Week in Review

DoctorZin provides a review of this past week's [7/23/06 - 7/29/06] major news events regarding Iran. (The reports are listed in chronological order, not by importance) READ MORE

Iran behind Hezbollah's war on Israel.

• Time Magazine reported that while Hizballah may be Tehran's client, the conflict hasn't been welcomed by many Iranians. Iranian's are saying, "We should mind our own business and concentrate on policies that are good for our economy, and our kids."
• Amir Taheri, The Times argued that when Iran launched the present war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ahmadinejad hoped, the Arab world would rally behind his vision of the Middle East instead of the “American vision”. Instead the Arab world is moving in the other direction. A must read.
• ABS CBN News reported that Israel successfully launched on a highly accurate imaging satellite which will enhance its ability to spy on Iran.
• Mark Steyn, Chicago Sun-Times reminded us of one of the most straightforward of Islamist declarations, Hussein Massawi, the Hezbollah leader, 20 years ago, said: "We are not fighting so that you will offer us something. We are fighting to eliminate you [Israel]."
• Iran Press News reported that an Islamic regime organization, called Mohammad’s Army dispatched the first group of suicide-bombers from Tehran to Lebanon.
• The Sun reported that teams of Iranian suicide bombers were heading for Lebanon’s war zone last night in a terrifying bid to spark meltdown in the Middle East.
• The New York Sun reported that the bodies of Iranian Revolutionary Guard soldiers killed by the Israeli army in Lebanon have been transported to Syria and flown to Tehran.
• Eli Lake, The New York Sun reported that America's closest Arab allies are now publicly sharpening their criticism of Israel's campaign against Hezbollah and muting their criticism of the Iranian-armed militia.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. and Israel must balance their goal of defanging the militant group Hezbollah against the growing toll the war is taking on Israel, Lebanon and President Bush's hopes for reshaping the region.
• Iran Focus reported that Iran’s Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar accused the United States of deliberately imposing war and violence in the Middle East.
• Dr. Walid Phares, FrontPageMagazine.com argued that when Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, secretary general of Hezbollah held his press conference to declare his new victory over his enemy, Israel, he was triggering –probably without knowing- a new era in the history of Lebanon and the region.
• Ha'aretz reported that recent developments in the Hezbollah war with Israel are revealing insight into Israeli intelligence.
• The Washington Times reported that some analysts fear that Iran's suspected support for the recent Hezbollah attacks on Israel could undo the international community's solidarity over Iran's nuclear program.
• John Batchelor, The New York Sun argued that Europe will not fight in Lebanon to support Israel and America in suppressing Hezbollah. Because rather, Europe is collectively suffering the double wall of denial.
• Michael Ledeen, The National Review Online see the West replaying two old blunders in dealing with Syria. The first is the Friend Who Has Gone Too Far, and the second is the Enemy Who Is Really Our Friend.
• Caroline B. Glick, Jewish World Review argued that the events of the past two weeks have also shown some of the West's greatest strengths in fighting the war so many of its powerful citizens and statesmen refuse to acknowledge.
• Michael Ledeen, The Corner reported that a senior Hizbullah official has said the group did not expect Israel to react so strongly to the capture of two Israeli soldiers. The same blunder Osama made on 9/11. If only we take full advantage. Which we are not.
• Michael Rubin, The Corner reported on the idea of splitting Syria away from Iran. It isn’t going to happen.
• David Frum, National Post argued that the war on Israel's northern border is Iran's showdown with the West.
• Spiegel published an interview with former United States Middle East envoy Dennis Ross, 57, about Tehran's interest in the war in Lebanon and said "there is a real risk of escalation."
• David Frum, National Post provided a short chronology of events to help us to understand the origins of this latest spasm of violence in the Middle East.
• BBC News reported that Turkey and Saudi Arabia have stopped Iran using their air space to send humanitarian relief to Lebanon.
• Wizbang reported that CNN's Nic Robertson admitted that his anti-Israel hit piece of last week was propaganda for Hezbollah.
• Iran Mania reported that Iran called on Moscow to take a more decisive role in solving the Middle East crisis.
