So untätig der Westen auch zuschaut, wenn es um das Massenmorden in Syrien geht – das iranische Regime ist dennoch von der Angst getrieben, es könnte irgendwann ernst zu nehmende Reaktionen geben.
Victory Castle Conspirer
Welche Überraschung
15. August 2011 — FundstückThe Special Tribunal for Lebanon probing the assassination of ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is investigating Iran’s possible involvement in the Feb. 2005 bombing that killed Hariri and 22 others, the German Der Spiegel magazine reported on Monday.
The report said that there is evidence that link Iran with the murder of Hariri.
The four men named in the indictment issued by the STL are members of Hizbullah and the tribunal is “following evidence that lead to Iran.”
The magazine said that the four suspects traveled to Iran in 2004 and during their stay, they went through military training in “Khomeini’s training camp” near the city of Qom.
Last man standing
15. August 2011 — FundstückGeorge Galloway, langjähriger Freund und Unterstützer Saddam Husseins und großer Freund des syrischen Regimes bekommt langsam kalte Füße und meint, sich doch ein wenig von seinem alten Idol Bashir al-Assad distanzieren zu müssen:
But in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king, and, by 2006, Bashar al-Assad was left standing as the last Arab leader not to be in the pocket of the West. Syria was hated, I said that night in the library – not because of the bad things it had done, but because of the good. I outlined them thus: Syria has refused to sign a surrender peace with Israel, refused to abandon its territory on the Golan to the illegal occupiers. Syria has refused to abandon the Palestinian resistance, continuing to give safe haven for the leaders, and fighters, of virtually the whole gamut of resistance organisations. Syria has insisted on supporting the Lebanese resistance, has refused to allow its territory to be used as a base against the resistance in Iraq and so forth. It was all true, of course, but it was not the whole truth.
„Die ertragen es nicht, wenn junge Leute glücklich sind“
15. August 2011 — Bernd DahlenburgReinhard Baumgarten, ARD-Hörfunkstudio Istanbul, zzt. Teheran
Reportage aus dem Iran
„Die iranische Jugend will Freiheit“
Kürzlich haben sich Jugendliche im Norden Teherans zu einer „Wasserschlacht“ getroffen. Drei Stunden lang beschossen sie sich mit Wasserpistolen und hatten einen Riesenspaß. Anschließend wurden einige von ihnen im staatlichen Fernsehen als „Normbrecher“ zur Abschreckung vorgeführt. Jugendliche haben es schwer im Iran. Sie können mit dem System nur wenig oder nichts anfangen, deshalb suchen sie Freiräume – raus aus der Stadt, weg vom wachenden Auge der „Großen Brüder“, zum Beispiel in die Berge.
Das Ausflugsziel: die beliebte Tange-Waschi-Schlucht. Zu Tausenden kommen die Iraner hierher.
Ende eines Familienausflugs morgens um acht. Straßensperre im Elbrusgebirge. Die Polizei verhindert die Weiterfahrt. „Wir sind das gewöhnt“, sagt der 30-jährige Madschid. Er und seine Frau Fereschte wollen nach Tange Waschi. Das ist eine enge Wasser führende Schlucht knapp zwei Autostunden östlich von Teheran. Die Polizei hält die beiden und viele andere Ausflügler zurück. Begründung: nicht erlaubt.
Honestly Concerned: Meldungen und Artikel zum Iran
15. August 2011 — Bernd DahlenburgHonestly Concerned mit Auszügen aktueller Meldungen zum Thema Iran aus seinem täglichen Nahost-Newsletter.
Stand: 14. August 2011
Dank an Ulrich Becker.
http://honestlyconcerned.info/bin/articles.cgi?ID=IR93011&Category=ir&Subcategory=18
Iranian report attacks Jews, Israel and the UK
15. August 2011 — FundstückClose relations between the Bundestag and Iran’s parliament, the Majlis, led a prominent German-Iranian scholar to issue an analysis on Friday of a July- August Majlis report that attacks Jews, Israel, Rupert Murdoch’s media enterprise, women’s rights and Western culture.
“The German Bundestag maintains parliamentary relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s pseudo-parliament. The Bundestag believes that ‘paths of communications among parliamentarians could be important.’ For this reason it is surely important to be aware of the anti- Semitic stances taken by the scientific department of the Iranian Majlis,” wrote Dr. Wahied Wahdat- Hagh, an expert on the Islamic Republic and a senior fellow at the Brussels-based European Foundation for Democracy.
Why Aren’t There Millions of Iranians in the Streets?
