TV in Iran: a selection of offerings

At memri.org (Middle East Media Research Institute TV Monitor Project) I found these clips from Iranian TV. You can view the clips by going here, and typing in the clip number in the search box labled "clip#". There are a huge amount of clips, the following is just a sampling:

#1330 - In a Lecture to Revolutionary Guards Officers, Iranian Film Critic Majid Shah-Hosseini Traces Western Islamophobia Back to Films "Godzilla," "Alien," "Star Wars," Claims the Concept of Brotherhood in "Band of Brothers" Was Stolen from Iran, and Warns: The Film "Alexander" Prepares American Public Opinion for the Conquest of Iran.
Iran, Channel 4 - 9/3/2006 - 00:07:14

Silly and patronising, both at the same time. The monsters are anti-Islamic, because their blood is green, the same color used to represent Islam. Talk about paranoid... or hopelessly narcissistic. Everything we do is about them... and anything good that we do, we STOLE from them. Unbelievable.


#1325 - Puppets of Bush, Blair, Rice, Rumsfeld, and Schwarzenegger Star in a Spitting Image/DC Follies-Style Satire on Iranian TV.
Iran Ch.2 - 10/27/2006 - 00:12:08

The transcript is vile. It ends with an Arnold Schwarzenegger Puppet singing about how Israel is doomed.


#1321 - Iranian Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezai: America Destroyed All Our Enemies in the Region.
Iran Ch.1 - 11/11/2006 - 00:04:08

Good news for Iran. Unfortunately.


#1320 - Anti-American Animated Film on Iranian TV.
Al-Kawthar TV (Iran) - 11/15/2006 - 00:01:44

This is just one of many. Lots of anti-American music videos too.


#1319 - Hasan Rahimpur Azghadi of the Iranian Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution: We Are Stronger Than America and the West.
Iran Ch.1 - 6/5/2006 - 00:03:30

Lots and lots of these. Unlike our media, theirs supports their government completely.


#1311 - "Guantanamo" - American Officer Tortures Prisoners and Murders Investigator in an Iranian TV Drama.
Al-Kawthar TV (Iran) - 11/4/2006 - 00:39:16

"Drama" is the key word. And it's not the only one of it's kind.


#1306 - Member of Iranian Assembly of Experts Ahmad Khatami in Tehran Friday Sermon: The Republicans in the U.S. Are in a Crisis; Sanctions on Iran Will Harm the West More than Iran.
Iran Ch.1 - 10/27/2006 - 00:08:06

This is a SERMON? Sounds like a political speech to me.


#1329 - Iranian Sci-Fi TV Series Stars Mega-Evil Jewish/Zionist Queen in "Black House".
Iran Ch.1 - 10/20/2006 - 00:12:27

Not exactly "Star Trek", is it? Even Sci-Fi has to support the agenda. Imagine if Star Trek featured an Islamic villian. Wouldn't Muslims be outraged that their religion was being disrespected? But what do you call this? Respect is a two way street.


#1149 - Arkansas University Lecturer Alice Stephens Apologizes to the Iranian People for President Bush's Remarks.
IRIB/Jaam-E-Jam3 (Iran) - 5/15/2006 - 00:00:31

Tokyo Rose at least had the excuse of being forced...


#1009 - Iraqi Shiite Leader Muqtada Al-Sadr: The Al-Mahdi Army Will Defend Iran, Syria, or Saudi Arabia If Attacked.
Al-'Alam TV (Iran) - 1/24/2006 - 00:01:04

Remember Al-Sadr? We had a chance to kill this lap dog of Iran, but instead we spared him and tried to include him in the Iraqi government. He is currently sending death squads to Baghdad Universities and seminaries to murder students and faculty.


These are just a few samples. There are many more. I haven't even included any of the many "Death to America" rallies or events. There are many speeches by Mullahs on numerous topics. I've blogged about children's programs, many of which were from Iran, in an earlier post.

There were a few suprises, things which varied from what you might expect, which I may blog about in another post. But there is just too much there to cover in one or two posts. The data base is huge.

Part of my interest in this subject comes from a term paper I did in college. The paper was called "Nazi Cinema", which I researched for my "Propaganda and Public Opinion" class.

The anti-Jewish propaganda we are seeing from the Middle East now so closely parallels what I read about Nazi propaganda years ago, that it's frightening. History really can repeat itself, and with updated technology, too.

Do these clips explain what the Iranian people are all about? I would say no. I think rather that it's a good indication of what the Iranian Theocracy is all about, and what they want the Iranian people to believe or go along with. What the people actually think is a mystery.

I read that when 9-11 happened, that up to 50 percent of the Iranian people held candlelight vigils in sympathy with Americans, even though the Iranian government forbid it. That's a LOT of people.

This last election that brought Ahmadinejad to power was very controversial, because there was a lot of internal arguments as to it's validity. Now there is a bill being prepared by the Iranian parliament to call for new early elections. Who can say where this is going?

There has been a growing crack down on Western influences in Iran. Recently there have been stronger restrictions placed on the internet there:

Iran bans YouTube & Amazon.com
& even the NYTimes website

[...] Via The Guardian (hat tip: Greg Tinti):

Iran yesterday shut down access to some of the world's most popular websites. Users were unable to open popular sites including Amazon.com and YouTube following instructions to service providers to filter them.

Similar edicts have been issued against Wikipedia, the internet encyclopaedia, IMDB.com, an online film database, and the New York Times site. Attempts to open the sites are met with a page reading: "The requested page is forbidden."

The clampdown was ordered by senior judiciary officials in the latest phase of a campaign that has seen high-speed broadband facilities banned in an attempt to impede "corrupting" foreign films and music. It is in line with a campaign by Iran's Islamist president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to purge the country of western cultural influences.

Anti-jewish sentiment is also being pushed to new levels, as we see Iran hosting a conference about wether or not the Holocaust ever happened. Maynard at Tammy Bruce's blog made a good observation about that. An excerpt:

This weekend: Iran's Holocaust Denial Conference

[...] the main point is that denying the Holocaust isn't an opinion; it's a lie. This doesn't mean we need to silence the liars, but the distinction clarifies our task. It's why our universities don't participate in Holocaust denial inquiries, just as a math department wouldn't hire a professor who alleges that two plus two equals three. The principle of freedom of speech might be applied to a conference that debated whether the Holocaust was a bad thing or a good thing, because that would constitute an opinion. A conference that denies a Holocaust occurred is merely a monstrous freak show.