• The Australian reported that Israeli forces trying to root out militant Hezbollah fighters from southern Lebanon have uncovered sophisticated "Viet Cong-style" tunnel networks.
• MEMRI published excerpts from an interview with Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, where he criticized Hassan Nasrallah made the decision to go to war without consulting anyone. Video.
• The Guardian reported that Iran warned the west that attempts to broker a Lebanon peace deal at today's Rome summit are destined to fail and that the West ignores Iran "at your peril."
• SF Chronicle reported that diplomats from the West and the Middle East gathered in Rome, two weeks after a cross-border attack spiraled into deadly warfare, minus Iran and Syria.
• Dow Jones Newswires reported that French President Jacques Chirac said Iran supplied arms and funds to the Lebanon-based Hezbollah guerrillas.
• Alan Peters, AntiMullah argues that the UN is spying for Hezbollah.
• Richard Foot, Canada.com argued why attempts to appease Iran won’t satiate its quest for Arab world nuclear supremacy.
• Mai Yamani, The Daily Star considered the question: Is the Sunni-Shiite divide in the Middle East now deeper than the antagonism between Israel and the Arabs?
• B.Raman, International Terrorism Monitor published an Indian perspective on "Israel's Continuing Ordeal."
• Iran Press News reported on the Iranian people’s rage and hatred for Hezbollah was in evidence in the regime-run newspaper Aftab’eh Yazd where readers of the newspaper messages have been published, for example: “Hassan Nassrollah, the coward is hiding out while the people of Lebanon are paying his price.” A must read.
• Kenneth R. Timmerman, FrontPageMagazine.com argued that while some have suggested that the latest round of fighting between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon is the beginning of World War III, he suggested this is more like the Spanish Civil War.
• Reuters reported that Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, flew to Syria on Wednesday for talks with senior Syrian officials to discuss the crisis as Hizbollah guerrillas.
• Die Welt reported that Nasrallah may now be in Damascus for discussions with Syrian President Bashar Assad and the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani about wider strategic issues such as Syrian and Iranian involvement in the war.
• The New York Sun reported that Lebanon's Druze leader, Walid Jumblatt, said Tehran is using Hezbollah's confrontation with the Jewish state to test its weapons capabilities and to observe Israeli military tactics.
• Forbes reported that Iran's foreign ministry on Friday denied allegations that Tehran has provided military support to Hezbollah in its fight against Israel. Sure.
• USAToday reported that President Bush declined to criticize Israel's tactics in its continuing offensive against Hezbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon, and gave a sharp condemnation of Iran's role in the bloody fighting.
• World Tribune.com reported that the State Department said that Hizbullah, despite Iranian sponsorship, remains an independent organization. A senior official said Hizbullah has been influenced rather than dominated by Iran and Syria.
• Thomas Joscelyn, The Weekly Standard reported that al Qaeda's Zawahiri's statements: "We cannot just watch these shells as they burn our brothers in Gaza and Lebanon and stand by idly, humiliated," runs counter to the conventional wisdom of many in the intelligence community.
• Olivier Guitta, Asia Times provided an excellent backgrounder on Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Lebanon's Shi'ite Hezbollah.
• Canada.com examined why Hezbollah's Nasrallah choose to attack Israel now.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that while Hezbollah fired more than 1,500 Katyusha missiles this week at Israeli, the real threat may be their smaller, free-flying rockets now evolving into relatively sophisticated and accurate ballistic missiles.
• Ottawa Citizen reported that a former Canadian Secret Intelligence Service informant says the Iranian regime is "mentally and spiritually" preparing its people for war against Israel.
• Yahoo News reported that Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei feted Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah as the "people's favorite person all over the world."
• The New York Times reported that while these should be heady days for Iran’s leaders, Iranian officials cannot seem to decide whether Iran will emerge stronger — or unexpectedly weakened.
• Iran Press News provided more details on the secret meeting of the axis of terror in Damascus where Hassan Nasrollah, Bashar al-Asad and Ali Larijani planned strategy.
• The Jerusalem Post reported that Hizbullah's top commander in southern Lebanon is a veteran Fatah operative who was very close to former Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat, Imad Mughniyeh.
  