14. August 2011 — FundstückPeople keep asking me how come the Iranian people seem to be missing in action amidst the Middle Eastern insurrection. Fair enough. No matter that the whole process was kicked off, and inspired by, the massive demonstrations in the streets of Iran’s major cities following the electoral fraud of June, 2009. There is fighting in Libya, and there is slaughter in Syria, but so far as we can see from our newspapers and TV coverage, the only thing going on in Iran is continued repression by the regime and not much in the way of pushback from the people. If it is true, I am asked, that the overwhelming majority of Iranians hate the regime, why aren’t they doing more to bring it down?
My first answer is that they are doing quite a bit to bring it down, but it is no longer in the form to which we had become accustomed: big public demonstrations calling for an end to the regime. To be sure, some elements of those protests are still very much with us, such as the chanting of “death to the dictator” from the rooftops in the big cities. But there are no longer large gatherings of protesters, even on university campuses, which have long been centers of protest.
Fristverlängerung für Assad
14. August 2011 — FundstückPresident Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan agreed to set Syrian President Bashar Assad the deadline of Aug. 27for extinguishing the popular uprising against his rule and starting to implement genuine democratic reforms. This decision followed Erdogan’s report to Obama on the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s six-hour conversationwith Assad Tuesday, Aug. 9.
debkafile reports that Assad apparently convinced his Turkish guest that, with a free hand, he would finish off the revolt in 10 to 15 days and then get down to introducing political reforms including free elections with full opposition participation. If he went back on his word, then Obama and Erdogan would talk again about a possible US-Turkish military operation in Syria. They decided to trust Assad „one last time“ regardless of his broken promises in the past.
Hilfe unter Freunden XI
13. August 2011 — FundstückIran will fund a multi-million-dollar army base on Syria’s coast to funnel military equipment to the beleaguered regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported Friday. The report comes amid growing diplomatic pressure against Damascus‘ violent suppressing of a five-month popular uprising, from neighboring Turkey as well as the United States.
Quoting Western intelligence reports, the Telegraph said the deal to build a base near Latakia was struck in June between Muhammad Nasif Kheirbek – Syria’s deputy vice-president for security affairs and a close Assad ally – and Ghasem Suleimani, commander of the elite Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.(…)
A similar joint command center was set up at Damascus international airport earlier this year, but Latakia is regarded as a more suitable destination as it is not subjected to the same level of scrutiny as Damascus.
No support until the end
13. August 2011 — FundstückKhamenei will not commit political suicide by staying with Assad until the last moment. Doing so would be very damaging for the regime’s interests. Iran is becoming more isolated every day. It does not need a new enemy in Damascus in the event of Assad’s fall, especially when this could impact on its ability to supply weapons to Hezbollah through Syrian territory (not to mention relations with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which it conducts through its offices in Damascus). It could also lose access to its economic interests in Syria.
These interests are all important to Khamenei, and he will want to protect them. Therefore Assad should not be surprised if one day he finds that, while Iran supports him publicly, behind the scenes its leaders are anticipating his demise by cavorting with members of the Syrian opposition.
Krieg den Satellitenschüsseln!
12. August 2011 — FundstückSatelittenschüsseln sind ziemlich üble imperialistisch-zionistische Gegner, den entsprechend der Kampf im Iran angesagt wurde. Denn andere als iranische Medien verbreiten ja eh nur islamschädigende zionistisch-imperialistische Propaganda und verderben gezielt die Jugend.
Der Wald brennt
11. August 2011 — FundstückAn official at Kurdistan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources said forestry destroyed by fires and Iranian shelling is three times the amount of greenery that the ministry planted last year. Forestry Director Tofiq Darwesh said the fires have been so severe in some areas that it will take 20 years for forests to recover. The ministry reports that last year over 184,000 donums of trees, orchards and pastures were burned, mostly due to Iranian shelling of border areas and arson. That amounts to just over 3 percent of Iraq’s forested land. Forests in Sulaimani province sustained the most damage. The province lost 126,200 donums, while Erbil lost 27,039 donums. “The ongoing bombing and shelling of the border areas of Sidakan, Qandil Mountain and areas near the frontier with Turkey have greatly damaged the forests because with every artillery shell a large area of forest catches fire,” said Darwesh. “Eighty percent of the trees are oak trees, and some are 50 years old.”
Der zweitschlimmste Alptraum
11. August 2011 — FundstückUngefähr der zweitschlimmste Albtraum für Khamenei und Co. – nach dem eigenen Sturz – ist ein Ende des Assad-Regimes. Die Achse Iran–Syrien–Hisbollah würde sofort einbrechen. Das finanzielle, logistische und strategische Desaster für die Islamische Republik Iran kann man sich mit wenig Fantasie schön vorstellen. Einmal ganz davon abgesehen, dass eine erfolgreiche syrische Revolution auch der iranischen Freiheitsbewegung wieder Aufwind geben wird. Unter Analysten laufen bereits Wetten, dass Assad junior den Fastenmonat Ramadan politisch nicht überleben wird – die Syrer hätten es wahrlich verdient.
