A Daily Briefing on Iran: Friday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 12.9.2005:

Opposition in Iran Showing Signs of Unity

In the aftermath of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's ascendancy to the presidency of Iran, the country's opposition is beginning to show signs of unifying as the clerical regime wages a war against internal dissent.

Yesterday, the regime closed all schools in Tehran, citing poor air quality, after word leaked of the first major demonstrations since the summer. Nonetheless, a rally at Tehran University attracted 300 demonstrators amid a heavy police presence on campus. Of note is that before the rally against the new president, a coalition of Kurdish students also signed on to the call.

In Brussels on Monday, a meeting of 250 delegates for a new "World Congress of the Iran Referendum Movement," an outgrowth of efforts last year to find support for changing the charter of the Islamic Republic, agreed on a slate of principles and a plan to begin drafting a new constitution by the end of 2006. READ MORE

A must read.

Plus: An important video report on the hidden Iman

Panahjoo.com:

A special report on Ahamdinejad's dedication to the mystical devotion to "the hidden Imam." It includes the much reported interview of Ahmadinejad regarding his spiritual experience while speaking in NY to the UN General Assembly. View it here.

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

Iran Press News reported that Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) have begun a new reign of terror on student activists. They are being kidnapped and blindfolded and then the students are then driven to unknown locations undergo brutal interrogations that go on for hours and days.
Iran Press News reported that workers from IRAN BERK protested in front of the Office of General Industries and Mines are protesting 8 months worth of non-receipt of their wages.
Iran Press News reported that a new gold mine was discovered in Iran.
Iran Focus reported that students were arrested during protests in Iran capital.
Paul Hughes, Reuters reported Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad expressed doubt that the Holocaust occurred.
Agence France-Presse reported that White House spokesman Scott McClellan said that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's most recent statements "further underscores our concerns about the regime in Iran. And it's all the more reason why it's so important that the regime not have the ability to develop nuclear weapons."
Reuters reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel said today. "The comments by the Iranian president are totally unacceptable..." and that "We will do everything to make it clear that Israel's right to existence is in no way endangered."
Reuters then reported that Koffi Annan expressed shock at the comments attributed to Ahmadinejad.
Patrick Devenny, The Middle East Quarterly published a report: Hezbollah's Strategic Threat to Israel.
The Washington Times in an editorial countered El Baradei's warning against any non-diplomatic means (i.e. military force) to end Iran's nuclear ambitions, saying it would be like opening "a Pandora's box." The WT said: Mr. ElBaradei is quite mistaken; the box is already open.
Robert Tait, The Guardian reported that Iranian officials were facing an angry backlash yesterday following the air disaster that claimed at least 116 lives.
Parisa Hafezi, Reuters reported that thousands of mourners flooded central Tehran on Thursday for a funeral ceremony.
And finally, BBC News published a photo report: Iran air crash funerals.