Ahmadinejad's promised message to the world coming soon... August 22nd?

• Eli Lake, The New York Sun reported that Israeli strategic planners are closely watching whether Iran will deliver on President Ahmadinejad's promise last week to make an announcement that would neutralize Israel's nuclear threat.
• Robert Spencer, FrontPageMagazine.com reported that Western officials are concerned with the message that Iranian President is planning for August 22nd. He examines the significance of the date in Islamic history and fears it is Iran's day of terror.
• Lt. Col. Gordon Cucullu, FrontPageMagazine.com concerned about Ahmadinejad's August 22nd surprise announcement outlined what Iran and its surrogates in Syria and inside Hezbollah might have in mind.
  

Iran's Nuclear Program & The UN Security Council.

• Los Angeles Times reported that Russian opposition to key wording of a U.S.-backed Security Council draft resolution was unexpected and is straining international unity on efforts to deal with Iran's nuclear defiance.
• Forbes reported that the US and key European nations moved closer to agreement with Russia on a Security Council resolution on Iran's nuclear program.
• The Jerusalem Post reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad discussed the Lebanon crisis and tensions over Iran's nuclear program.
• The Washington Post reported that key U.N. Security Council members agreed informally on Thursday on a resolution demanding Iran suspend nuclear enrichment and reprocessing work and threatening to consider sanctions if it refuses.
• News.com.au reported that US Ambassador John Bolton said a resolution to be proposed to the UN Security Council by six major powers would give Iran until August 31 to halt uranium enrichment.
• FOX News reported that Iranian state radio said Saturday that the government would reject a proposed U.N. resolution that would give it until Aug. 31 to suspend uranium enrichment or face the threat of international sanctions.
  

Iran's leaders latest statements.

• Yahoo News reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned that the conflict between Lebanon and Israel could sweep through the entire Middle East like a hurricane.
• MEMRI published statements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in which he attacks leaders of Islamic Countries in the Middle East for their role in the Lebanon crisis. Video.
• The Washington Post reported that Iranian President Ahmadinejad issued a decree to remove foreign words from the Iranian language.
  

Iranian Dissidents.

• BBC News reported that Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji declined to meet White House officials during a visit to the US.
• Kianoosh Sanjari reported that student leader Ahmad Batebi, was arrested in front of his home in Tehran by plain clothes secret service agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He was arrested in 1999 because of the humiliation the regime felt after this young man's photo appears on the cover of the Economist and has become a symbol of the Iranian student movement. Photo.
• Radio Free Europe published an interview with Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji.
  

Human Rights and Freedom of the Press in Iran.

• The Sunday Mirror reported that a girl of 19 faces being hanged in Iran for a crime she didn't commit. Delara Darabi was just 17 when her boyfriend, Amir Hossein, persuaded her to confess to a murder he committed.
• Iran Press News reported that the Islamic regime’s mercenaries attacked houses in the city of Rasht with the excuse of confiscating satellite dishes. "This is the first time in six years where the executive, legislative and disciplinary forces have agreed upon the ban on satellites."
• Amnesty International is seeking information from the Iranian government about a letter which calls for government ministries and the Republican Guard to compile information and report to the Armed Forces Command on the activities of adherents of the Baha’i faith.
• Iran Focus reported that the European Union issued a statement that expressed “serious concern about the deteriorating situation with regard to the freedom of expression and the status of human rights defenders in Iran.”
• Iran Press News reported that Akbar Mohammadi imprisoned student who was refused his medical furlough from prison, began a hunger strike on July 23rd. Photo.
• Iran Press News reported on the Islamic regime's flogging of a 37-year-old man in Vahdat Square in the city of Gorgan (northern Iran). He received 74 lashes. Photo.
• Iran Press News reported that in 2005 eight adolescents under 18 were executed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
• Iran Press News reported that the regime’s authorities at the Rajaiishahr prison have begun summoning and threatening political prisoners, trumping up charges against them in order to stymie their hunger strikes.
• Iran Press News reported that an Iranian woman, Shamameh (Malak) Ghorbani, has been sentenced to execution through stoning. Human rights groups have begun a campaign to save her life. Photo.
  

