Week in Review

DoctorZin provides a review of this past week's [7/24-7/29] major news events regarding Iran. (The reports are listed in chronological order, not by importance)

Akbar Ganji's hunger strike: Nearing the end.

• FreeGanji published Ganji's third letter from prison, on the 42nd day of his hunger strike. The letter is addressed to the leading dissident Iranian Ayatollah, Montazeri.
• The Guardian's Observer reported that Ganji has become the Republican Party's darling.
• Iranian.com reported that Ganji’s efforts are unique and heroic because he is hopeful at times when our society is not.
• Iranian bloggers on Ganji. Two opinions.
• Iranian blogger, Hossein Bastani, Roozonline reports that Akbar Ganji’s hunger strike is the type of event that has been absent in Iran’s pro-democracy movement in recent years. This has been a missing loop in Iran’s pro-democracy movement.
• ReleaseGanji.net reports that Akbar Ganji is going to be operated on the meniscus of his knee tomorrow (Monday 25 July 2005) and the operation is being performed against his will.
• Eli Lake, The NY Sun reported Havel joins Bush, Sharansky in plea for Ganji's life.
• Iranian blogger, Maryam Kashani, Roozonline reported Tehran’s Prosecutor, Mortezavi, has demanded that Ganji have foot surgery despite medical counsel that putting him under anesthesia would mean death. Mortezavi has threatened that if the medical team at Milad hospital refrains from performing surgery, he will get another team from a different hospital. Ganji’s kidney is reported already to have stopped functioning due to torture and his hunger strike.
• Reporters Without Borders voiced outrage today at the behavior of the judicial authorities towards Akbar Ganji and held them responsible for his slow drift towards death.
• Early reports of a demonstration in Tehran in front of Tehran University today in support of the political prisoners in Iran. Early reports indicate that several thousand took part. The regime has reportedly arrested more than a hundred protesters.
• ReleaseGanji.net published a copy of the letter sent by Ganji's wife to the head of Iran's Judiciary.
• Payvand reported that the EU called for his permanent release of journalist Akbar Ganji as a prisoner of conscience.
• Iranian blogger, Hossein Derakhshan, Editor: Myself published an unbelievable attack on U.S. support for Ganji arguing it will keep him alive. I responded.
• Eli Lake, Iran Scan responds to Hoder's unbelievable post which argues that Bush wants Ganji dead. Eli said, your last post is a lie on behalf of Ganji’s jailors.
• Eli Lake, The NY Sun reported that Iran's Students find inspiration in Ganji's protest.
• Khaleej Times Online reported that Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, announced on Thursday that Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji might be released.
• Yahoo News reported that Iran's outgoing reformist President Mohammad Khatami criticized the "obstinacy" of dissident jailed journalist Akbar Ganji.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that a government spokesman expressed hope the case of the jailed journalist Akbar Ganji would be settled soon.
• Muslim Wakeup reported that the International Committee in Support of Akbar Ganji, placed a full-page ad in the New York Times, appealing to the United Nations Secretary General to work for his immediate release.
• BBC News reported that the wife of journalist Akbar Ganji, says officials will not let her visit her husband, 49 days into a hunger strike, for giving interviews to foreign reporters.
• Reporters Without Borders today condemned what it called "the criminal attitude" of Iran's top leaders in refusing to release journalist Akbar Ganji, who has now been on hunger-strike for nearly 50 days.
• BBC News reported that Iranian officials have raided the home of a lawyer representing journalist Akbar Ganji.
• Amnesty International reported on dissident Akbar Mohammadi (m), aged 35, student activist (his brother) Manuchehr Mohammadi has reportedly gone into a coma having been on hunger strike since 6 July protesting his care in prison.
• Shirin Ebadi, Roozonline reminded the media that Akbar Ganji's perilous condition is just one distressing example of the dire state of Iran's political and ideological prisoners.
• The LA Times lamented that Iran's media is ignoring Akbar Ganji who is close to death after nearly 50 days on a hunger strike, saying the press in Iran is too intimidated. Actually they are were banned from publishing news on Ganji. But the Iranian press is still reporting.
• Eli Lake, The NY Sun reported that Rafsanjani asked for a pardon for Akbar Ganji.
• Yahoo News reported that Iran's highest profile political prisoner, journalist Akbar Ganji, and the hardline judiciary escalated on the 50th day of his hunger strike, with fears he may not live much longer. Ganji's wife saying Ganji's situation is very critical and it is possible that these are his last days of life.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that the Center for Advocates of Human Rights on Saturday protested to the Judiciary against arrest warrant the body issued for lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani, attorney for Ganji and the Kazemi family.
• Iranian.ws reported that Judiciary chief mullah Shahroudi said that the recent statements by Akbar Ganji have brought further problems to his case.
• Akbar Ganji, Free Ganji published a letter to Dr. Abdolkarim Soroush, an English translation.
  

The Unrest Against the Regime Spreads in Iran.

