Rafsanjani's friday sermon on video

[bigwinnman]

Police warns against ‘green protest’ on Quds Day
[url=http://niacblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/police-warns-against-green-protest-on-quds-day/]Police warns against ‘green protest’ on Quds Day

[bigwinnman]

Khamenei vows to hit hard on anti-govt protesters
Iran leader says to stay firm on nuclear rights

Fri, Sep 11, 2009 | Ramadan 21, 1430
Year Six, Day 204

Middle East News | Iran leader says to stay firm on nuclear rights

TEHRAN (Agencies)
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday that Tehran must remain firm on its right to have nuclear technology and warned of a "harsh response" anybody fighting against the Islamic Republic.

"We must stand firm on our rights. If we give up our rights, whether nuclear or other rights, this will lead to decline (of the society)," said Khamenei, who has the final say on all national issues.

Khamenei meanwhile urged people to show up for next Friday's annual demonstrations in Tehran and other cities in favor of the Palestinians.

But he also warned that some people may want to use the Qods (Jerusalem) day "to create discord," reflecting the authorities' concern that the opposition may try to stage election-related rallies on that day.

"Resisting the system and taking out the sword against the system will be followed by a harsh response," Khamenei told prayer worshippers in a sermon broadcast live on state television.

"If somebody stands against the basis of the (Islamic) system and violates people's security, the system is forced to stand against it," he said.

But he added criticism and differences among officials were acceptable.

It was the first time Khamenei led Friday prayers in Tehran since the one he held a week after the disputed June poll, when he endorsed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, blamed the opposition for any bloodshed and accused Western powers of interfering in Iran's domestic affairs.

The election and its turbulent aftermath plunged Iran into its deepest internal crisis since the 1979 Islamic revolution, exposing deepening divisions within its ruling elites and adding to tension with the West.

Rights groups say thousands of people, including senior pro-reform figures, were arrested after the presidential poll. Most have been freed but more than 200 remain in jail, according to the opposition.

[bigwinnman]

Friday Prayer leader: Why isn’t Mousavi being arrested?

September 11, 2009
niacINsight

In a further sign of a confrontation between a united conservative front and the Mousavi camp, today’s Friday Prayer leader in Isfahan indirectly called for Mousavi’s arrest. News website Peykiran reports (translation exclusive to New York Times):

[Isfahan's Friday prayer leader] announced: “The people expect that the Judiciary must bring judgment upon the people who are the main source of this corruption.”
According to Fars News reporting from Isfahan, Ayatollah Yousef Tabatabainejad, in referring to post-election events in his Friday prayer sermon, said, “I ask explicitly why Mir Hossein Mousavi, who played the main role in these political actions, has not been arrested.”
“The people expect that the Judiciary must bring to judgement those people who are the main source of this corruption. Why isn’t Mousavi being arrested?”
In asking why the authorities were after the branches and twigs of these political programs, Tabatabainejad said, “Why are you prosecuting a group of young people, when these young people admit themselves they have fallen victim to others’ lies?”
“Those who are politically motivated who say Qods Day should come with Green symbols must be strangled.”

The government’s actions show they are serious about confronting Mousavi. Coupled with the Supreme Leader’s confrontational speech today, and Sadegh Larijani closing down the 3-person Judiciary committee for investigating Karroubi’s claims, it looks like the stage is set for a final confrontation.

[bigwinnman]

Khamenei Has Ordered Arrest of Karroubi (UPDATED)

September 11, 2009
niacINsight

Mousavi’s Green Path of Hope news service is reporting that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ordered opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi’s arrest. Here is the translation of that report (translation copyright New York Times):

Informed news sources in Tehran report that “hearings” indicate Khamenei has given an order for the arrest of Karroubi.
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, in a meeting with members of the Center for Strategic Research of the Expediency Council, which is currently run by Hassan Rowhani, in referring to a meeting between himself and Ayatollah Khamenei said, “I will back away from everything, they are not granting me permission to speak at the Friday prayers anymore.”
He alluded to the fact that everything is being done under the authority of the IRGC and current conditions are in the control of IRGC members, and declared his great anxiety.
He continued by referring to the fact that he told Ayatollah Khamenei, “You should not have ordered the arrest of Mehdi Karroubi.” At the end of his meeting, Rafsanjani said he told Khamenei that the continuation of this procedure will make the situation more complicated, to which Khamenei replied with silence.

Update: The New York Times has confirmed this report.

A person close to Mr. Rafsanjani, who asked for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, confirmed the report, saying the order was issued at least two weeks ago. That left open the possibility that Ayatollah Khamenei’s speech was something of a final warning to Mr. Karroubi.