The Iranian Economy.

• Ilan Berman, American Foreign Policy Council testifying before the Joint Economic Committee of the United States Congress and said while there is no greater foreign policy challenge facing the United States today than the one posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, there has been little public discussion about the economic dimension of the current crisis in Iran. A must read.
  

Iran and the International community.

• Iran Press News reported that China and the countries of the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council, finalized a new round of talks regarding the consolidation of an agreement on free trade, with the goal and guarantee of long-term oil output to maximum capability.
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Must Read reports.

• Time Magazine reported that while Hizballah may be Tehran's client, the conflict hasn't been welcomed by many Iranians. Iranian's are saying, "We should mind our own business and concentrate on policies that are good for our economy, and our kids."
• Dan Darling, The Weekly Standard reported that US intelligence has again been caught off guard by the sophisticated weapons being deployed by our enemies, this time in Lebanon.
• Thomas Joscelyn, The Weekly Standard reported that al Qaeda's Zawahiri's statements: "We cannot just watch these shells as they burn our brothers in Gaza and Lebanon and stand by idly, humiliated," runs counter to the conventional wisdom of many in the intelligence community.
• Ilan Berman, American Foreign Policy Council testifying before the Joint Economic Committee of the United States Congress and said while there is no greater foreign policy challenge facing the United States today than the one posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, there has been little public discussion about the economic dimension of the current crisis in Iran. A must read.

The Experts.

• Amir Taheri, The Times argued that when Iran launched the present war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ahmadinejad hoped, the Arab world would rally behind his vision of the Middle East instead of the “American vision”. Instead the Arab world is moving in the other direction. A must read.
• Michael Ledeen, The National Review Online see the West replaying two old blunders in dealing with Syria. The first is the Friend Who Has Gone Too Far, and the second is the Enemy Who Is Really Our Friend.
• Michael Ledeen, The Corner reported that a senior Hizbullah official has said the group did not expect Israel to react so strongly to the capture of two Israeli soldiers. The same blunder Osama made on 9/11. If only we take full advantage. Which we are not.
• Michael Rubin, The Corner reported on the idea of splitting Syria away from Iran. It isn’t going to happen.
• Amir Taheri, Gulf News explained why Western governments are developing strategic energy plans for the next quarter of a century.
• Dan Darling, The Weekly Standard provided an important report on the Iranian architect of Hezbollah's terror, Imad Fayez Mugniyeh.
• Michael Ledeen, The Corner published a parable relevant to the current Hezbollah war on Israel by Joshuapundit that Ledeen calls: History 404: What They Don't Teach You at the U.N.
• Kenneth R. Timmerman, FrontPageMagazine.com argued that while some have suggested that the latest round of fighting between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon is the beginning of World War III, he suggested this is more like the Spanish Civil War.
  

Photos, cartoons and videos.

• Iran Press News published a photo: "The blood of Khomeini courses through the veins of Hezbollah."
• Iran Press News published a photo of a book showing a picture of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with writing in Arabic on cover reads "America is the head of the terrorists" in the rubble of collapsed buildings in the Hezbollah stronghold of southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon.
• Iran Press News published a photo which shows a Hezbollah rocket launcher with Iranian arms factory markings on it, captured during fighting in southern Lebanon.
• Cox & Forkum published another cartoon: Signs of the Times.
• MEMRI published statements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in which he attacks leaders of Islamic Countries in the Middle East for their role in the Lebanon crisis. Video.
• MEMRI published excerpts from an interview with Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, where he criticized Hassan Nasrallah made the decision to go to war without consulting anyone. Video.
• Cox & Forkum published another cartoon: Cowardly Blending.
• Iran Press News published photos of the Hezbollah flag being distributed in the Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
• Cox & Forkum published another cartoon: High Stakes.
• Cox & Forkum published another cartoon: Global Jihad.
  

The Quote of the Week.

MEMRI:Following are excerpts from an interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , which aired on the Iranian News Channel (IRINN) on July 23, 2006. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: In my opinion,

"Lebanon is the scene of an historic test, which will determine the future of humanity."