IRAN NEWS ROUND-UP - English & Links to Farsi

Source reveals: “Regime intends to kill Kianoosh Sanjari; he’s under severe torture”

The campaign for the release of Kianoosh Sanjari:

A reliable source inside ward 209 of Evin prison, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Sanjari has been under daily tortured and interrogation; during his Monday, November 6th visit from his mother, Sanjari had been put under visible pressure not to discuss anything with her. The source also added that [the torturers] have every intention of taking his life.

After hearing this news, Sanjari’s family has announced that they will be retaining a defense lawyer for him. The anonymous source added: “Everyday under the fist and boot of the interrogators, Kianoosh’s cries silences the entire ward.”

During the recent months the ministry of intelligence and security has tortured 2 activists – Akbar Mohammadi and Valiollah Fayz-Mahdavi – to death and has taken steps to do the very same with other prisoners such as Mehrdad Lohrasbi and Behrooz Javid-Tehrani, to name a few.

And these are people who are known; it is a known fact that the regime disappears many unfortunate individuals whose names are not known to the public and who have not gained the recognition that some of the other brave political prisoners have.

We would like to call upon all human rights activists around the world to unite with us in defending our political prisoners and to work together in order to condemn this inhumane conduct. We will no longer tolerate these willful acts of violence against political prisoners and will soon take action against such abuse.

We ask all human rights activists around the world to unite with us in this important task.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017379.htm

Hezbollah confirms efforts to topple Lebanon’s government.

One of the commanders of the Lebanese branch of Hezbollah affiliated to the Islamic Republic, confirmed a report that indicated that Hezbollah has been taking all necessary action to topple the government of Lebanon.

Last week Tony Snow, the White House spokesman, said there was mounting evidence that the Damascus and allies Tehran regime were behind Hezbollah’s attempt to overthrow the Lebanese government in order to hinder an international tribunal into the investigation of the assassination of Rafiq Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister.

The regime-run site RASAW wrote: One of the prominent Hezbollah clergymen confirmed that whether America likes it or not, the government of Lebanon which is a threat to the achievements of Lebanon's interests and resistence, will be overthrown.

Sheikh Nabil Qavoq, the superintendent of the office of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, who spoke on Monday, November 6th at the inauguration of the centers for culture and research of southern Lebanon, in the city Konin, emphasized: "A change in the direction of the government and the formation of a new united national rule has begun and the United States cannot derail this course.

We have made serious and absolute decisions and have every intention of safeguarding both national and Lebanese public interests and the formation of the united national rule is in this vein.

The action we are taking in the formation of a new government and the overthrowing of the present government of Lebanon cannot be reversed because we regard the present government of Lebanon as a serious threat to our designated resistance achievements.”

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017329.htm

“The University is no place for politics and the student is in no position to be politically active”

The regime-run news agency ISNA has quoted Sadegh Zeebakalam, law and political science professor at Tehran university as saying: “Students should study. Political action should be left up to political parties and organizations.

In the past, politically active Students, in our society, were an exception. The rule was a despotic one that prohibited political parties and organizations from being active and practically speaking, the only place for secret political activity was the university campus and the dormitories; for this reason the function of the universities in Iran, has become secondary to that of political action.

The University’s purpose however, is not political action, its purpose is pursuing higher education! Now, the student movement will become even fainter and this dejection will not create further limitations for students alone.

Basically we must admit that political fervor and sweat has been discouraged. Political parties still expect universities to perform to their benefit.

Someone ought to tell them however that ‘May the Lord grant your sustenance from elsewhere and that the University cannot be the source of your livelihood; just like political parties and organizations in western societies, you need to acquire your fuel elsewhere.

The University has become apolitical! Islam as a dominant ideology, is an ideology which if implomented will resolve all the problems and ills of society.”

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017341.htm

Several international banks limit relations with Tehran’s regime
In an analysis, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine has written of consequences that Tehran’s regime will have to face due to potential sanctions placed by the U.N. Security Council.

This report indicates that despite the fact that these sanctions have not as of yet been imposed, the political tensions have severely damage the Islamic Republic's economy.