• Potkin Azarmehr, Iran va Jahan reported that the state of repression in Mahabad is reaching new proportions. Unrest has continued for eight days and is spreading. The city is now under complete general strike. Not one Western correspondence as yet has gone to Mahabad to view the situation.
• British Ahwazi Friendship Society reported anti-government protests erupted in Ahwaz, the first since last month's presidential elections.
• BBC News reported on Iran press reports of about the Kurdish riots.
• Reuters reported that three Iranian policemen have died fighting Kurdish insurgents.
• DozaMe.org reported that a Kurdish man was killed when Iranian soldiers opened fire on demonstrators on July 25 in the city of [Oshonoieh] in northwestern Iran.
• BBC News reported that Iranian police have arrested at least 12 people in connection with fresh protests in Khuzestan province.
• Mahabad.org provided photos of the regime bringing in truckloads of trucks with heavy guns. The unrest in Mahabad (located in the Kurdish region of Iran) is spreading throughout the region.
• Iran Press News reported that protestors attacked the offices of the 'Supreme Leader' Khamnei in that province of Khorveen.
• Iran Press News reported that in response to the stream of continued protests around Iran and clashes with protestors, the regime has begun installing suicide bombers around the various provinces in Iran.
• Iran Press News reported on the month-long clashes and strike in the Kurdish region.
• Baku Today reported that 300 Kurdish activists staged a sit-in outside the governor’s office in Iran’s western province of Kurdistan.
• Reuters reported that a UN report said that Iran is denying basic amenities to its ethnic and religious minorities and in some cases confiscating their land.
• Iran Focus: an MEK website, reported that an officer in Iran’s armed forces and an Iranian soldier were arrested in Iraq.
• SMCCDI reported that the unrest is continuing in several northwestern cities of Iran located in the Kurdistan and W. Azarbaijan provinces.
• Dr. Corsi, WorldNetDaily reported that Kurds in Iran's western city of Mahabad are rioting providing horrifying evidence of mullahs' rule of terror.
  

Ahmadinejad's Presidency. He takes office this next week.

• The Media Line reported that the spiritual guide of Iran's president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad, Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi Mu'sbah Yazdi, has recruited suicide bombers through an Iranian newspaper.
• Khaleej Times Online reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad wants to meet a delegation from the Iranian Jews living in Los Angeles and The Iranian president is keen on attending the meetings of the UN General Assembly in New York.
• Iran Press News Iran's president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad's spiritual guide is also the brains behind recruiting suicide bombers.
• Yahoo News reported that the United States has concluded that Iran's president-elect was a leader of the movement behind the 1979 hostage crisis.
• The New York Times reported that Iran's incoming conservative president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is planning to address the United Nations General Assembly in September.
• Iran Focus: an MEK website, reported that the newly appointed head of Iran’s police, announced that members of the Bassij were authorized to assist the police in cracking down on dissent.
• Voice of America News reported that Iran has rejected as "unfounded" U.S. accusations linking President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the 1979 take-over of the U.S. embassy in Tehran.
• ESISC.org reports that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad practices the Takiya, the art of institutionalizes lying, is second nature to the rulers of Iran.

The Power Struggle Among the Regime Leaders.

• Iran Press News reported that Hashemi Rafsanjani continued his rant against the Supreme Leader, Khamnei saying If we fall victim to exclusion, expulsion and accusations and spin our wheels dealing with disorder, we will not only not progress but we will surely regress.
• Iran Press News reported that the Islamic judiciary announced the arrest of several of the executives of the Oriental Kish Oil Company, which belongs to Rafsanjani's children and relatives.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that President Mohammad Khatami referred to Rafsanjani as being among the great assets of the Islamic Revolution.

Still More on the Election Fraud.

• Turkish Weekly reported that President Mohammad Khatami will submit a report on violation of regulations in the presidential elections to their Judiciary Chief next week.
  

Iran's Troublemaking.

• Iran Focus: an MEK website reproduced an ad calling for suicide operations to "defend" Islam including an “application form” to become a suicide bomber. The ad runs weekly in an Iranian newspaper. Ad reproduced here with an English translation.
• The Jerusalem Post reported that a top State Department official informed Congress on Thursday that Iranian training personnel are helping Hizbullah fighters in Lebanon.

Iran's Nuclear Program. The EU3/Iran Talks are scheduled to end this next week.

• Iranmania reported that Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi recommended Europeans not to use the language of threat against Iran.
• Iran Focus an MEK website, claimed it had seen secret documents showing that Iran was secretly buying European-made sophisticated nuclear parts via South Korea.
• Reuters reported that Iran will resume some key work on its nuclear fuel cycle regardless of what European diplomats might propose.
• Iran Focus, an MEK website, reported that Iran is secretly acquiring a rare form of ultra-strong steel to use as casing for nuclear bombs.
• Iran Focus, an MEK website, reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Republic’s top statesmen met behind closed doors to discuss the country’s uranium enrichment program and it was decided to wait until August 1 when their joint decision will be made public.
• USA TODAY reported that the European Union will offer Iran next week a guaranteed supply of nuclear fuel for civilian nuclear power plants.
• Reuters reported that Iran demanded the EU make its nuclear offer by August 1st.
  

