Thursday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 11.10.2005:

The Return of Purged Intelligence Officials

Rooz Online: Special Rooz Report:

A group of former Intelligence Ministry agents are back in action to control Iran’s news media, this time working through the Security Department of the Ministry of Islamic Guidance. The group comprises of officials and agents who were involved - and discredited - in the so-called “serial murders” cases that involved the murders, imprisonment, harassment, etc of the country’s writers, journalists, intellectuals, and politicians during 1993-1999 years at the hands officials from the Ministry of Intelligence. ...

This team has been active in confronting journalists and web-bloggers during the recent years. ...

What is new in their work is that now that they are back at the Ministry of Intelligence.... During the last few weeks, journalists and writers have been called to appear at the Guidance’s offices and respond to questions from the security agents. Those that refrained from appearing there, were given very stern warnings and threats. Those that did, whether on their first call or subsequent, were treated in a very humiliating, threatening and confrontational manner so that a number of them have told ROOZ that they are not in a position to even return to their previous jobs and work. ... READ MORE

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

• RIA Novosti reported that Iran's nuclear program would dominate talks between Russia and the European Union in Moscow Wednesday.
• Reuters reported that British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Wednesday told Iran that referring it to the UN Security Council remained an option.
• RIA Novosti reported that the European troika of Britain, Germany and France is now against sending the Iranian "nuclear file" to the United Nations Security Council.
• Iran Press News reported that hundreds of hungry workers protested in front of the Islamic Parliament’s Assembly saying: We’d rather die…take our lives. Photo.
• Iran Press News reported that the regime’s hardliners give Ahmadinejad a warning.
• Iran Press News reported that thirty eight U.N. member nations lead by Canada are demanding the condemnation of the Islamic regime for continued and barbarous violation of human rights in Iran.
• Iran Press News reported that the Iranian government responded saying: The government of Canada must be held accountable for its own human rights violations.
• Iran Press News reported that following last week’s 15000 person strong anti-regime demonstration in front of the IRI embassy, in Rome, Khamanei’s newspaper called Italians, Mafiosi and corrupt evildoers.
• Iran Press News reported on a controversy in Iran over a destitute family's inability to receive their dead child's body from a hospital. The Iranian media is angry with the government.
• AlJazeera reported that Iran offered to give the outside world a 35% share in its uranium enrichment program as a guarantee that its contentious nuclear project won't be diverted toward weapons.
• The Guardian reported that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is steering his country in a reckless fashion and there is no guarantee that the engine of the Iranian state is equipped to take such rough handling.
• Morteza Abdolalian, Iran Watch Canada reported that political, economical and social unrest in Iran has entered to a new stage. The situation now seems uncontrollable and moving toward a disaster.
• Iran Focus reported that the chief of police in Greater Tehran announced that Iranian police are planning to boost a national security plan that will effectively increase a crackdown already in effect.
• Ilan Berman, The American Foreign Policy Council reported on Iran's new favorite Iraqi politician, Ahmad Chalabi.
• Rooz Online provided background information on the withdrawal of Ahmadinejad's second nominee Sadegh Mahsouli for the influential Oil Ministry.
• Yahoo News reported that Iran's nominee oil minister, Sadeq Mahsouli, on Wednesday informed parliament he had withdrawn his candidacy.
• Rooz Online published an interview with Shirin Ebadi.
• Mehr News reported that Armed Forces commander Major General Ataollah Salehi said: If we manage to acquire acceptable faith and spirituality, we can undoubtedly acquire military power, too.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Britain's former longest-serving MP, Tam Dalyall said: The West's attitude towards Iran on the nuclear issue is horrifying and makes the situation very dangerous.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Iranian newspapers warned France that cracking down on unrest is not solution to the problem.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Iran-China trade volume is expected to reach 10 billion dollars in 2005.
• The Wall Street Journal reported on the recent U.S. State Department Survey On Religious Freedom.
• The Financial Times reported that the second coming for the hidden Imam is primary focus of concern for the Iranian President. A must read.
  
• Rooz Online in a Special Report discussed an attack on several grand ayatollahs in Qom.
• Hamid Ahadi, Rooz Online reported that Ahmadinejad threatened the Majlis.
• Dean's World nominated Regime Change Iran for a place in Aaron's "Deck O' Blogs."
• And finally, Peykeiran.com provided a peek into the Iranian majlis (Parliament).