The analysis also alludes to such setbacks as the cancellation of a $2 billion dollar oil contract between Japan and the Islamic Republic and quotes an Iranian expert who admits that the Islamic regime’s economic situation is in dire straits.

The total foreign investment in recent two years was approximately $482 million, while this amount has now decreased by $30 million; this is the smallest amount of foreign investment in the Middle East.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine adds that in recent months four of the largest German banks, two significant Swiss banks and the three most influential Japanese banks have considerably limited their relations with Tehran’s regime.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017348.htm

Two more students suspended from university.

The students’ committee of human rights reporters announced that Zeynab Payghambarzadeh, the Tehran university student who had requested a review and reconsideration in her 2 term university suspension verdict, was issued a confirmation in her case.

The disciplinary committee of Tehran university charged this student with: insulting Islamic ethics and wearing a scarf (as opposed to a proper hijab which is mandatory under Islamic dress code), participating in the illegal protests during the months of May and June of 2006 - especially the gathering of the ladies of the Fatehmieh campus which was more of a sorority-type event and meant to address issues such as changing the entrance and exit hours of the dorms and student welfare facilities.

After the issuance of the verdict, Zeynab Payghambarzadeh announced that she will take her case to the Supreme Court of administrative justice. She is now being represented by Mohammad-Ali Dadkhah, the esteemed students’ defense attorney, as well as defense attorney for many political prisoners.

Also, last year political science PhD student and activist Payman Aref, was suspended from graduation due to the direct command of the ministry of intelligence and security. In lodging his complaint to the Supreme Court of administrative justice, Aref was able to have his suspension overturned, however, in a dubious move by the selection committee of the ministry of sciences, the courts’ verdict was rejected and Aref remains unable to graduate.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017324.htm
Jumblatt: decision disarmament of Hezbollah in the hands Khamenei

Walid Jumblatt is the leader of Lebanon's most powerful Druze clan and heir to a leftist political dynasty based around the Progressive Socialist Party said: “Decision to disarm Hezbollah in Lebanon is in the hands of Khamenei.”

Jumblatt who is currently on a trip to U.S. said that from a legal standpoint the decision is in the hands of the Lebanese people, however logistically and ideological, it is outside Lebanon and Khamenei is the one who would have to make that decision.

In a speech in Washington, Jumblatt warned Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah and said that the weapons and missiles provided to him by Khamenei will not help him and in fact, he himself would be the first person harmed by any attempt to overthrow the present government of Lebanon.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017323.htm

No news on the status of anti-regime Ayatollah Kazemeini-Boroujerdi

The students’ committee of human rights reporters announced that there is still no word on the status of the arrested anti-regime cleric, Ayatollah Kazemeini-Boroujerdi.

Kazemeini-Boroujerdi who had been arrested and imprisoned in 1995 and 2000 for his vehement opposition to the Islamic regime was re-arrested on October 8th after a 24 hour stand-off and clashes between his supporters and regime’s guards.

His supporters were also, ultimately arrested and taken away to unknown locations; rumors that were later confirmed indicated that the detainees were all taken to the infamous ward 209 of Evin prison which is controlled and overseen by agents of the ministry of intelligence and security.

Three days after the mass arrests, one of these supporters lost his life under the pressure of torture and interrogation.

Eyewitnesses indicated that upwards of 600 people were arrested and approximately 200 were killed during the clashes. Regime sources however, have unofficially admitted to only killing 20 of Kazemini-Boroujerdi’s supporters during the clashes with security guards.

Last week officials from the ministry of intelligence and security once again raided the cleric’s house, confiscating all of his documents and family’s medical records; so far no official or unofficial media outlets have provided information on Kazemeini-Boroujerdi’s health and his detention conditions.

Pursuant to his family’s on-going inquiries, the special prosecutor for the clergy and expert team related to the case Ayatollah Kazemeini-Boroujerdi announced that he had “suffered a heart attack” and that he has been hospitalized, however, they failed to mention the name of said hospital.