The gamble for Syria
10. August 2011 — FundstückThis extraordinary spectacle of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran focusing on Syria is not yet a bevy of vultures hovering over the wounded Syrian body – but it is the first step toward that. All the countries see trends signaling change, and for different reasons they want to influence these to suit their preferences.
Iran wants to keep the Syrian system in place, because its close relationship with Syria (as well as Iran’s links to Hezbollah in Lebanon) represents the one and only foreign policy achievement of the Iranian Islamic revolution. This is presumably why Saudi Arabia and the GCC, who fear more Iranian influence in the Arab world, have spoken out against Syrian government policy and asked President Bashar Assad to pursue political reforms – however lacking in credibility or sincerity is such a message from Gulf monarchies.
Saudi Arabia has been leading the Arab official tide to hold back the wave of populist democratization propelling the street revolts across the Middle East. It must calculate that it has more to lose from continued Iranian influence in the Arab world than it has to lose from Arab democratic reforms; so it works diplomatically (and presumably behind the scenes by assisting some Islamist anti-Assad forces) to weaken both Syria and Iran’s regional conduit via Damascus.
Turkey Helps Iran Avoid Sanctions Despite Cracks In The Alliance
10. August 2011 — FundstückLesenswerte Anaylse über das türkisch-iranische Verhältnis auf Realie-EU:
While Turkey says it is committed to enforcing UN sanctions against Iran, it has repeatedly proven to be a weak link in the efforts of the international community to curb the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions.
On the other hand, Ankara and Tehran now find themselves pitted against each other as the crisis in Syria escalates.
Keine Einmischung in innere Angelegenheiten
9. August 2011 — FundstückThe head of Iran’s parliament’s foreign affairs committee in Cairo:
„We must help Syria so we do not allow the United States to interfere in regional affairs,“ Borujerdi told reporters, accusing Washington of trying to destabilize Iran’s ally Syria.
Bestechende Logik: Iran muß sich in Syriens innere Angelegenheiten einmischen, damit die USA es nicht tut.
Goßartig auch dieses Statement von General Aoun:
“There is calm in Damascus, Aleppo and the [rest] of the cities. Sometimes there are some problems in Homs, but nothing dangerous is going on inside Syria.”
Aoun also questioned reports on the number of civilians killed in the country, but added that he is “not defending the Syrian regime.”
“Foreign powers are conspiring against Syria in an attempt to sever the country’s [close] ties with Iran, [the Palestinian Movement] Hamas and Hezbollah,” he added.
Mullah.Dot.IR
9. August 2011 — Bernd DahlenburgIran plant eigenes „Internet“
Geschäftsreisen in den Iran werden in absehbarer Zeit noch problematischer. Grund: Die Regierung in Teheran plant ein eigenes, nur noch national zugängliches „Internet“. Von einem internationalen Netzwerk kann dann keine Rede mehr sein.
Ob freier E-Mail-Verkehr dann noch möglich sein wird, ist die Frage. Und Institutionen könnten Inhalte zensieren, sperren, löschen, die Urheber problemlos ermitteln und einsperren. Das selbst gestrickte iranische Netz soll islamischem Recht unterstehen. Angeblich soll es bereits ab Ende August laufen. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
Dem iranischen Vorbild folgen
9. August 2011 — FundstückIranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast urged the British government to order the police to stop their violent confrontation with the people, IRNA reported in the early hours of Tuesday.
Mehmanparast asked the British government to start dialogue with the protesters and to listen to their demands in order to calm the situation down.
The Iranian official also asked independent human rights organizations to investigate the killing in order to protect the civil rights and civil liberties.
Dumm gelaufen
8. August 2011 — AdminEine Meldung, die man auch letztes Jahr zur selben Zeit schon einmal gelesen hat: Der Reaktor in Bushir geht doch nicht, wie angekündigt, Ende des Monats ans Netz. Hoffen kann man nur, das restliche iranische Atomprogramm läuft ähnlich erfolgreich:
Asgar Jalalian, a member of Parliament’s committee on the Bushehr nuclear plant, said the facility will not begin operationsin late August as planned. He blamed the delay on Russia, who provided the equipment and technical advice for the plant: „We believe the Russians are not being honest … about the plant.“
The 1,000 megawatt plant, in the southern port city of Bushehr, was supposed to start delivery of energy last autumn. When it was commissioned in 1995, the plan was for a launch four years later.
Wächst da zusammen, was zusammen sein will?
8. August 2011 — Bernd DahlenburgAngesichts der Tatsache, dass Ägyptens Muslimbruderschaft nun steigende Popularität genießt, kann die untenstehende Nachricht nicht allzu sehr überraschen. Auf in eine islamistische Zukunft Ägyptens und Endlösung Palästinas, Ahoi!
