Monday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 10.16.2005:

Two recent reports from inside of Iran, if accurate, are very troubling.

Iran's Government Seeks Agreement with 12th Imam - in hiding since 13th century?

Kamal Tehrani, Rooz Online: a "reformist" website

In a formal cabinet meeting chaired by Iran's new president’s first deputy, the ministers printed and ratified an agreement with the Shiites' 12th Imam. In his opening remarks, Parviz Davoudi, Ahmadinejad' first deputy suggested that the cabinet ministers should sign an agreement with 12th Imam, the same way they signed a pact with the new president. The ministers collectively agreed and so there is now an agreement between the two! The ministers then questioned how the 12th hidden Imam will sign the agreement!

The solution was resolved when the government's cabinet ministers agreed to ask Saffar Harandi, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance how president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad planned to take the letter to the holy Imam. Next Thursday night, Saffar Harandi dropped the signed agreement to the Jamkaran well, a spot that Moslem religious groups believe is where the Shiite 12th Imam is hidden. This well is also the resting place for tons of letters and requests from Muslim pilgrims. ...

The most important contemplating issue is that a large number of Ahmadinejad's close allies are talking about preparing the grounds for the hidden Imam's imminent manifestation and seriously and explicitly relate it to Iran's nuclear program. Based on informed sources in their conservative inner circles, they believe that resisting the international pressures and insisting on Iran's right to have nuclear capabilities will help the manifestation of the 12th Imam.

Some analysts believe that such talk among senior members of the new Iranian government indicates how deeply Ahmadinead and his supporters are influenced by ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi and his students in Qom's religious circles. The unprecedented presence of many of his strong supporters in senior government positions and presidential offices is a good indication of these claim.

Who is the 12th Iman?

According to Azarmehr, writing about Ahmadinejah's spiritual mentor, Mesbah-Yazd and his views of the 12th Iman:

According to thhe Shiite version of Islam, the 12th descendant of prophet Mohammed, Mehdi or the Lord of All Ages, went into hiding when he was a child, some 1300 years ago. Shiites believe he will reappear again when the world has become full of oppression and tyranny.

So according to Kamal, Ahmadinejad's cabinet is looking for the supernatural return of the 12th Iman to help them deal with the U.S.

For they actually believe in the spread of tyranny and oppression. They argue that if the Lord of All Ages is to appear when the world is full of oppression and tyranny, then we ought to help spread evil, tyranny and oppression in order to facilitate the coming of the 12th Imam, Mehdi.

If these reports are accurate, how do you deal a government that believes this?

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

• Middle East Newsline reported that the United States has sought Turkish cooperation to use of Turkey as a base for American military operations for reconnaissance and intelligence missions in Iran and Syria.
• Rooz Online published a conversation with former president Khatami’s foreign policy architect about the U.S.
• Steven Greenhut, The Orange County Register reported that recent news accounts continue to make the thesis of Ilan Berman's new book all the more compelling.
• Shahram Rafizadeh, Rooz Online reported that the Iranian government has offered a new bill to the parliament (Majlis) to increase the price of gasoline which if passed will lead to civil unrest.
• Iranian.ws reported that the European Union severely criticised Iran's human rights record.
• Iran Focus reported that a key Majlis (Parliament) committee approved a resolution demanding Iran end its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under the Additional Protocol of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
• SMCCDI reported that tens of inmates have been wounded and reportedly some killed in a bloody clash at the Adel-Abad ('Just' Place) Prison located in the central City of Shiraz.
• SMCCDI reported that an informant was gunned down in the Iranian Capital.
• Voice of America News reported that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British leaders have discussed efforts to convince Iran to abandon its nuclear program.
• Khaleej Times Online reported that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday gave full backing to Washington’s key ally London over its handling of Iran.
• BBC News reported that British officials in Iran have denied claims of UK involvement in two bomb attacks which killed at least four people in Ahwaz, Iran.
• And finally, The Telegraph UK reported that Foreign Secretary Jack Straw spoke about Iran's hand in bomb attacks on British troops in Iraq, saying: We look to the Iranians to desist.