These are the people for whom the Jimmy Carters of the world excoriated George W. Bush for daring to refer to them as evil. The moral inversion boggles the mind.

(bold emphasis mine) I'm not sure which is more disturbing; what the jihadist propaganda machines turn out, or the willingness of western leftists to turn a blind eye to it.

At the very least, I think it's useful to know something about what Middle Eastern media is broadcasting to their listening public. MemriTV.org provides a great service in that.

Their data base is quite extensive. You can search by country, and or subject. A list of the available subjects to search under:

Subjects
Antisemitism
Arab-Israeli Conflict
Conspiracy Theories
Jihad and Terrorism
Reform in the Middle East
Islamic Leaders
Suicide (Martyrdom) Operations
U.S. and the Middle East
Christianity and the West
Women
Europe and the Middle East
Education and Cultural Issues
Minorities in the Middle East
Iran's Nuclear Program
Hizbullah
Al-Qaeda
Holocaust Denial
Hamas
9/11
Israel-Hizbullah War 2006

You can pick a subject, and narrow it down to a single country if you wish, or apply it all the countries in the data base. Likewise, you can pick just a country, and it will show you clips from ALL the catagories.

I have hardly even begun to go through them all. This is a great on-line resource. They also have a blog now, too:

The Memri Blog

The blog features the latest clips, and news headlines. There is also MemriFilms.org, which focuses on Arab and Iranian reaction to 9-11, as presented in their TV and Media.

More information about Memri can be found here: About MEMRI TV

Dancing with Uranium Hexaflouride;What the Baker group refuses to see

Dancers perform as they hold capsules of uranium hexaflouride, or UF6 gas during a ceremony in Mashhad, Iran's holiest city. 04/11/06 (AP)

More fun from Iranian TV, via memri.org. You can view the clips by going here, and typing in the clip number in the search box labled "clip#".

#1126 - Iranian Leaders Watch Dance Celebrating Iran's Uranium Enrichment Capabilities
IRINN (Iran) - 4/11/2006 - 00:04:31

So what's the dancing all about? Here is a partial transcript of the event:

Iranian Leaders Watch Dance Celebrating Iran's Uranium Enrichment Capabilities

Following are excerpts from a dance celebrating Iran's uranium enrichment capabilities, aired on the Iranian news channel on April 11, 2006.

Young men: Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar.

Speaker: God is great. It has been proven that God is the great supporter of the Iranian people.

Young men: Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar.
Allah Akbar.

Speaker: Dear viewers, guests, and listeners, this is the cry of Allah Akbar by the zealous young men of the Iranian people. These young people here represent various ethnic groups of the Iranian people.

Young men: Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar.
Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar.

Speaker: On the cold nights, when we were feverishly striving for the triumph of the Islamic revolution, we used to say Allah Akbar. In all moments of collective steadfastness we shouted Allah Akbar. Now we repeat the same eternal slogan: Allah Akbar. Is this not your slogan?
Don't you say Allah Akbar?

Young men and crowd: Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar.
Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar.

Speaker:I'd like to invite the deputy supervisor of the Imam Reza Shrine, my honorable brother, Mr. Alavi, who proudly wears the uniform of the Imam Reza Shrine. I would like to call him to the stage. He will be presented with a container with the first nuclear product of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Mr. Alavi, if you please. Please honor this occasion by reciting prayers to the Prophet and his family.

With the permission of the supervisor of the Imam Reza Shrine... Deputy Supervisor of the Imam Reza Shrine, Mr. Alavi, will now come to the stage and receive a container with UF6, produced in the nuclear facilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Oh honorable people, and all who witness this occasion, remember that we have no mystery besides Allah Akbar, and we have no secret besides the greatness of God and this conviction. Mr. Alavi, if you please. Honor this occasion by saying Allah Akbar.

Crowd: Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar.

It would seem there is a good deal of religion involved in Iran's quest for nuclear weapons capability. They do keep saying it's for peaceful purposes. But then why are they concentrating on breeder reactors, which can be used to make atomic bombs? They also talk extensively about sharing this technology with other Muslim countries.

According to Jim Baker's Iraq Study Group, these are the folks we need to reach out to, to help us get out of Iraq. But is that really such a good idea? Consider this:

#1288 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: As Soon as Iran Achieves Advanced Technologies, It Has the Capacity to Become an Invincible Global Power.
9/28/2006 - 00:07:34


#1314 - Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Commander Yahya Safavi: We Have Thousands of Martyrdom-Seekers; We Can Give Missiles to Friendly and Neighboring Countries.
Al-'Alam TV (Iran) - 11/5/2006 - 00:03:31


#1241 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: The U.S and England Are Not Worthy of Security Council Membership. Those Who Want Good Relations with the Iranian People Should Bow and Surrender to its Right and Might.
IRINN (Iran) - 8/13/2006 - 00:03:21


#1168 - Former Iranian Diplomat Mohammad Javad Larijani, Brother of Top Iranian Nuclear Negotiator: We Are Interested in Nuclear Cooperation with Arab and Muslim Countries; the Americans Will Need Our Assistance to Withdraw from Iraq.
Iran Ch.2 - 5/30/2006 - 00:03:03


#1140 - Leader of Muslim Brotherhood Mahdi 'Akef: Arab and Islamic Countries Should Obtain Nuclear Technology "For Military Purposes".
Al-'Alam TV (Iran) - 5/14/2006 - 00:01:18


#1081 - Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei: The Slogan "Death to America" Is No Longer Chanted Only by the Iranians.
Iran Ch.2 - 3/21/2006 - 00:03:04


#716 - Ayatollah Jannati at a Tehran Friday Sermon: By Voting You Will Be Shouting a Gigantic "Death to America".
Iran Ch.1 - 6/10/2005 - 00:01:15


#252 - Iranian Revolutionary Guard Official in Tehran University Lecture (Part II): We Plan To Target US Nuclear Warheads on US Soil; Should Take Over England.
The Internet - 5/23/04 - 00:06:33 [NOT a TV source]


We have offered to supply Iran with what they need for peaceful uses of nuclear power. They are not interested. So what do you suppose they ARE intrested in? Here is a hint for you:


#919 - "Death to America" Chants in Iranian "Jerusalem Day" Demonstrations.
Iran ch.3 - 10/28/2005 - 00:01:55

The transcript:

"Death to America" Chants in
Iranian "Jerusalem Day" Demonstrations

Following are excerpts from the broadcasts of channel 3 of the Iranian TV on “Jerusalem Day,” which was celebrated on October 28, 2005

Man: Death to Israel

Crowd: Death to Israel.