Erstmals hochrangige iranische Delegation in Kairo
(sda/dpa) Nach dem Sturz des pro-westlichen Präsidenten Hosni Mubarak in diesem Februar will Ägypten sein Verhältnis zum Iran entspannen. Am Montag traf erstmals seit Jahrzehnten eine hochrangige politische Delegation aus dem Iran zu einem zweitägigen Besuch in Kairo ein.
Angeführt wird sie vom einflussreichen Parlamentsabgeordneten Aladin Borujerdi, dem Vorsitzenden der Komitees für nationale Sicherheit und Außenpolitik. Der Politiker, der auch als Gesandter des iranischen Parlamentspräsidenten Ali Larijani* fungiert, überbrachte eine Einladung an ägyptische Offizielle zu einer Palästina-Tagung in Teheran in diesem Oktober.
*Zu ihm hatte ich 2007 einen erhellenden Beitrag verfasst.
Abhängigkeiten
8. August 2011 — FundstückBy devoting much of its oil and gas earnings to public cash payments, Tehran is locking itself into a situation where it has little margin for error if its hydrocarbon revenues decrease. If oil prices decline — or, more important, if the United States and its allies can dissuade countries and companies from paying for Iranian oil (Washington has no objections if they receive said oil, only if they pay for it) — then the Islamic Republic could face serious problems paying for the checks to which the Iranian people are rapidly becoming accustomed. In short, the regime had made itself more vulnerable to outside pressure — a fact worth bearing in mind when considering what leverage the West can wield against Iran’s nuclear program.
Siehe auch: Iran’s rich eat ice cream covered in gold as poor struggle to survive
Campaign in Iraqi Kurdistan to Boycott Iranian Products
7. August 2011 — FundstückThe Kurdistan Regional Government parliament is to hold an extraordinary meeting August 8 to discuss Iran’s shelling of the Kurdish border villages.
Representatives of 20 civil society organizations have termed the situation of the evacuees from the shelled areas „miserable,“ and called for boycotting Iranian products.
A message of support and sympathy to the Syrian people
7. August 2011 — FundstückEine Solidaritätsadresse des Green Movement:
The Syrian rulers, incognizant of the fate of the dictators in Tunisia and Egypt and many other parts of the world, and oblivious to the legitimate demands of their citizens, have chosen the same path as the likes of Muammar Gaddafi. Autocrats such as Assad and Gaddafi on the one hand provide the means and possibility for foreign intervention in the sociopolitical developments in their country and on the other hand leave behind a ravaged and destroyed nation, sacrificing all human and financial capital of their respective countries in their unquenchable thirst for power.
All freedom fighting, democratic opposition movements face a similar predicament when confronting authoritarian regimes. Over the past two years, the freedom seeking Green movement of the nation of Iran has also endured violent repression, threats and continued suppression at the hands of an authoritarian and illegitimate regime. Despite these tragic events, the totalitarian, tyrannical rulers [in Iran] refuse to learn from the mistakes and the fate of their counterparts in the region.
Niederlage der Revolutionsgardisten?
6. August 2011 — FundstückThe leader of a dissident Kurdish organization of Party of free Life for Kurdistan (PJAK) says his forces killed more than 300 Iranian Revolutionary Guards troops, including three generals and 15 decorated commanders while sustaining just 16 casualties, during two weeks of running battles along the Iran-Iraq border last month. (…)
Ahmadi said there is substantial evidence that Turkey aided Iran in the recent fighting, which would violate Turkey’s status as a NATO member.
“Our people repeatedly saw Turkish tanks crossing back and forth between Turkey and Iran to help the IRGC in the battle,” he said.
The local Kurdish militia repatriated the bodies of five Turkish soldiers who had been killed in the fighting in Sardasht, far from Turkey, according to the Firat News agency.
“Turkey is using its relationship with Iran to hold America hostage,” Ahmadi said. “They are basically saying to Washington, if you weaken your support for us, we will strengthen our ties with Tehran.”
The IRGC tried to mobilize local Kurdish militia units to attack PJAK activists living near the town of Sanandaj but faced high desertion rates and started offering $1,800 bonuses to anyone who agreed to fight.
Hilfe unter Freunden XII
6. August 2011 — FundstückA UN commission linked to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees announced that Iran and Hezbollah are “involved in killing Syrian soldiers who refuse to shoot at protesters,” Al-Arabiya television reported Friday.
The commission said it will publish a detailed report in the coming days, Al-Arabiya also said, adding that the report contains images and testimonies of Syrian soldiers who defected from the army and are now in Turkey.
“The report confirms that the Syrian soldiers who refused to shoot protesters were detained and killed by Hezbollah or Iranian Revolutionary Guards members who are in Syria to help the regime suppress protesters,” Al-Arabiya added.
FREE IRAN NOW! 