Reportedly prisoners who suffer heart attacks while in detention in ward 209 are transferred to Khatam al-Nabia hospital in Tehran; it is possible that Ayatollah Kazemeini-Boroujerdi also has been transferred to said hospital.

However, in recent days, following the inexplicably long holidays for Eid Fetr*, in the city Ghom, rumors of the murder of the cleric has spread; it is being said that Kazemeini-Borojourdi died under torture and interrogation. The ministry of intelligence and security however has typically, not as of yet confirmed these rumors.

* Eid Fetr, often abbreviated as simply Eid, sometimes spelled Eid al-Fetr, is an Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Fetr means "to break the fast" and therefore symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period.

On the day of the celebration, a typical Muslim family is awake very early and then after praying the first normal everyday prayer, is required to eat in a small quantity, symbolizing the end of Ramadan.

They then attend special congregational prayers held only for this occasion in mosques, in large open areas, stadiums or arenas. The prayer is generally short, and is followed by a Khuta or Islamic sermon.

· To view film footage of the latenight arrest of Kazemeini-Boroujerdi as he speaks to the people on the street, preparing to be taken away by the regime’s guards, click here

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017319.htm

University students from the teachers training college gather to protest

The Amir-Kabir University newsletter reported that the Sabzehvar teachers training college students gathered to protest the dangerous and unstable academic atmosphere created in their hometown, as a female student was kidnapped.

On Saturday afternoon, November 4th students organized a peaceful march that turned into a several hundred protestors; they held placards and chanted against the revolutionary guards and called for the uprising of students, in defense of their rights

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017326.htm

Slogan writing on paper money in Iran

The writing on one such bill says: “They’re doomed”

The regime-run news agency, MEHR reported: "For the past week the national central bank in a public bulletin has asked people to abstain from writing or printing on any and all bank notes and bills as it is both illegal and considered a defilement of national capital.

Some people do gold-leaf printing and write congratulations messages on the occasions of religious festivals, national ceremonies and various personal celebrations and that way, they destroy a national document.

The central bank annually collects approximately 700 million bills that are in circulation; the cost of the reissuance of these bills is close to $14000.”

Of course, this is the official statement of the regime, actually, in recent years, the bills have been used more for writing anti-regime slogans.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017365.htm

Counterfeit dollars flooding Iran’s currency market
After the printing of counterfeit hundred-dollar bills the national central bank of Iran issued a warning for applicants to purchase their foreign currency from foreign exchange locations and banks with the proper seals and permits of the national central bank.

The public relations department of the national central bank of the Islamic regime, announced: “Based on complaints received from some of our compatriots and investigation of the situation, we have determined that a large number of $100 bills have been skillfully counterfeited and have been smuggled onto the market via brokers; unsuspecting people who bought the bills from illegal currency sellers were arrested and detained, sometimes for long periods of time, in foreign countries.”


A Christian arrested by plain clothes secret police in the city of Sanandadj , Province of Kurdistan

According to the Persian-speaking Christians news channel web site, an Iranian Christian, by the name of Ghaan’eh Rooz was arrested on October 26th by plain clothes secret police in the city of Sanandadj (province of Kurdistan) and has been transferred to an unknown location.

Rooz had been summoned several times by the ministry of intelligence and security for questioning; during one of these interrogations, Rooz had been detained and interrogated for 10 hours.

So far his family’s effort to obtain information on his whereabouts has gleaned no results.

The source of this news reported that a large majority of the residents of the city Sanandadj are Sunni and that there are no official churches for Christians in that area; they are generally forced to hold mass and their religious services in home churches.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017230.htm

Inhumane Islamic regime publicly executes 8 in one week in the city of Zahedan, Province of Sistan-Baluchistan

The inhumane Islamic regime has yet again publicly executed 8 people in one week, in the city of Zahedan, province of Sistan-Baluchistan.

On Wednesday morning, November 1st, 2 individuals named Hadi Daryakesh-Naaroyee and Azizollah Najjarian were hanged. Prior to that, on Monday, October 30th another 6 individuals were also hanged in public.