Man: Death to America

Crowd: Death to America.

Man: These dear people have practiced especially for this. People here in the square, and you, dear viewers throughout Iran, are all watching this. Are you ready? Show that you’re ready with a loud “death to Israel”

Crowd: Death to Israel.

Man: Raise your flag.

Another man: Death to America

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Death to America

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Say it out loud

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Say it out loud

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Don’t be afraid, man.

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Say it out loud

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: (America) is worthless.

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Say it out loud

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Death to America

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: The leader says:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: The leader says:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: The parliament says:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: The parliament says:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: The Basij members say:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: The Basij members say:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: The clerks say:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: The laborers say:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Everybody says:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Everybody says:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: America itself says:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: America says:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: America says:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Israel says:

Crowd: Death to America

Another man: Israel says:

Crowd: Death to America…

Man: Everybody, join the chant:

Another man: Death to Israel.

Crowd: Death to Israel.

Another man: Death to Israel.

Man: All together now: Death to Israel.

Crowd: Death to Israel.

What part of "Death to America" don't we understand? The policies advocated by the Baker group are the failed policies that brought us to 9-11; placating tyrants for short term peace, leaving them to strike at us later. Haven't we had enough of that? Or do we need events worse than 9-11 before we understand what "Death to America" means?

Obsession: What we are up against

This isn't Liz Taylor's perfume. It's an hour long documentary film that tells you the facts that the MSM won't, about global jihad.

Below is a link to a 12-minute abridged version of the multi-award winning documentary, Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against The West -- a riveting new documentary.

Obsession (12 minute version)

Melanie Phillips has a great write up of it on her blog: Obsession. An excerpt:

I have just viewed the film ‘Obsession’, the documentary about radical Islam’s war on the west, extracts from which were shown on Fox News in the US at the weekend and which you can read about on this website. It should be made compulsory viewing for every politician and pundit who clings to the misguided belief that all we face is terrorism rooted in various grievances around the world. It is the single most powerful and terrifying public exposition of the fact that a global Islamic jihad is now being waged from Bali to Istanbul, from Chechnya to Madrid, from Morocco to Manhattan, from Thailand to Bloomsbury – and that the world that is under attack is deeply in denial about what it is facing. More than that, this film shows in graphic and undeniable detail that this jihad is a direct descendant of Nazism. It has clear historical links – it was to the Nazi-supporting Mufti of Jerusalem in 1941 that Hitler vouchsafed that he intended first and foremost a war of extermination against world Jewry; it has the same agenda of genocide of the Jews and world domination, and the same techniques (and almost identical motifs and visual imagery) of whipping up a frenzy of murderous rage against America and the Jews through repeated hysterical claims of their purported and infernal intention to destroy the Islamic world, conveyed through truly diabolical imagery straight out of the handbooks of medieval and Nazi blood-lust.

Some of the footage in this film leaves you speechless. The Shatat series on al Manar TV, for example, transmitted into millions of Muslim homes around the world, which purports to show a Jew kidnapping a Christian child and slitting his throat in order to use the blood to make Passover matzahs. This of course was the medieval blood libel against the Jews which caused unspeakable savagery to be meted out against them on the basis of a monstrous lie; and here is this same abominable lie, animated for TV and thus doubtless convincing millions of Muslims of the diabolical nature of the Jews. Just as horrifying are the children seen being indoctrinated to hate Jews and Americans, to kill them and to die. [...]

(bold emphasis mine) Melanie goes on to give more examples and ... well it's not a long post, and it's worth reading the whole thing.

Middle Eastern TV is quite a good source of evaluating the cultures they broadcast to. One doesn't have to rely only on movies like Obsession, there are other sources about Middle Eastern Media and TV as well.


This photo is from an Iranian TV series, where Israelis disguised as UN workers visit a Palestinian school, ostensibly to examine the children's eyes for diseases, but in reality to select which children's eyes to steal to be used for transplants. They "harvest" this little girl's eyes, but she is rescued before the jews can kill her.

The link to the video is here, the show is called "Zahra's Blue Eyes". A partial translation of the transcript is here. More details about the show are here: Iranian TV drama: Israel Stealing Palestinian Children's Eyes.

Can you imagine what any child watching that would think? And that is just one example from one country, there are many more.



Here is just a quick sampling of some others:

#363 - Children's Song on Iranian TV: The Palestinian Child is Willing to Shed His Blood for His Country
Iran Ch.2 - 00:02:48


#964 - Jews Turn into Apes and Pigs in an Clay-mation Film for Children on Hizbullah TV
Al-Manar TV (Lebanon) - 12/7/2005 - 00:12:14


#922 - Jews Conspire to Destroy the Prophet Muhammad and Islam in a TV Series Aired by Saudi Iqra TV
Iqra TV (Saudi Arabia) - 11/15/2005 - 00:09:21


#917 - A Bridegroom Turns into a Suicide Bomber in an Iranian TV Music Video
IRIB/Jaam-E-Jam3 (Iran) - 10/28/2005 - 00:03:25


#908 - Palestinian Children Clash with an Israeli Soldier in an Iranian Animated Movie
IRIB/Jaam-E-Jam1 (Iran) - 10/28/2005 - 00:02:00


#906 - Iranian Animated Film for Children Promotes Suicide Bombings
IRIB/Jaam-E-Jam3 (Iran) - 10/28/2005 - 00:10:19


#362 - Tehran Children on "Jerusalem Day": We Came To Do the “Death to America” Thing
Iran ch.3 - 00:01:35


#18 - A Lebanese Girl's 'Message to the Arabs': 'Jerusalem is calling you, beat the drums of Jihad'
Al-Manar TV (Lebanon) - 3/23/2004 - 00:01:32

There are many others; assorted Imams on children's shows, talking about children as martyrs, women advocating martyrdom, children regurgitating the anti-jew propaganda they have been fed. What kind of adults do you think these children will grow up to be?


Related Links:

Preparing Children for Martyrdom

Islamism's actual NAZI history

BILLY ZANE AND GARY BUSEY CO-STAR IN AN ANTI-AMERICAN TURKISH PROPAGANDA MOVIE
     

Ahmadinejad's Letter, and Iranian TV

Hat tip to Cox and Forkum for the cartoon. You can read their related commentary and links HERE.