[bigwinnman]

Inquiry and Analysis - No. 546September 13, 2009No. 546

The Iranian Regime Faces Challenges from Within and from Without - Qods Day and the Nuclear Issue
By: A. Savyon *
MEMRI: Latest News

Introduction
The Iranian regime faces a double challenge this month, September 2009, the height of Ramadan - one from within and one from without. Domestically, the Green Movement protests refuse to fade away, and the regime is apparently preparing for another round of unrest in advance of the annual Qods (Jerusalem) Day on September 18, traditionally a day of protests against the "Zionist regime" on the last Friday of Ramadan. On the foreign relations front, Iran is threatened by U.S. President Barack Obama's demand that it agree to start negotiations aimed at resolving its nuclear crisis by the end of the month.


The Threat from Within: Qods Day Demonstrations and the Start of the Academic Year at Universities
Supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi's Green Movement have in recent days called on the public, via Internet social networking websites, to participate in the traditional mass Qods (Jerusalem) Day demonstrations, but to protest against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the alleged election fraud instead of against Israel.
The London Saudi daily Al-Hayat reported that the demonstrators aimed to renew calls that they voiced during the post-election protests, such as "Presidential Election Fraud," "Death to the Dictator [i.e. Ahmadinejad]," "The Revolution Has Been Hijacked," and "Coup against the [Ayatollah] Khomeini Doctrine." It further noted the public protest against Iran's aid to the Palestinians, which the protesters called a "waste of the funds of the Iranian people, which by right belong to [the Iranians]." Another prominent slogan noted by the paper is "Neither Gaza nor Lebanon - Our Soul Is Devoted to Iran." Posters show a map of Palestine and a green hand flashing a V, next to the legend, "The Biggest March in Iran's History Will Be on Jerusalem Day."
The paper also stated that the demonstrators intended to carry pictures of protest movement leaders - Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and Mohammad Khatami - as well as pictures of Neda Sultan, the young woman shot to death by security forces who became a symbol of the protest. Al-Hayat quoted Mehdi Karroubi as warning, "You will again see the might of the Iranian people on Jerusalem Day." [1]
Traditionally, the official Friday sermon on Jerusalem Day is delivered by Expediency Council Secretary Hashemi Rafsanjani, who reportedly supports the leaders of the Green Movement. However, at this point it is unclear whether the regime will permit him to deliver the sermon.
It should be noted that the regime has, for the first time ever, cancelled several religious ceremonies marking Ramadan, for fear that the public would take advantage of them to protest openly against the Ahmadinejad government. The events cancelled include speeches by senior clerics in the city of Qom, and a traditional ceremony by the family of Ayatollah Khomeini at his tomb - a ceremony in which former president Mohammad Khatami had been slated to participate. [2] But the regime apparently cannot cancel Jerusalem Day, because of its centrality in the culture of the Islamic Revolution.

The Regime Responds
Iranian police commander Esmail Ahmadi-Moqaddam this week clarified that the demonstrations planned for Qods Day on September 18 were only for Palestinian issues and to protest against the "Zionist regime," thus warning against exploiting the occasion for other political aims. [3]
Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander in Tehran Ali Fazli said that security forces were prepared for the September 23 start of the academic year at Iran's universities, and called what was happening at the universities "fire under the ashes." [4] Also, Ibrahim Kalantari, representative of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the universities, warned that anyone planning or intending to spark unrest at the universities would have to deal with him. [5]

The Threat From Without: Iran's Nuclear Program and Obama's Demands
The regime appears to be dealing with its nuclear issue vis-à-vis the U.S. better than it is dealing with the threat from within. Iran is determined to possess nuclear technology, and it has managed to instill in the international community the notion that it is entitled to develop nuclear technology. [6] An examination of Tehran's policy since 2003 towards the international community, particularly vis-à-vis Europe and, now, the U.S. - a policy aimed at gaining legitimacy for its nuclear activity and at remaking itself into a nuclear power - reveals that it has largely accomplished its goals. Also, when all appeared lost for Tehran, as it faced an ultimatum issued by Obama and backed by Europe, Russia, and China, it managed to continue avoiding substantive concessions by responding positively to the West's demand for dialogue while emptying this dialogue of content.
On September 9, 2009, in a public ceremony, Iran submitted its incentives package, announced months ago by Ahmadinejad, to the representatives of the 5+1 (Britain, France, China, Russia, Switzerland - which is managing the U.S.'s affairs vis-à-vis Iran - and Germany). No details were given regarding the content of the proposals, but Ahmadinejad clarified that the nuclear issue was permanently off the table, and that he was instead inviting Obama to discuss global issues. [7] This proposal was a sequel to his May 2009 statements, such as: "We continue our activities within framework of [International Atomic Energy] Agency regulations. At any rate, negotiations will be merely over world management and sustainable peace and security for entire nations..." [8]
It would appear that with this public stalling, Tehran is aiming to render Obama's ultimatum irrelevant, and to change the agenda of the dialogue, whenever it takes place, by setting another topic on which to negotiate with the West. Much can be learned about Iran's belief that this policy will succeed from the words of Iranian Army Commander Hassan Firouzabadi, who contented that on the nuclear issue, it looks like Obama is more of a "realist" than his predecessor. [9]
*A. Savyon is Director of the Iranian Media Project.

