Thursday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 7.14.2005:

Iranian activists ask UN for help in dissident journalist’s case

Khaleej Times:

Iranian political activists on Wednesday asked the United Nations to intervene for the release of an Iranian journalist jailed for writing articles linking government officials to murder, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

“For the sake of human rights (we) ask you to intervene directly in (Akbar) Ganji’s case and follow it as an urgent human rights issue,” 33 activists said in a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. READ MORE

Kofi Annan is not responded to their call.

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

• The Daily Demarche reminded us "freedom isn't free" and some imprisoned are paying the price such as "our brethren... Akbar Ganji."
  
• Michael Ledeen, National Review explains Blair's strange omission of Israel and Iraq from his list to nations facing terrorism. A must read.
• Jeffrey Gedmin, The Weekly Standard argued that if the United States is serious about preventing the mullahs from getting the bomb, we have two choices: either preemption or regime change.
• Iran Focus published an interview with a defector from Iran’s secretive nuclear establishment, who says that Iran is close to a nuclear bomb.
• Daily Times top negotiator Hassan Rowhani was quoted as saying, with the end of the mandate of the current government; my tenure will come to an end just as is the case for other ministers.
• The Washington Post reported that an administration source who is close to John Bolton said that Bolton is prepared to accept a recess appointment, as UN ambassador, next month.
• Kurdmedia reported that thousands of Kurds protested the murder of the Kurdish youth by Iranian Pasdarans in the city of Mahabad.
• Yahoo News reported the White House as saying, there needs to be a permanent end to Iran's uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities. We have made that very clear."
• The Financial Times reported that Curt Weldon, a senior Republican politician will ask the Central Intelligence Agency to investigate whether a former agent endangered US national security by allegedly leaking the identity of an Iranian dissident to journalists.
• WorldNetDaily reported that the Iranian Mullah's goal is nuclear terror in the U.S.
• Tehran Times reported that Iran’s new national police chief said, Our society is a young one... we must deal with them patiently.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that South African backs Iran's peaceful application of nuclear technology and wants to buy Iranian oil.
• Gooya News published an urgent call to action in support of Akbar Ganji. A good brief on Ganji.
• Iran Press Service reported that an Iranian MP was “advising” Mr. Ganji to continue his hunger strike until he dies.
• Yahoo News reported that Iran's government said Wednesday that President Bush shouldn't intervene in the case of a jailed Iranian dissident, particularly given allegations of U.S. human rights violations.
• BBC News reported that five Iranian MPs say they want to meet the jailed dissident Akbar Ganji, soon.
• Human Rights Watch claimed in Iran a leading dissident’s life is in danger.
• And finally, Iranian.com published photos of Ganji on his 33rd day of his hunger strike.