Parts of Ahmadinejad's letter to America sound like our Democrats talking points. He also uses a lot of flowery language about peace, etc. He says we share the same values. But how true is that?

It's interesting to look at what President Ahmadinejad says on Iran's state-controled national TV. The website MEMRI.ORG has thousands of on line video clips from Middle Eastern TV, from various countries, on multiple subjects. The clips come with transcripts in English. I'll start with the most recent ones from Iran.

Here is a sample of what Ahmadinejad says about America to the Iranian people:



#1328 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: America's Straw-Like Strength and Satanic Rule over the World Is about to Be Annihilated
Iran Ch.1 - 11/27/2006 - 00:03:30

No suprise there. He has said this before, and makes no secret of it.


#1301 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: The Western Countries Should Pick Up the Zionist Regime by the Arms and Legs and Remove It from the Region; U.N. Resolutions Are Illegitimate; America and England Are the Enemies of the Iranian Nation
IRIB/Jaam-E-Jam1 (Iran) - 10/20/'2006 - 00:10:41

That doesn't sound too warm and fuzzy.


#1241 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: The U.S and England Are Not Worthy of Security Council Membership. Those Who Want Good Relations with the Iranian People Should Bow and Surrender to its Right and Might
IRINN (Iran) - 8/13/2006 - 00:03:21

"Bow and Surrender to it's Right and Might"? I guess when he talks about "peace", it means that we surrender. And don't forget, Islam means "peace".


#1216 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: The Iranian People Is the Owner of Nuclear Technology. Talking to Iran in Language of Threats Is a Bitter Mistake.
IRINN (Iran) - 8/1/2006 - 00:15:14

Of course, they only want nuclear technology for PEACEFUL purposes. Sounds like it, doesn't it?


#1187 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: When the Muslim Peoples' Rage Explodes, the Waves Will Reach the Corrupt Forces in the World
RINN (Iran) - 7/11/2006 - 00:01:24

You mean it hasn't exploded yet? I guess the best is yet to come...


This is just a sample, there's more. If you go to www.memritv.org, you can click on "search" and enter the # for any of these clips to view them. There are links with each clip for transcripts of the content in English.

There has been some interesting news, that Iran's parliament wants Ahmadinejad out. That may not be as good as it sounds. I fear that they don't want him out because they disagree with him; they want him out because they fear he is being too candid to the international community about Iran's intentions.



Related Links:

From Diana West:
Saudi-Iranian rift?

[...] Here's an "or else" scenario from Nawaf Obaid, an adviser to the Saudi government, that actually sounds promising -- not a term that usually springs to my mind to describe Saudi scenarios. Contemplating what he would call an unwelcome American withdrawal from Iraq, Mr. Obaid writes that the Saudi government just might fill the breach out of "religious responsibility" to Iraq's Sunni minority. Saudi Arabia, "the de facto leader of the world's Sunni community," Mr. Obaid writes, just might decide to support Iraq's Sunni fighters, just as Iran has been supporting Iraq's Shi'ite fighters, to avert a possible "full-blown ethnic cleansing."

Imagine: Sunni Saudi Arabia vs. Shi'ite Iran -- and nary an American soldier ordered to pull his PC punches in the crossfire. But there's more. Mr. Obaid continues: King Abdullah might also "decide to strangle Iranian funding of the [Shi'ite] militias through oil policy. If Saudi Arabia boosted production and cut the price of oil in half, the kingdom could still finance its current spending. But it would be devastating to Iran, which is facing economic difficulties ...The result would be to limit Tehran's ability to continue funneling hundreds of millions each year to Shi'ite militias is Iraq and elsewhere."

I like. If Saudi Arabia "strangled" Iran's economy, that would also strangle Iran's capacity to fund its nuclear blackmail program, not to mention Hezbollah and other murderous proxies. And what was that the Saudi adviser said about cutting the price of crude oil in half? [...]

(bold emphasis mine) It's an interesting Idea. But not everyone agrees that it's that simple:

Paul at the Powerline blog:
A grand bargain with Iran or a mini-bargain with the Saudis?

[...] I'd be quite surprised if, in the absence of a U.S. presence in Iraq, the Saudis would be able to counter-balance Iran there. It strikes me as more likely that al Qaeda, if anyone, would serve that function (not that the Saudis and al Qaeda necessarily represent an "either-or"). I'd also be surprised if, without substantial assistance from the U.S., the Saudis or anyone else would be able to check Iranian power in the region as a whole. [...]

I know that militarily, the Saudi's have depended on the U.S. to look after their interests. Without that support, how much could they help the Iraq Sunnis? If the Saudis cut oil prices, would it really affect Iran that badly? I can only wonder if they would put it to the test.
     

A more moderate Iran?

That's the Image they are trying to project on the world stage. But what's going on at home?



Iranian executions spiking despite thaw with West, ‘moderate president’
Sources say could mean power struggle in Tehran

The number of executions carried out by Iranian authorities — often hanging dubiously convicted citizens from construction cranes in public — has risen sharply since President Hassan Rouhani took office in August, a surge most likely because of a secret power struggle within Iran’s notoriously veiled political system.

Away from positive news coverage of the Obama administration’s push for nuclear detente with Iran, the Islamic republic is executing about 66 people per month, 19 more per month than during the 2-year period before Mr. Rouhani took office, according to an analysis of figures compiled by nonpartisan groups including Amnesty International, the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center and various Iranian opposition activists in Washington.

Critics of the nuclear deal are citing the executions as evidence that Mr. Rouhani is far from the moderate reformer that many portrayed him to be upon his ascension to the presidency.

But U.S. intelligence sources, human rights advocates and high-level sources on Capitol Hill caution against jumping to that conclusion. In interviews with The Washington Times, several sources said reasons for the surge in executions are complex.

“There are indications that the Iranian regime is executing more people now compared to just a year ago,” one U.S. intelligence official told The Times on the condition of anonymity in order to speak freely about sensitive issues. “But it’s difficult to identify any overarching political strategy behind Tehran’s actions.”

Mr. Rouhani may have a political mandate from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to thaw relations with the West. But sources say the president may have limited control over the nation’s judiciary, where decisions are made by other players — including Islamist hard-liners with mandates of their own from Ayatollah Khamenei.