[1] Al-Hayat (London), September 10, 2009; Mirhusein.net (Iran), September 3, 2009.
[2] Etemaad (Iran), September 7, 2009; www.islammemo.cc
[3] Etemaad (Iran), September 8, 2009.
[4] Aftab (Iran), September 9. 2009.
[5] Fars (Iran), September 10, 2009.
[6] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, September 9, 2009. See, for example, European officials' announcement that they would accept the possibility of Iran enriching uranium under full IAEA oversight, as part of a comprehensive agreement with Iran. Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, September 9, 2009.
[7] Mehr, Fars (Iran), September 7, 2009. The Washington Post reported September 10, 2009, citing Ahmadinejad's top political aide Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi, that Iran has proposed "a worldwide control system aimed at eliminating nuclear weapons... and has offered to cooperate on solving problems in Afghanistan and fighting terrorism and to collaborate on oil and gas projects." The Washington Post (USA), September 10, 2009.
[8] IRNA (Iran), May 25, 2009. At a press conference in late May 2009, Ahmadinejad announced that following Iran's June 12 presidential election, talks with the U.S. would continue in the framework of the 5+1, but not on the nuclear issue, because this issue "had already been resolved." IRNA (Iran) May 25, 2009. At a May 29, 2009 meeting with Iranian academics, Ahmadinejad said: "The Americans keep sending us messages for negotiation. We are ready to (hold) talks and cooperate. Of course, we are ready to cooperate in global management, global disarmament, and resolving global problems under conditions of equality… I should say that Iran’s nuclear issue has been resolved and it is over." Tehran Times (Iran), May 31, 2009. See also MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 521, "Ahmadinejad: Iran Is a Nuclear Power Ready to Participate in Running the World," June 4, 2009, http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=countries&Area=iran&ID=IA52109. [9] Press TV (Iran), September 9, 2009.

[bigwinnman]

On the Eve of the Second Coup
Sun, Sep 13, 2009 | Ramadan 23, 1430
Year Six, Day 206

Middle East Views | On the Eve of the Second Coup

Hoshang Asadi

Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s 12th statement presents the most accurate picture of last week’s events through in the briefest words: “Iranian people! It is completely clear that your efforts to return the country to normality will not be met with a reasonable response. Dangerous days are ahead. The arrest of some individuals such as Dr Beheshti herald even more grave events to come.”

The people’s choice for the presidency probably has more accurate information on the sate of the country, but the events of last week certainly portray dangerous days to come. Everything seems to point to the possibility that the coup perpetrators have prepared themselves to take full control through another coup that would alter the balance of power. They will take action before the million man march on Ghods day (commemorating Palestine) and the first day of school and remove the source of the problems, as they see them.

The Shiite Taliban who have been advancing their creeping coup through Russian methods, believed that their planned coup would take them to their goal and thus remove the obstacles on the way to imposing their Islamic republic. Some of the goals of this state, i.e. another cultural revolution and the altering of all school textbooks to be based on the views of Mesbah Yazdi - which are now clearly closely tied to those of ayatollah Khamenei - were revealed last week.

The blatant declaration that “regime means just one person” (a reminiscent of the French emperor Louis XIV’s l’Etat, ce Moi), and in the words of ayatollah Montazeri “they openly say that only one person matters,” the remarks of Passdaran’s chief commander general Ali Fazli, and those of Tehran province’s Passdaran commander, all translate into a “battle” for the leader of the Islamic regime. This battle has not been won or complete yet and Fazli describes it in these words, “We have just put a unique crisis behind us. We hear rumors in our educational centers for which we must unite in a manner that our Lord expects us to . We must be vigilant and take appropriate action in this regard.”

Lord is a new title bestowed on ayatollah Khamenei who is now elevated to the level of Imam Ali, a leading Shiite saint. These words clearly indicate that the direction and outlook that the regime is taking, i.e. looking back to the days of the glory of Islam rather than the future as expressed by the Shiite Taliban.

Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani, who spoke after a long silence, calls on the leaders of the regime to reconcile their differences, in the same manner suggested by Mir-Hossein Mousavi, reminding the reader of the peace that Imam Hassan and the Moavieh clan made in the early days of Islam. But Khamenei, regardless of whether he is the Imam Hassan or the Moavieh seems bent on destroying Mousavi and Karoubi.

As expressed by Nowruz website, those who expressed their belief in the ‘hard days ahead’, under the command of the leader of the state, are in fact responding to the harsh complaints of ayatollah Golpaygani, and in fact barring him from interfering in the affairs of the state.

One can now see that the changes that took place recently at the judiciary branch of the state were in fact done to solidify all the forces in preparation for the upcoming coup.

Sadegh Larijani’s use of the word “illusionary” to describe the electoral fraud that took place since June 12, and the continuation of other coup activities on orders of Mortezavi’s successor are only the initial measures in this direction.

Coup perpetrators, who have nothing other than arms and torture as their tools, but who use ‘the legal net’ to justify their crimes, shut more outlets and voices during last week. Ghadr prayers were cancelled and no commemorations were possible on the anniversary of ayatollah Taleghani’s death.

Furthermore, ayatollah Beheshti’s son too was arrested last week. Both events signaled the end of Khomeini’s era and the Islamic republic that he founded which now was neither Islamic nor a republic.

Prior to this, totalitarian fascists - a term coined by Khatami - had arrested Karoubi’s son and shut his website and party offices. These coup perpetrators are looking for documents to show that the CIA had issued, but to which Mousavi responded in his 11th statement. Such documents will be produced through fabrication, and the rumors that are circulating these days will materialize: the arrest of Mousavi and Karoubi. This reality was something that some political personalities outside Iran heard was “imminent”.

Confirmed reports too indicate that Mousavi is aware of this. Karoubi and Khatami had said prior to this that they were willing to pay any price but would not retreat from their positions and demands.

Mousavi’s latest statement repeats what Karoubi and Khatami have said but even goes further to say that the efforts of the coup organizers will fail.

In this statement, Mousavi says that by arresting Beheshti, the public is asking how the regime is treated the dignity of the flag bearers of the Islamic republic, i.e. Dr. Beheshti senior who was a key advisor to Khomeini and activist for the Islamic republic but was killed. He says that those planning the coup will fail, but hard days lie ahead.

He concludes his statement by saying that the arrest of Mousavi and Karoubi will only be the beginning and not the end of affairs. The beginning of a new round of the civil movement in Iran. The statement concludes: “The nation of Iran cannot be arrested; and nobody can chain freedom. We shall maintain our cool and unity in the difficult days ahead. The attack by coup perpetrators is because of fear. We shall win.”


* Published in Iran's ROOZ on Sept. 11.

[bigwinnman]

What’s going on at the UN?

September 12, 2009

niacINsight

NIAC recently obtained an advance copy of an upcoming speech by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights highlighting human rights concerns around the world. Understanding that her past statements on Iran have been inadequate, we were very concerned to see what she was planning to say:

The recent elections in Iran and the subsequent protests over the result were a reminder of both the vitality of Iran’s civil society and political life, but also of the towering constraints that peaceful activism faces. I call on the government to release those detained for peaceful protest, to investigate reports of their ill-treatment, and to ensure respect for human rights.

That’s it. Two sentences in a nine page speech.
Our President, Dr. Trita Parsi, corresponded with the L.A. Times’ Borzou Daragahi about the issue, pointing out how there is “no mention of government-sponsored violence, repression, show trials, [or] who is responsible for those ‘towering constraints.’”
Furthermore, he said, “When [the High Commissioner for Human Rights] discusses oppression in other countries, she mentions the names of specific victims, yet she doesn’t mention the names of any Iranians. The entire world knows the name of Neda Agha Soltan, but she and the many human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists in jail and on trial go unnamed.”
The people of Iran who have demonstrated at great risk for their rights have made one simple demand over and over: bear witness to our struggle. Their bravery must not be ignored.
As Dr. Parsi told the L.A. Times:

“In an isolated country like Iran, where there are limited human rights protections and no human rights mechanisms or human rights [organization] networks at the national or regional level to address or bring attention to the plight of victims, the U.N. high commissioner’s role in spotlighting abuses becomes even more critical,” he said.

“She has failed to recognize this need,” he added.

We can only hope that by pointing out the inadequacy of her words, the High Commissioner for Human Rights will realize that she needs to take a stronger stand on the human rights abuses occurring in Iran. The world is watching.