The names of two of the 6 are known to be Mohammad-Amin Hormozi and Abdollah Sheikh-Hassani who were arrested while defending themselves against the attack of security agents, as they were trying to flee Iran, across the border and into Pakistan.

The regime typically charged each of these individuals with "disturbing the nation’s security”.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017198.htm

Why are Ahmadinejad’s ministers replaced so often?

Ismail Gerami-Moghaddam, the representative from the city of Bojnoord and a member of the minority faction, said: “Introducing so many new members of the cabinet in the past year shows that these people lack the most basic qualifications that a minister requires, such as experience and ability.

In the short time that the [Ahmadinejad] cabinet has been at work many weaknesses have been exhibited to the point where in some cases, the main reason for the administration’s failures are nothing more than sheer incompetence of various ministries.

Another reason is the difference in taste between some members of the cabinet - especially those who have had personal success in their own field of expertise - and Mr. Ahamdinejad. This difference in taste and nonconformity of the minister with the president leads to their resignations from the ministers.

This has wreaked havoc on the country.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017198.htm

Twenty-seven thousand strong Basiji maneuvers in Tehran
The regime-run news agency Fars reports:

These maneuvers are routine and conducted every year; this year 27,000 Basij* forces are being prepared for combat and maintaining order and control.

In this stage, the field maneuvers authority are being conducted in various areas of Tehran, such as Parandak, Islamshahr, west Tehran, Beheshty, Meghdad and the Dawnesh-Amoozi parts of the city.

From November 1st through the 9th, 31 battalions of the Ashura and Al-Zahra organized forces will conduct their maneuvers, in a show of force. Operations Hally Bern (?), and anti-Hally Bern (?), defense of streets and urban areas, confronting and defense against vulnerability, as well as aid, relief and rescue [of the forces] will be put on display.

* Basij forces are auxiliary mobilization forces created by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini; they are extremely radical and supported by the current supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Alan note: because of the continuedrelucatance ofmost Iranians to kill Iranians, about 90% of the Basijis are Arabs from various North African countries, Palestinians and Taleban and Al Qaeda from Afghnistan and Pakistan.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017198.htm

Selling nuclear fuel at half price - Nuclear fuel bundle
Regime-run website, Aftab reported:

Mr. Ahmadinejad announced: “The Islamic republic can sell nuclear fuel at 50% of the international market price to other countries. Countries that have nuclear fuel production technology should close down their factories and buy their nuclear fuel at a 50% discount from us.”

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017137.htm

Infamous regime “prosecutor” Mortazavi given total and broad control by Khamenei

The regime-run news agency ISNA reported that the infamous Tehran chief prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi was given total and broad control of by supreme leader, Khamenei; in his induction ceremony as the head of the economic affairs department of the public prosecutor's office.

Mortazavi announced: “The public and revolutionary prosecutor's office has jurisdiction to investigate crimes committed by governors, provincial governors, members of the guardian council, the expediency council, ministers, deputy ministers, deputies of the president, members of the military from admiralty and up, all members of the ministry of intelligence and security in Tehran and provinces as well as those with judicial standing and the public prosecutor's office that supervise the entire nation.

The economic sector of the public prosecutor's office has total authority over financial crimes and economic corruption across the country and starting from people of lower classes who have not had a proper education to those in high positions can be investigated.

But those who are economically corrupt are usually very intelligent and have many talents. Unlike thieves or the financial wrongdoers, the economically corrupt have high educations.”

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017251.htm

Expansion of cooperation between the Tehran and Damascus disciplinary guards

The regime-run news agency, Fars reported: Ismail Ahmadi-Moghaddam, the commandant of the Islamic republic’s disciplinary guards and police, in his visit to Syria met with Basam Abdel-Majid, the minister of interior of Syria where he announced the Islamic republic’s readiness to provide equipment and technology to Syria on the security front.

According to this report the two discussed the expansion of their cooperation and exchange of expertise in their meeting.

Ahmadi-Moghaddam also emphasized the importance of continued visits between the two sides with the goal of increasing the capabilities and skills of the internal security forces and police.