A leading theory is that the leader of the Iranian judiciary, Sadeq Larijani, is green-lighting more executions in an attempt to smear Mr. Rouhani’s image as a moderate. The spike in hangings also may result from Ayatollah Khamenei’s desire to hammer home to Iranians that the mullahs’ grip on society remains tight — even if Mr. Rouhani is seen to be spreading the rhetoric of reform on the world stage.

Human rights outrage

Either way, human rights advocates say, Iran is flagrantly violating international law.

After Amnesty International’s claim that 33 people were hanged in a single week last month, the top human rights office at the United Nations noted that “28 women and a number of political prisoners” were among those executed in 2013. The office also said the killings were based on convictions that do not meet the “most serious crimes” threshold under international law.

“The persistent execution of individuals for exercising their rights to freedom of assembly, association and affiliation to minority groups contravenes universally accepted human rights principles and norms,” said Ahmed Shaheed, U.N. special rapporteur for the situation of human rights in Iran.

[...]

Some believe Iran’s executions will derail prospects for a long-term thaw in relations with West.

“Iranian authorities’ attempts to change their international image are meaningless if at the same time executions continue to increase,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, a deputy director at Amnesty International, which opposes all executions everywhere.

The situation is adding to unease in Washington, where lawmakers are split over the recent push for diplomacy with Tehran. Most Democrats, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, who heads the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, call for patience while nuclear negotiations proceed.

Many Republicans say Tehran simply can’t be trusted.

“History has taught us that we are not dealing with an honest broker,” Rep. George Holding, North Carolina Republican and member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said on the House floor last week. “The election of President Rouhani does nothing to change the fact that the supreme leader is still in charge.”

Others argue that Mr. Rouhani is under immense pressure, walking a tightrope between easing tensions with the West and preventing disruption inside Iran.

“We’re clearly seeing a power struggle playing out in Iran between the hard-liners, who aren’t willing to compromise an inch on the nuclear program, and Rouhani, who has placed great emphasis on engagement with the West,” said Rep. Eliot L. Engel of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

“The hard-liners,” Mr. Engel told The Times, “are willing to do what it takes to sully the image of Rouhani in the eyes of the West.”

The Larijani theory

The U.S. intelligence official said Iranian Judiciary Chief Sadeq Larijani “could be trying to send a message that tolerance has its limits.”

Iranian sources highlight Mr. Larijani as the face of Tehran’s resistance to international criticism over executions. He responded harshly to the United Nations last week, declaring at a meeting with religious and political leaders in Iran that the Islamic republic “will never cave to this type of pressure” from Western-backed entities, according to a report by Al-Monitor, which cited a pro-regime Persian-language website as its source.

There are signs that some in Mr. Rouhani’s inner circle are at odds with Mr. Larijani and have been angered by the executions. As hangings spiked in November, Ali Younesi, a reformist member of Iran’s parliament and Mr. Rouhani’s special assistant in ethnic and minority affairs, said “extremist elements” in the government were responsible.

His comments were cited by the New York-based International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, which said “sources close to the Rouhani government” privately claimed that some executions were “actions as sabotage.”

According to those sources, the execution surge is “intended to deprive the government of the chance to present a more positive portrayal of Iran on the international arena, and to discredit Rouhani and his team, casting doubt on whether he is able to deliver his campaign promises to safeguard the nation’s basic rights.”

But the extent to which blame should fall on Mr. Larijani is not clear. Another source who spoke with The Times said human rights advocates may be overlooking evidence of closeness between the judiciary chief and Mr. Rouhani.

One of Mr. Larijani’s brothers is parliament Chairman Ali Larijani, who is believed to be closely aligned with Mr. Rouhani in the push for a nuclear deal with the West.

Others point out that Mr. Rouhani named Mostafa Pourmohammadi in August to become justice minister. At the time, Human Rights Watch noted that Mr. Pourmohammadi, previously a deputy intelligence minister, has long been implicated in the government’s 1988 executions of thousands of political dissidents, as well as the assassinations of several intellectuals in 1998.

Supreme leader’s power

Overanalysis of the politics behind the spike in executions may be irrelevant, said some Iran analysts. They said that whatever is playing out in Tehran is occurring beneath the gaze of the supreme leader — the only figure truly capable of changing the nation’s policies.

After Tehran’s violent crackdown on pro-reform demonstrators in 2009, it has been a common perception in Washington that widespread public frustration burns deeply beneath the Islamic republic’s surface.

“At times of widespread popular discontent, the regime in Tehran uses executions, in particular public hanging of convicts, as a means of terrorizing the public and reminding Iranians of the power of the central government,” said Ali Alfoneh, a researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies specializing in the inner workings of the Iranian regime.

“Therefore,” Mr. Alfoneh said, “the rise in the number of executions signifies both popular discontent and the regime’s nervousness.” [...]

While the situation is complex, and there are many factions with competing agendas on all sides, the one constant factor that does not seem to change, is that the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is always in charge, and pulling all the strings. And I'll bet he is nervous, lest he end up like Mubarak or Qaddafi or any number of other deposed Dictators.

Iran has a high number of young, restless, unemployed people, who want change. Killing large numbers of them is one way to try to keep them under control. Meanwhile:



Iran stocks are booming, and nuclear talks are why

As Iran's government and a group of global powers creep forward on talks about easing economic sanctions slapped on that country, the Iranian street is showing signs of breaking free from the economic stagnation that has crippled the country for years.

Iran and the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China and Germany agreed on Thursday to a timeline and framework for further talks next month on restraining the Islamic state's nuclear ambitions. At the same time, United Nations inspectors have reported improved access to Iran's nuclear facilities.

All parties involved continue to warn that serious differences remain in the talks, and hopes for a final deal by July have been called ambitious.

[...]

Despite the market's rise, there are lingering questions about the economy. Inflation has lowered somewhat, but it still comes in at a staggering 35 percent a year. Rabii said he's optimistic, however, that the new government understands the economy and that inflation will be in the 20 percent range next year as a result.

Unemployment is also relatively high: Government estimates put it at 12 percent. However that's much lower than many European countries that were caught up in the financial crisis.

Economists who follow Iran add that it has a young and well-educated population. Because jobs have been hard to come by, many young people have chosen to stay in school and earn higher degrees. Many analysts believe Iran will be eager to attract new foreign investment in order to create jobs for the up-and-coming segment of the population.

Alireza Nader, an Iran expert for the think tank Rand Corp., is one of those analysts. Nader said he sees evidence that Iran's economy has improved since the initial November deal. Still, he noted, most of the sanctions levied against Iran over its nuclear program remain intact.