[bigwinnman]

UPDATED Iran: English Text and Summary of Soroush Letter to the Supreme Leader

Posted by: Scott Lucas in Uncategorized
UPDATED Iran: English Text and Summary of Soroush Letter to the Supreme Leader | Enduring America


On Thursday we noted that the prominent Iranian political philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush had written an open letter to the Supreme Leader to express his conviction that Iranians would triumph over “the decline of religious despotism”. Several readers expressed their interest in the text. We initially posted a summary from Mir Hossein Mousavi’s Facebook pages, but our excellent readers have now found another summary and a translation of Part 1 (originally on the blog page of the excellent HomyLafayette). The translation is posted, followed by the summary from the Mousavi team:

Celebration for the disappearance of religious despotism
The blood-stained wedding ended and the false groom left the bridal chamber.
The ballot boxes shook and the fiends danced in the darkness.
The victims stood watching in their white shrouds and the prisoners, their hands cut off, clapped.
And the world, one eye filled with rage, the other with hatred, bore off the groom.
The veil was lifted and blood flowed from the republic’s porch.
The Devil laughed and then the stars were extinguished and virtue fell into a slumber.
Mr. Khamenei,
In this drought of virtue and justice, everyone has complaints against you, but I thank you.

Not that I have no complaints. I do, and many, but I have set them before God. Your ears have become so full of the praises and caresses of sycophants that they have no room for the voices of those with grievances. But I thank you greatly. You said, ‘The sanctity of the regime has been rended’ and it has been disgraced. Believe me, in all my life I had never received such good news from anyone. My compliments to you for announcing the misery and affliction of religious despotism.
I am joyous that finally the sighs of morning prayers have reached the celestial spheres and awakened the fires of divine vengeance. You were prepared to allow God to be shamed, to preserve yourself from shame. To have people turn their backs on piety and religion, but not turn their backs to your guardianship. That tradition and the path and truth be crumpled up, so that not a wrinkle would befall your leadership. But God did not want this. The pained hearts and muzzled mouths and spilled blood and cut hands did not want it and prevented it. The pure and the devout and the prophets did not want it. The deprived and the peacemakers and the oppressed and the righteous prevented it.
‘The fairy hides her face as the fiend is about,’ (NB Soroush is quoting a line from the beloved Hafez’s ode number 64) this is the story of your republic of guardianship. Praise God that the veil of this fiend’s false purity has been torn. His secrets have been disclosed, his hands opened, and his guilt placed before the sunlight. And the world has looked upon its naked form with anger and astonishment.
Mr. Khamenei,
I know that you are passing through bitter and hard times. You have committed an offense, a severe offense. I explained this offense to you twelve years ago. I told you to choose freedom as your method. Forget that it is virtuous and just, choose it as a method of successful governance. Is this what you want? Why are you doing things backwards? Why do you send denouncers and spies among the people to look into their hearts and pull words from their mouths through trickery, and then report lies and truths to you? Leave the press, political parties, associations, critics, teachers, writers… alone. The people will express themselves in a thousand ways and cast open their windows to you and help you in organizing the country and the system. Don’t strangle the press. The press is the breath of society. But you took dead ends and weaving paths. And now your are under the spell of nothingness and have become the prisoner of a closed regime that you yourself created long ago, in which neither criticism, nor opinions, nor science, nor information flourish. You think that by reading confidential bulletins or listening to subservient advisers, you will grasp the reality of what is going on. Both the election of Khatami and the green election of Mousavi must be obvious to you, otherwise disdain and the charms of despotism would not have chased away the knowledge and shrewdness within you. And now, to make up for that sin, which is due to ignorance and despotism, you are turning to even greater crimes. You are washing blood with blood in order to regain purity.
Treason and fraud were not enough, you turned to murder and crime. Treason and crime were not enough, you added the rape of prisoners to everything else. Murder and rape and fraud were still not enough, you added accusations of spying and dishonor to the lot. You did not spare dervishes or clerics or writers or students. And in the end, you reward the killers and wrongdoers. Then you laugh in everyone’s face and take a poor soldier to task for stealing an electric razor. (NB Soroush is referring to the student movement of July 1999 in Iran. Dormitories were raided, students beaten and arrested, and an unknown number of people killed. The death toll is generally considered to be at least four. The ensuing trial acquitted all police commanders and security officers, except for one soldier who was fined and imprisoned for stealing an electric razor from the student dorms, and a police officer who was jailed for assault.)
I was amazed by God’s patience.
[...]
I knew that bereaved mothers and fathers were weeping behind closed doors and asking God, Save us from this place of oppression and send us succor. [...] The prisons were temples where worshippers genuflected day and night, and prayed — and are still praying — to God for the collapse of the guardianship.
When Neda Agha Soltan was martyred, her chest pierced by oppression’s bullet, I wailed to God, Do You not hear the voice of the people? (NB Neda means voice in Farsi) As Jesus said on the cross, I asked ‘Father, why have You forsaken us?’ [...]
Until that day when I heard that forced admission, I mean those life-giving words, ‘The sanctity of the regime has been rended.’ It was as if the words had come from You, God. I knelt and thanked You. [...]
Mr. Khamenei,
