalitarian regimes.

And finally, The Quote of the Week:

Reza Pahlavi, who has lived in the U.S. since his father was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic revolution, said:

Iran was the only country in the world "whose written constitution specifically denies that sovereignty belongs to its citizens."