"Iran is losing more money than it is earning, especially since it can't export all of its oil," Nader said. He agreed with Rabii that confidence in the new government of President Hassan Rouhani is helping the public's mood and giving strength to the Iranian currency, the rial.

Cliff Kupchan, who studies Iran for the Eurasia Group, told CNBC that he sees an immediate improvement in Iran's economy since the initial deal was reached about three months ago. But he said Iran's economic gains would be cut if a nuclear deal falls through and full sanctions are restored.

"The rial would plummet again, Iran's deficit would grow, access to foreign cash reserves would vanish, I think most of the gains Iran has seen would disappear," he said.

Turquoise's Rabii agreed that a deal would help Iran's financial situation more than an impasse would. [...]

I have mixed feeling about all this. On the one hand, if foreign in vestment were to pour into Iran, in theory, that would give the West some leverage with Iran, by tying Irans economy and prosperity in with Western Markets.

I say "in theory", because whatever seems to be happening in Iran, it's always the Supreme Leader who is in charge. He could welcome Western investment in Iran, to build up and strengthen it's economy, and then at some point confiscate those assets and throw the Westerners out, as Iran has done in the past. If they could use those new assets and corresponding strength to then wage war against Iraq, or otherwise gain access to Iraq's oilfields, they could disregard the West completely, as they would then be in a position of great power, and could pursue their nuclear ambitions without restraint.

That is the danger of allowing Iran to strengthen, while the Supreme Leader Khamenei is still in charge. His agenda is his own. It seems to me unwise to risk encouraging or advancing it. And look and see what "reform" means in Iran currently.

We have to ask ourselves, is this is a country we wish to strengthen? We kept pressure on the former Soviet Union until it self-destructed. Should we not do the same here?


Some of my previous posts about Iran:


Is it time for regime change in Iran yet?

Iran, under the surface... is it crumbling?

Hangings in Iran increase, to silence dissent

Iran's pressing needs and Iraq's vulnerability.

Purging Western Influences from Islamic minds

Iranian Fashion Police Publicly Bludgeon Women

Amadinejad talks crazy on Iranian TV, with help from a "Death to Amercia" chorus

Amadinejad supports Pop Islam, Iranian nationalism, to serve the goal of Martydom
     


     

Hizbullah TV in Lebanon, courtesy of Iran

The following clip shows excerpts from music videos aired by Al-Manar TV during the parliamentary elections campaign in 2005. Al-Manar is the Hizbullah TV station in Lebanon. Hizbollah recieves most of it's funding and support from Iran.


#713 - Hizbullah TV Music Videos during Parliament Elections
Al-Manar TV (Lebanon) - 6/2005 - 00:03:59

Campaign music videos are supposed to inspire voters to vote for the party making the videos; the videos are supposed to show what the sponsoring party is all about, and what they intend to do. These "music" video clips show quite clearly Hizbullah's intentions. It's no coincidence that the following year, they launched missile attacks from Lebanon against Israel.

Up until the 1970's, Christians were a sizable group that wielded a lot of power in Lebanon; Beirut flourished, and was known as the "Paris of the Middle East". It was a prosperous, tolerant country. That all began to change with an influx of Muslims who would not assimilate. From Brigitte Gabriel, a Lebanese Christian who lived through jihad as a child:

[...] In the early '70s, Lebanon was a majority Christian country . . . a republic very much like America. We prospered. We focused on growing our economy. We were multicultural, fair and tolerant, and had an open border policy. We welcomed everybody into our country, because we wanted to share the westernizations we had created in the Middle East. . . . Sadly, many people who came didn't want to assimilate and adopt westernizations, but wanted to drag us down to their tribal Islamic culture. . . . By 1974, Christians stopped traveling. We became prisoners in our homes and cities because Muslims would set up fly-by-night checkpoints. . . . Our religion is written on our national ID. . . . So, Muslims would stop cars, look at their IDs and if a Christian family was traveling, they would shoot them in cold blood. The whole family. . . . Extremist Muslims started coming from all around the Arabic world to fight alongside the Muslims in Lebanon. [...]

The extremist Muslims in Lebanon are now controlled by Iranian supported Hizbullah. Few Christians run for office in Lebanon anymore, because they are assassinated. Nancy Pelosi said during her recent so-called "fact finding" trip to the Middle East, that the road to peace in Lebanon lies through Damascus. Since Syria also supports Hizbullah, how is that supposed to work?

Pelosi's recent visit to Syria, one of Iran's proxies, has gotten widespread press coverage in the Middle East. It's excited many tyrants, as they now believe they no longer have to deal with the Bush Administration, but can appeal directly to the Democrat Party instead. Iran is even talking about inviting Pelosi to come visit and "talk".

Here is a recent clip from Hizbullah TV in Lebanon:


#1433 - Anti-American Filler on Hizbullah TV
Al-Manar TV (Lebanon) - 4/28/2007 - 00:00:29

Looks like they got Pelosi's message loud and clear. No wonder Pelosi and the Democrats think we need to talk to Iran. They have so much in common ideologically.

Nancy Pelosi, the good dhimmi

Nancy needn't bother to cover her head when she visits Middle East Tyrants; they will still think she is a whore. But they will like her anyway, because she is THEIR whore.

If you think that's harsh, note that I'M not saying that ANY woman is a whore for not covering her head. I do however see a political element of prostitution in letting yourself be used by misogynistic tyrants to further your own political ends.


If the Democrats succeed at assuring we lose the war, they will also have to deal with the aftermath and all that follows. If they win the Whitehouse in 2008, they will have to deal with the consequences directly. Just as they have no plan now, they seem to have no clue as to what would follow. What would they do? I hope we don't ever have to find out.
     

Iran's kidnapping drama continues...

The kidnapping of British Soldiers by Iran is reported on Iranian TV

It's difficult to know what Iran is up to. Perhaps they are looking for a prisoner swap? Perhaps they have over-reached more than they intended?

Internally, Iran is having lots of problems. The economy is tanking, and the U.N. sanctions against Iran promise to make things worse. The Iranian government is clamping down on dissidents and opposition groups, and stepping up censorship of foreign media and cultural influences.

There are divisions in the Iranian leadership; not all the mullah's like what Amadinejad is doing, believing he is creating unnecessary problems. Pressures continue to mount as Iran tries to move forward with it's nuclear program.

As I noted in a previous post, we still have many non-military options we can use in dealing with Iran.