U.S. Policy on Iran.

• R 3358 IH - 109th CONGRESS A Bill Introduced in Congress: To provide for payment of certain claims against the Government of Iran.
• Karen Matusic, Dow Jones Newswires reported the Senate approved legislation that strengthens penalties against U.S. companies doing business with countries deemed "terrorist states."
• Eli Lake, The NY Sun reported that the US Senate will soon consider new legislation that would commit America to ending tyranny the world over.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that a leading German lawmaker from the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) on Wednesday held talks with US President George W Bush on the latest developments in Iran's nuclear case.
  

The Iranian Military.

• Haaretz Daily reported that Iran confirmed for the first time that it has fully developed solid fuel technology in producing missiles.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Iran's Defense Minister Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani stressed Iran's readiness to confront military attacks.

The Iranian Economy.

• The Peninsula reported that Iranian authorities are trying to halt the downward plunge of Tehran's stock exchange.

Human Rights/Freedom of the press inside of Iran.

• Yahoo News reported that the lawyers representing the family of a Canadian photographer who died in custody in Iran said she was deliberately killed and demanded an impartial court retry the case.
• Iranian blog, Roozonline reported on the charges by Hossein Ghaziyan, one of those imprisoned for conducting a poll on US-Iran relations. The article outlines the abuse he has received by the regime.
• Iranian blogger, Behrouz Sayyedi, Roozonline reported that two years have passed since the Writers Guild elected its board of directors, however, permission for it to convene and elect new officers has been denied.
• Iranian blogger, Hossein Bastani, Roozonline reported that despite Iran's Judiciary report outlining violations of the rights of the accused and imprisoned nothing will change.
• The UK Foreign Ministry released its Annual Human Rights Report 2005 arguing there has been no significant progress in Iran since their last Annual Report.
• Iran Press News reported that an estimated 900,000 workers all around Iran are on perpetual strike.
  

Can you believe this?

• Iranian blogger, Babak Mehdizadeh, Roozonline published an amazing interview with reformist President Khatami’s Chief of Staff who when asked why Khatami never pressured the regime for change said, Khatami is part of the establishment and never intended to fight the ruling powers. Some amazing admissions in the interview.

Popular support outside of Iran for the pro-democracy efforts in Iran.

• The Student Movement Coordinating Committee for Democracy in Iran's website's news section is up and running.

Iran and the International community.

• Tehran Times reported that an Iranian MP demanded that the German government officially apologize to Iran.
• David R. Sands, The Washington Times reported that Iran and China are united in part by their shared distrust of U.S. power and have struck a profitable and growing alliance.
• Yahoo News reported that Canadian Tories are calling on Prime Minister Paul Martin's government to take a harder line with Iran.
• Iranian.ws published a retrospective on Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (1919-1980) on his reign on the occasion of the twenty fifth anniversary of his death.
  

Must Read reports.

• Opinion Journal asked, Is Old Europe finally learning that it must join the global war on terror?
• Dan Darling, WindsOfChange.net reports that Al-Qaeda is not so decentralized and there are a lot of Al-Qaeda members inside of Iran.
• Iran Focus: an MEK Website reported on a senior Shiite cleric's involvement in his own son’s execution for disloyalty to the regime.
• The Guardian asked Is the mood in Iran fearful or defiant? Their reporter met with hardline clerics, Tehran liberals, mosque-goers, workers and the near-destitute - and finds surprising resonances with their superpower enemy.

The Experts.

• Nir Boms and Reza Bulorchi, The Wall Street Journal discusses a tipping point for Tehran.
• Michael Ledeen, National Review reported that the centrality of Iran in the terror network is the dirty secret that most everyone knows, but will not pronounce.
• Amir Taheri, The Times UK said beards and scarves aren't Muslim. They're simply advertising for al-Qaeda.
• Jamie Glazov, FrontPageMag published an expert panel discussion on the coming U.S. showdown with Iran.
• Amir Taheri, Aawsat explains why terrorism cannot win.

Photos and cartoons of the week.

• Iran Press News photos of tents in the streets of Tehran used to encourage the registration process of suicide bombers.
• Iran Press News photos of Iranian Kurd townspeople having closed their shops and left their offices and took to the street chanting anti-regime slogans.
• Roozonline and others have published the following photos of Ganji's supporters in front of the Milad Hospital. Many were arrested including eight young women.
• Photos of a gathering around Ganji's home.
• A poem by DoctorZin: Silence.

And finally, The Quote of the Week.

MEMRI reported that Iranian President-Elect, Ahmadinejad, said:

Is there art that is more beautiful, more divine, and more eternal than the art of martyrdom? ... Have no doubt... Allah willing, Islam will conquer what? It will conquer all the mountain tops of the world.