I want to tell you that the page has turned and the regime’s fortunes have shifted. It has been disgraced. [...] Even God has turned His face and taken His light from you. Those acts you committed in secret places and behind curtains have been revealed. [...] Even the path of repentance has been closed to you. Religion will not intercede in your favor, you who have lost legitimacy. The green Iran will no longer be that black Iran of devastation. This movement’s whiteness and greenness have taken precedence over the blackness of your tyranny. The earth and water and fire and clouds and winds… are aligned against you on God’s orders.
For years, your cohorts and agents, under the umbrella of your protection and guardianship, savaged the people like hungry jackals and took safety and justice away from them. [...] They took them prisoner, like an invaded tribe, trampled their rights, plundered their freedoms, broke their dignity, subjugated their thoughts, and turned their religion upside-down. They started producing sanctities as if in a factory and sold superstition as religion. They shoved their treasonous hands into the people’s ballot boxes. They placed the universities under the supervision of the uneducated. They filled a house of woes called the Islamic Republic’s radio-television with lies and insults and gave the nation lessons on how to despair and be slaves. They created fake and extravagant gatherings and sold lies to the world about how the people loved the regime of the Supreme Leader. In prisons and houses of death, they murdered, raped, committed injustices, assaulted, and tortured to an extent unseen even during the Mongol invasion. They trampled the law and encouraged the science of ignorance and fanaticism. They lifted up the benighted and pushed down the wise. They took joy from the young and dignity from elders. They created colorful ayatollahs and obtained heavy fatwas from them. [...] Their psychosis about imaginary enemies created daily crises. People were imprisoned and ridiculous confessions were placed in their mouths and horrendous punishments were meted out. [...]
[These acts] lit a blaze in the conscience of the people that burned the house of the guardianship. The post-election protest was neither a military exercise, nor sedition, nor the Zarrar Mosque — a term you have coined in your mint and employ often. (NB The Zarrar Mosque, mentioned in the Koran, was built by religious hypocrites to tempt the true Muslims.) It was an outburst of honor over plunder. The people, with awakened consciences, defended their vote, their elected choice, their rights as citizens, and their freedom of thought in a calm and collected manner against those who would plunder their vote and rights and freedom. The thieves were up in arms, but we heard God’s laughter. He was satisfied with us. He had heard our prayers and had disgraced the murderers and the wrongdoers. Taraneh Mousavi’s death was the death knell of tyranny.
The Mousavi Facebook summary
Abdolkarim Soroush, a prominent Iranian writer and resercher, and famous Islamic intellectual has harshly criticized Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and predicted the downfall of his regime in an open letter.
In a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei [the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic] Abdolkarim Soroush, the reformist writer and intellectual, has predicted that the opposition will celebrate the “downfall of religious dictatorship”in Iran.
Mr. Soroush in this letter issued on Wednesday September 10th has considered the decay of legitimacy of the Supreme Leader as the greatest achievement of post-election events. He writes: “getting over the fear by citizens and decadence of Supreme Leader’s legitimacy were the greatest achievements of this honorable protest against the incursion and it wakened bravery and resistance [in the people].”
Abdolkarim Soroush who had endorsed Mehdi Karroubi (one of the reformist candidates in the presidential election) writes:”we are a prosperous generation. We will celebrate the decay of religious dictatorship. An ethical society and a non religious government are shining in the future of our honorable people.”
Following the results of the presidential election in Iran protests were held in Tehran and some other cities. According to the judiciary officials during these peaceful protests four thousand people were arrested.
The committee formed by Mehdi Karroubi and Mirhossein Mousavi to follow up the status of the detainees has reported:”in these protests 72 people are killed, while according to the latest report released by the government officials in Iran only 36 people are killed.”
People’s Religion and the Supreme Leadership
Mr. Soroush has clearly accused the Supreme Leader of demanding power and writes:
“You were willing to sacrifice God’s prestige for yours. You would be fine if people turned their back to religion and prophecy but as long as they didn’t do it to your leadership.”
Quoting Khamenei on his post-election remarks saying:“The respect of the regime is damaged and its prestige is ravaged”, Soroush writes:”believe me I had never heard such great news in my whole life!”
In this open letter Soroush says that he had advised the Supreme leader 12 years ago to take the path of freedom as a “method” and decline the supremacy and justice [of his position].
Regarding the suppression of media and political and social activists Soroush writes: “you took the wrong path and now you are trapped and have become victims of the closed system that you created a long time ago in which you could not tolerate any criticism, opinion, science or news.”
This religious thinker, who lives in exile due to the pressure from radicals and is currently teaching in a university in the USA, has accused Ayatollah Khamenei of “crime” in addition to “fraud”.
Soroush writes:” you started the crime as if your betrayal and fraud were not enough; since betrayal and crime did not suffice, you added the rape of prisoners, since that was not yet sufficient you accused them of espionage and dishonor; you did not even have mercy on the dervishes, the religious figures, writers or students and killed them all.”
He is pointing at the reports that have been released in the past months regarding murder, torture and rape of the protesters during the post-election events in Iran.
Soroush, who used to collaborate with the “Cultural Revolution Campaign” in the beginning of the Islamic Revolution regime, says:”God! I hold you witness; I, who have always been concerned about the religion and have taught religion, seek refuge from the injustice of this dictatorship; if I have ever mistakenly and unconsciously assisted the tyrants I seek forgiveness and salvation from you.”