Here are some of the latest articles on the situation today:

From Tammy Bruce:
Iran's British Marine Hostage Drama Deepens

From Jack Kelly:
Britain Must Respond Firmly to Iran's Provocations

[...]Why would Iran engage in such a provocation now?

First, taking hostages is what the mullahs do. When the Islamists first took control of Iran, they seized the American embassy and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. (They were released on the day Ronald Reagan took the oath of office. He'd made it clear during the campaign that he lacked Jimmy Carter's forbearance toward the Islamist regime, and the mullahs didn't want to risk testing his resolve.) In 2004, they seized eight British sailors on a similar maritime inspection mission. (The sailors were released after three days, but not before being paraded blindfolded on Iranian tv.)

Second, the Iranians need somebody to trade. The mullahs have been embarrassed by the apparent defection of two high ranking officers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, and U.S. and U.K. forces have arrested five Iranian intelligence officers within Iraq since the surge began. (The CIA apparently warned the British the mullahs were planning reprisals.)

Third, the mullahs need to distract an increasingly restive Iranian public from a deteriorating economy, and the high likelihood that the economic sanctions imposed by the UN last weekend will make things worse. Tyrants frequently beat war drums in such circumstances. [...]

From the Memri Blog:
From the MEMRI Archives: Elements in Revolutionary Guards Threaten to Abduct U.S. Troops

From CNN:
Iran: Inquiry first, contact second

[...]In an interview on GMTV on Tuesday Blair said: "I hope we manage to get them (the Iranian government) to realize they have to release them. If not, then this will move into a different phase."

Asked what that meant, Blair said: "Well, we will just have to see, but what they should understand is that we cannot have a situation where our servicemen and women are seized when actually they are in Iraqi waters under a U.N. mandate, patrolling perfectly rightly and in accordance with that mandate, and then effectively captured and taken to Iran."

Blair's spokesman said later the prime minister did not mean Iranian diplomats would be expelled or military action was likely.

[...]

Britain insists the group was in Iraqi waters, a claim Iraq supports; Iran insists it was in Iranian waters.

Competing claims on the waterway, which provides Iraq's only outlet to the Gulf, was one of the causes of the 1980-88 war between Iran and Iraq. (Read about the contested waterway) [...]

update 03/28/07: I've added some excerpts to some of the links, I didn't have time to do it yesterday.


Related Link:

Iranian Hostage Situation Escalates
This post by LMC also has some good links. Check it out to see Newt Gingrich's interesting suggestion for dealing with the hostage crisis.
     

Is the Middle East Preparing for War?

Heck, they are always preparing for war, but I mean sometime real soon? This article from Newsmax.com seems to think there are many signs that say yes:

Source: U.S. Strike on Iran Nearing

[...] A number of signs indicate that, contrary to the belief President Bush is a lame duck who will not act before he leaves office, the U.S. is poised to strike before Iran can acquire nuclear weapons and carry out the threat of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to “wipe Israel off the map”:

According to intelligence sources, the administration now rejects the National Intelligence Estimate report issued in December that asserted Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program in late 2003.

The French daily Le Monde reported in March that newly surfaced documents show that Iran has continued developing nuclear weapons. In late 2006, U.S. intelligence reportedly intercepted a phone conversation in Iran’s Defense Ministry in which the nuclear weapons program was discussed.

The commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, Admiral William Fallon, resigned in March amid media reports that he broke with President Bush’s strategy on Iran and did not want to be in the chain of command when the order comes down from the President to launch a strike on the Islamic Republic.

Democrats suggested he had been forced out because of his candor in opposing Bush’s Iran plans, and Esquire magazine contended that Fallon’s departure signaled that the U.S. is preparing to attack Iran.

According to a Tehran-based Iranian news network, Press TV, Saudi Arabia is taking emergency steps in preparing to counter any “radioactive hazards” that may result from an American attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The Saudi newspaper Okaz disclosed that the Saudi government has approved nuclear fallout preparations, and the Iranian network reported that the approval came a day after Cheney met with the kingdom’s high-ranking officials, further stating that the U.S. “is now informing its Arab allies of a potential war.”

The American commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, has stepped up criticism of Iran, telling Congress last week that Iranian support for Shiite militias posed the most serious threat to Iraq’s stability. He told senators : “Iran has fueled the violence in a particularly damaging way.” Last week, the U.S. said Iran was providing insurgents with missiles that were killing Americans and hitting targets within the U.S. occupied Green Zone in Baghdad.

MSNBC Commentator Pat Buchanan said Petraeus’ remarks to Congress lay the groundwork for a U.S. attack on Iran.

President Bush said in a speech at the White House on April 10 that Iran, along with al-Qaida, are “two of the greatest threats to America.”

He said Iran “can live in peace with its neighbors,” or “continue to arm and train and fund illegal militant groups which are terrorizing the Iraqi people … If Iran makes the wrong choice, America will act to protect our interests and our troops and our Iraqi partners.” [...]

These are just some of the reasons given, there's more details in the article. I've seen articles like this before though. It's easy to speculate, but harder to predict what actually will happen. Much depends on what any of the players do. The potential is certainly there. I've also read arguments about why it won't happen, but I don't think it's a certainty either way.

Ahmadinejad has been preparing for war for years, and has many reasons for wanting it to happen, based on his strong apocalyptic religious beliefs. As long as he is in power, war seems likely sooner or later. If Iran gets Nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia will want them too, and Turkey will feel compelled to have them as well, etc etc. If war happens THEN, it will be much worse than anything that happens now. If war is going to happen sooner or later, there may be advantages to having it sooner. It could be the lesser of two evils.
     

Iran's pressing needs and Iraq's vulnerability

#1460 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: America Is Like a Battery Running Out. They Are Done For.
Iran Ch.1, Esfahan TV (Iran) - 5/24/2007 - 00:06:42

[...] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: With the grace of God, we have almost reached the end of the path where we can take complete advantage of all nuclear capabilities. We are very near the summit. The resistance of the enemies grows weaker every day.

[...]

Now they are mustering all their power, in order to cause some commotion – some resolution, some pressure, some uproar... But let me tell you that with the help of God, they are done for. Like a battery about to run out, they muster the remainder of their power but Allah willing, nothing will happen. We've passed that. Wait one month, two months, three months... Allah willing, as soon as possible, we will pass that. Their situation is much worse than one can imagine. Their foundations are shaking. Nobody is with them. They though that if they used threats, people here would withdraw voluntarily. When they used threats nobody withdrew. When they used their fist – it boomeranged back at them. What's left for them to say? A few months ago, they threatened us militarily. Do you remember? They specified the date. They said: "On March 27, at 5 a.m., we will bomb these 20 sites." From this position of making military threats, they've got themselves to the point where they want to have talks with us, and they say: "It wasn't us making threats."