The Syrian minister then stated that the cooperation between the two countries echoes the depth of close relations between Syria and the leaders of the Islamic Republic.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017256.htm

Sufi dervishes and their lawyer sentenced to prison and prohibited from legal representation

Branch 101 of public criminal court in the city of Ghom sentenced Seyed Ahmad Shariat, director and founder of the Shariat Hosseinieh* of Ghom, Qolamreza Harsini, the lawyer for the Hosseinieh and other defendants in the case to prison, a cash penalty and in the case of Harsini, banned from practicing law.

According to the regime-run news agency ILNA, after investigating the case, the Mullah judge Pour-Moussavi, sentenced Seyed Ahmad Shariat to serve one year in prison, a $7000 cash penalty - $3500 of which was in lieu of being flogged – and finally 10 years exile from his hometown of Ghom.

Qolamreza Harsini was sentenced to serve one year in prison, a cash penalty of $3500 and five years suspension from practicing law. The other defendants in the case were sentenced to anywhere between 3 month to 10 days imprisonment.

The charges brought against the Gonabadi faith dervishes in Ghom was “the forcible invasion of their own Hosseinieh (!)”, “disrupting public order" and "disobeying the [regime’s] disciplinary commanders and agents".

Prior to this, in branch 112 of the public criminal court of Ghom which is also presided over by the very same Mullah judge Pour-Moussavi, 52 of the Gonabadi faith dervishes and their 2 lawyers were sentenced to each serve one year in prison and 74 lashes; the lawyers were also suspended from practicing law.

* A gathering and prayer center is known as Hosseinieh.

· Click here for photos of the injured dervishes and Gonabadi faith disciples, at the hands of the regime’s agents, during the February stand-off in protection of the Sufi Shariat Hosseinieh in Ghom.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017284.htm

Detention and torture of a political activist in the town of Marand
East Azerbaijan Province

According to reports, political activist Akbar Pour-Abdollah, resident of the town of Marand (East Azerbaijan province) was arrested on Monday, October 30th by the agents of the ministry of intelligence and security (MOIS) of that township and is said to be under interrogation and severe torture.

This report indicates that the interrogators and agents of MOIS after torturing this political activist delivered his bloody clothes to his family.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017289.htm

Ahmadinejad’s criminal past: the stuff that the Islamic revolution is made of .

The Russian publication Kommersant’s weekly section, in its last issue has published a report about the criminal past and biography of Ahmadinejad which is in effect the biography of the Islamic Revolution.

This publication has called Ahmadinejad the most anti-west of the Muslim and Arab leaders and goes on to describe him as the most fanatic of Islamists to have gained notoriety throughout the world.

Kommersant quotes various credulous pro-reformist western sources who blame Ahmadinejad for ruining relations between the Islamic regime and the international community. According to these western politicians, the denial of the holocaust was a blow to European relations with Tehran’s regime.

The Russian publication then details the Islamic regime’s president’s criminal background, as covert operations agent and describes his active involvement in the 1979 U.S. embassy invasion in Tehran and hostage-taking.

After the Iran/Iraq war, the publication writes that Ahmadinejad joined the revolutionary guards and worked his way up to graduating to the most dangerous and “elite” of the corps, the Quds brigade (a.k.a. Jerusalem brigade) and has served as one of the fervent ideological promoters of the Islamic republic.

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/017295.htm

Two students receive written reprimands by university disciplinary committee

The Tehran University disciplinary committee has issued written reprimands for 2 students that will be also added to their academic files.

Vahid Abedini, one the students told the regime-run news agency ILNA’s reporter: “The disciplinary committee has issued myself and Ahmad Khodadad, one of my fellow students, written reprimands for taking part in the protest against the forced retirement of professors from the university’s school of literature.”

He said that 54 students have been summoned to the disciplinary committee and added: “The issue goes back to the month of June this year; we are being charged with ‘taking part in illegal gatherings’ and ‘disrupting the order of the university’ “.

Prior to this Seyed Hossein Javdani, another Tehran University student was suspended for 2 terms and prohibited from studying, by the disciplinary committee.