[bigwinnman]

Iran: English Translation of Judiciary Report on Karroubi Allegations

Posted by: Scott Lucas in Uncategorized

Iran: English Translation of Judiciary Report on Karroubi Allegations | Enduring America

We reported yesterday on the damning response of the three-member panel (Deputy Head of Judiciary Ebrahim Raeesi, Attorney General Gholam-Hosein Mohsen Ejeie, and President of the Presidential Body of the Judiciary Ali Khalaf) to the allegations of detainee abuse brought by Mehdi Karroubi. Evan Siegel of Iran Rises has translated and posted the report.
The conclusion? “Not only is there no evidence indicating the rape, as claimed by Mr. Karoubi, and the claims raised are without documentation and empty of truth, but the claims and documents presented are all forgeries and assembled to deceive public opinion.”
His Eminence Ayatollah Larijani (May his lengthy grandeur increase!)
Honorable President of the Judiciary
Greetings.
In the aftermath of Mr. Mehdi Karoubi’s sending a letter to Your Excellency alleging the persecution and rape of some persons arrested during the riots of the recent months and the forwarding of this letter to the Tribunal for earnest pursuit and it hereby announces its findings:

After the arrival of Karoubi’s letter, he was immediately summoned to come before the Attorney General to be present at the Tribunal to present explanations and submit documents concerning the claims.
Mr. Karoubi was present at the appointed time at the Tribunal at the Attorney General and then he answered the question of the whereabouts of his claims and documents concerning the rape of some persons arrested in the recent riots as follows:
I have heard matters in this regard and as a result of pressure and psychological discomfort, wrote a letter to Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani. After ten days, I posted it on a website and published it.
In response to the question, “Who were the people whom you had in mind and how did you pursue this issue?” he replied:

1. Taraneh Mousavi
I have not seen Taraneh Mousavi or the members of her family, but have heard from people connected with Mr. Mir Hosein Mousavi and the members of a committee that Mr. Mousavi and I had formed,2 and I had no certainty but went purely by what I had heard, and have no documentation in this regard.
2. A Sh
At first, I had heard from members of our party, the National Trust Party, that this individual had said that three people had put me in a car and took me to another neighborhood. There, there were other people who blindfolded me so I could not see anyone and recognize anyone, and subject to repeated beatings. I was raped as I stood with my hands tied behind my backs and hung from the ceiling so that my feet barely touched the ground. I called this person and heard his statement and then one of the members of the National Trust Party put his statement on a CD, a copy of which I turned over to you.

Mr. Karoubi was then asked, “On what day and in which riot was A Sh arrested?”
Mr. Karoubi replied, “I do not know. I did not ask. But he was not arrested during a demonstration or a clash.” He said that she was alone on Jordan Street and three people put him in a car and carried him off.
* A third person who did not claim that she was raped. “I did not see her and have only heard about her from people connected with the National Trust Party and Mr. Mir Hosein Mousavi. This individual, for her part, was not in a demonstration or a clash, but said that several people had arrested her and subjected her to such severe beatings that her head and face and many of her limbs were l wounded. Her family photographed her and all her limbs and I [Karoubi] have presented a copy of these pictures to you.”
* Ms. M A
This lady was introduced to me by members of the NTP and I spoke to her. She made no claim to having been raped, but said that from the first day of her arrest, they carried her off to the Intelligence [?] Administration and there, subject to beatings and insults and when she responded, they tore off her clothes and put their hands on her body.
* Someone else, named S[aideh] P[uraqayi]
This lady was the son of a martyr and several members of her family had been martyred and were supporters [presumably referring to the family] of Mr. Mousavi who would call out “Allahu akbar” at night with her mother. They came and arrested her in her home and then subjected her to a beating and, after several days, secretly buried her, while the lower part of her body was burned with acid. Some of Mr. Mir Hosein’s people went to her home and I have heard that Mr. Mir Hosein Mousavi participated in the funeral ceremony, and it was agreed that I would go to their home, but did not have the opportunity, but my son searched for them.
Read rest of report…