(bold emphaiis mine) Talks? Even Ahmadinejad believes we have nothing to say. I think it's because of the Democrats that we are now having "talks" with the Iranians. A waste of time for us, it buys time for Iran, and lends them the veneer of credibility. Small wonder that they want to invite Nancy Pelosi to Iran. I don't see that any good will come of it.

As for the analogy of a battery running out, perhaps Ahmadinejad is confusing us with his own country? Here is a bit of economic news from the Memri blog:

Economic Shocks in Iran

Randa Taqi al-Din, columnist for the London daily Al-Hayat, reviews the economic shocks being experienced by the Iranian economy. Iran, the second largest exporter of oil in OPEC, is in economic crisis, caused by the shortage of gasoline for cars, which Iran imports in large quantities. Iran is suffering from a soft economy, 11% unemployment, and rising inflation.

Iran’s economic shocks are the product of state control over the economy, stifling bureaucracy, and poor management. Iran’s foreign policy and the provocative statements of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have had their impact on the Iranian economy as well.

In order to revive Iran's oil sector, $100 billion is required, but no foreign investments are currently available because of the sanctions.

The Iranian leadership is blaming U.S. President Bush for its mismanagement of the economy.

Iran’s rush last year to provide economic aid to the Lebanese while failing to provide aid to a city that suffered an earthquake was widely criticized by local papers.

Ms. Taqi al-Din concluded that the Iran has only itself to blame for its economic woes, because it could be doing much better had it focused its energies on the internal front.

Source: Al-Hayat, London, June 6, 2007

(bold emphasis mine) Someone's batteries are running out. They need 100 billion in investments, or new resources to draw on. Where can they find new resources? From their neighbors, the Iraqis:

Baghdad Accuses Regional Fronts Of Seeking To Destroy Its Ports, Oil

The Iraqi government has accused unnamed "regional fronts" of targeting Iraqi oil installations and Iraqi ports.

U.S. officials have identified the "fronts" as a cell connected with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, June 6, 2007[...]

(bold emphasis mine) The Iranian theocracy has a strong interest in seeing Iraq's government fail.

There are many family connections and religious ties between the Shia Muslims in both countries. If the Americans leave before Iraq's government stabilizes, Iran could precipitate a civil war, where the Shia would most likely win and dominate. Then the Shia in both countries would unite, and Iran's oil problems would be solved... and everyone else's would begin. And the Iranian Government would also have new revenue to fund their terrorism, and grow their war machine. Ahmadinejad has made no secret of what he intends to do with that:

Ahmadinejad: The Countdown To The Destruction Of Israel Has Begun; We Hope To Move Towards Jerusalem

If we isolate Iran, their internal problems will increase and the regime may collapse from within. But if we pull out of Iraq and abandon it to Iran, we will see troubles much worse than what we are facing now.
     

Miss North Dakota is Under Arrest in Iran

They are accusing the 31-year-old journalist of being an American spy:

Roxana Saberi was born in the U.S.
and grew up in Fargo, North Dakota.
The former Beauty Queen became a journalist, and had been living in Iran for the past 6 years. Her father is from Iran, and she holds duel citizenship in America and Iran. Her mother is of Japanese ansestory.



Roxana Saberi working in Iran

Unfortunately she has become a pawn in the game Iranian President Amadinejad is playing. And as a western woman, it must be difficult culturally.

Iran president urges full defense for US reporter

[...] Saberi was arrested in January and initially accused of working without press credentials. But earlier this month, an Iranian judge leveled a more serious allegation that she was passing classified information to U.S. intelligence services.

She told her father in a phone conversation that she was arrested after buying a bottle of wine. Her father said she had been working on a book about Iranian culture and hoped to finish it and return to the U.S. this year.

Saberi, who was 1997 Miss North Dakota, had been living in Iran for six years and worked as a freelance reporter for news organizations including National Public Radio and the British Broadcasting Corp. Because Saberi's father was born in Iranian, she received Iranian citizenship.

Her parents, who live in Fargo, traveled to Iran to seek her release. Her father, Reza Saberi, has said his daughter wasn't allowed a proper defense during her one-day trial behind closed doors a week ago. He said no evidence has been made public, and his daughter was tricked into making incriminating statements by officials who told her they would free her if she did.

He told CNN on Sunday that her trial lasted only 15 minutes. "It was a mock trial," he said.

One Iranian analyst said Ahmadinejad's letter was politically motivated and suggested Iran could be using Saberi's case to gain leverage with the U.S.

"Iran can use Saberi's case as a bargaining card in possible negotiations with the U.S.," said analyst Saeed Leilaz. [...]

What they call a "trial" in Iran is often a brief appearance before an Imam, who makes a decision after a few words. Calling it a "trial" would be generous.

Saberi's parents in Fargo, North Dakota

I think the real reason this is happening now is explained later in the article:

[...] Saberi's conviction also comes about two months ahead of key presidential elections in June that are pitting hard-liners against reformists, who support better relations with Washington. Ahmadinejad is seeking re-election, but the hard-liner's popularity has waned and he's been trying to draw support away from reformists. [...]

They are also holding a Canadian-Iranian blogger in custody. Read the whole thing for all the details.

Amadinejad is controversial even in his own country. If the reformists have their way, he would be forced out. Naturally he is doing everything he can to prevent that. Roxana Saberi and Canadian Hossein Derakhshan are being used a hostages.

Free and genuine elections in Iran could fix quite a few things. It's their best hope, but I don't see how that can happen with Amadinejad in charge.


UPDATE 05-11-09

Iran frees U.S.-born journalist accused of spying

The finally released her, but still insist the bogus charges are true. And now for releasing her, they will expect... what? No doubt we'll find out soon.

No word on the status of Canadian blogger Hossein Derakhshan, who was also being held. This article in fact says that 14 other blogger and journalists are still being held prisoner. It sure isn't over for them.


Related Links:

Iran, under the surface... is it crumbling?

Iranian Fashion Police Publicly Bludgeon Women

Amadinejad talks crazy on Iranian TV, with help from a "Death to Amercia" chorus