[bigwinnman]

Iran: The Protest Goes On

Posted by: Scott Lucas in Middle East & Iran
Iran: The Protest Goes On | Enduring America

At the risk of whipping away the cloak of objectivity, a personal note to start this analysis. One of our excellent readers commented on our updates yesterday, “We wish that there is a major backfire by overplay from the Ahmadinejad side. However I fear that this is more a case of play (carrot and stick) and that the backfire will over time [dwindle].”
It’s a vital caution. Amidst the Government’s attempt to break opposition once and for all, there is an inclination to seize upon and exaggerate any scrap of news as an indication that it has not succeeded. Yet, reviewing all the weekend scraps, I can only assess….
The Government has not yet succeeded.

The big play this weekend was the report of the three-member judiciary panel (published in a separate entry) looking to bury the initiative of Mehdi Karroubi on detainee abuse. This was not a denial of the claims of beatings and rapes; it was a damnation of the cleric for wasting everyone’s time with lies and slanders.
Perhaps the most important signal of the report lies not in its content, which is more polemic than critique, but in its politics. Unless Sadegh Larijani, the head of judiciary, publicly rebukes his own officials, we can now assume that he is on-board (if not sanctioning) the effort to quiet Karroubi. If those conservative and principlist MPs who were critical of the Government between late July and the start of September over detentions, fuelled by the case of Mohsen Ruholamini, are now acquiescent, then President Ahmadinejad and his allies will have surmounted a major challenge. The regime can now offer token concessions on investigations — a few officials reprimanded for Kahrizak prison, a prominent prisoner released on bail — while maintaining control of the process. It is no coincidence that this weekend the Government announced, on short notice, the next Tehran trial for today.
This, however, is not the end of the story. For the critical group within the Establishment was only one of five challengers to the Government’s legitimacy. There is also 2) the anger of senior clerics; 3) Hashemi Rafsanjani; 4) opposition leaders such as Mehdi Karroubi; and 5) “the movement”. And it is far from certain that Ahmadinejad has put down the threat from any of these.
As with so much else in this crisis, the use of sledgehammer rather than scalpel by the Government carries risks. Mir Hossein Mousavi put out the statement that resistance continues. More importantly, Mehdi Karroubi and his communications network, back up and running, did not disappear this weekend. Indeed, the regime, by shutting off the possibility that Karroubi can work within the system to get redress and justice for victims, pushes the cleric back into the streets of confrontation. And it also “succeeded” in bringing a limited but significant response from Hashemi Rafsanjani: if Karroubi is touched by detention, then the former President comes out against the Government
Undoubtedly, the hope of the regime is that threat will suffice to choke off that possibility of opposition. Mousavi’s chief advisor Alireza Beheshti is released, even as another activist on the Reform Committee investigating detentions is arrested, with the stated or unstated injunction that he best behave himself. The arrest order for Karroubi is announced but not implemented. Outlets like Norooz are targeted by cyber-attack.
But here’s the little problem for the Government. All the raids, trials, and threats have not silenced part of its population. There is no way, given the restrictions on the public, to assess the size of that wave of dissent — not just the “Green” wave but also those who did not support Mousavi or Karroubi but have now turned against the regime because of its tactics, not just the election protestors but those who have tired of the economic and social downturns and tensions. But, for anyone shrewd and dedicated enough both to respect the voices of Iranians and to make the most of “new media” and “social media” (Are you listening, Roger Cohen? Because, for all your good work, your column last week on Iran and new media was a travesty.), the wave can still be felt.
On its own, that public wave cannot dislodge the Government. Even with the public catalyst of a Karroubi to lead it, it probably cannot surmount the force used against it. However, if Karroubi remains a presence and if senior clerics continue their challenge to the legitimacy of the Presidency (note Ahmadinejad’s sledgehammer reaction yesterday with the threat of court proceeding against Ayatollah Sane’i, which follows the Supreme Leader’s attempt to quash a letter from the Grand Ayatollahs), then the wave will come ashore again and again. That in itself is a long-term development that takes the Islamic Republic beyond the simplicity (stated in comments on our updates) that the regime took care of Grand Ayatollah Montazeri in 1989 and it can take care of Karroubi. It makes the challenge of 2009 far greater than the demonstrations of 1999.
And if the other element, a Mr Hashemi Rafsanjani, decides to make his own move? Well, then long-term development becomes the renewal of short-term challenge.
Qods Day is four days away.