IRAN 

The collapse of communism aired live from Russia. Lech Walesa pulled his pants up we heard about it every hour. Where are TV News reports of Iran?

Human Rights Impostors

During a Middle East Policy Council held on Jan. 18. 2008, Trita Parsi, the head of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) was asked: “Why NIAC never takes any meaningful stand against Human Rights Violations in Iran?” His answer was: “NIAC is not a Human Rights organization. That’s not our expertise.” Truer words have not been spoken by Mr. Parsi in a long time. But it was then. It appears now that in less than two years, NIAC has reinvented itself as a human rights organization and its leader, Trita Parsi, has become a human rights activist overnight. These days, on NIAC website we read: “NIAC advocates open, constructive, and unrestricted dialogue among all people and institutions that care about improving human rights in Iran and elsewhere. Through its programs, NIAC encourages discussion and debate on how best to advance human rights in Iran.” And again in an interview he declares: “We want human rights in Iran to be respected [1].” Maybe campaigning for human rights is where the funding goes these days? Just a wild guess!

With a membership tally of about 3000, NIAC claims to be a uniting force for hundreds of thousands of Iranians who live in the US. In reality however this organization has done more to divide than to unite. As a participant in the Washington DC July 25 rally in support of the people movement in Iran, I witnessed the uncivilized behavior of the event organizers (all NIAC people) in confrontation with a peaceful group of flag carrying compatriots. Although I participated without carrying any banners or signs, it is beyond my comprehension how the event organizers could find this flag so offensive, so much so as if Swastikas were being carried around. As a matter of fact, an event associate likened the divide between the flag carrying crowd and the rest to the difference between Nazi sympathizers and anti-Nazi demonstrators [2]. An organization that claims to be “advocating dialogue among all people” is apparently incapable of having a dialogue with a peaceful group of Iranians who hold a flag that has deep historical, even Islamic roots. Thanks to the Internet and websites like Youtube, the intolerance of NIAC affiliates during this rally is well documented.

NIAC routinely uses offensive language against people they disagree with. This can hardly serve unity, human rights, or any other noble cause NIAC might be operating under these days. In his recent interview with Zamaneh, Parsi slandered everyone who disagrees with NIAC, as warmongers and neo-cons [3]. NIAC claims on its website: “The campaign against NIAC is coordinated by far-right neo-conservatives and figures associated with the Iranian terrorist organization the Mujahedin-e Khalq.” NIAC dares to call those disagreeing with its pro-regime stance every name but when it gets the scrutiny it deserves its leader and followers start yelling and kicking and suing.

The goals and the agenda of NIAC is not of much concern to me as long as they are honestly articulated, even if those goals include lobbying for the Islamic regime or Iranian-American businesses who would like to see the sanctions against IRI lifted. I just find it charlatanism plain and simple for an organization to hide its true intention behind the cause of “human rights” in Iran or “solidarity with the Iranian people” while turning a blind eye to worst cases of human rights violation that happened during the first decade of IRI’s foundation, even going as far as blaming the victim for those atrocities. When an organization behaves this way, everyone has not only the right but even the duty to call them out on their deception.

Freedom of Religion in Switzerland

Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any religion. This is article 18 of the Universal Deceleration of Human Rights. Now if the country in question was Iran where Bahai's as a religious minority experience constant and continues attack it wouldn't be a surprise. After all the Iranian regime is known for its lack of freedom and crimes against humanity but Switzerland is a democracy. The rights of minorities should be recognized and respected.

NIAC charlatanism is not about things that I disagree with. Rather it is about this organization's attempt to hide behind causes such as human rights to promote specific lobbyist agendas. For example everyone knows who Reza Pahlavi is. I have no problem if Trita Parsi tells everyone what he really is, i.e. a lobbyist. Charlatanism begins when lobbyists start calling themselves "human rights activists" (as Parsi does) and others who disagree with them warmongers. Why in the interest of free dissemination of information doesn't Parsi attend a debate with Hassan Dai but instead decides to act like a coward and silence his voice by hauling him to the court? Dai's position is that NIAC is a lobbyist group. We all know that lobbyists cannot and do not operate in vacuum but are tied to governments. So what is all this suing fuss about? In comparison, regardless of whatever I think of someone like Hooshang Amirahmadi, I command him for being more transparent and deciding to debate Dai on VOA.

Do Trita Parsi and NIAC use porn as a way to force-feed their pro IRI policy and is NIAC a murky organization?

(This posting is not about the implants of Amina Parsi (The wife of Niac's president) shown off on public Facebook pages in a bikini but rather to know why NIAC is pushing for a talk with the IRI that suffocates Iranian women who may just want to have the same freedom of choice in clothing.) These are good questions but what I like to know is why NIAC would want to stop everyone from expressing their views! Recently an Iranian.com contributor indicated that I am upset because NIAC supporters have expressed their outrage about my poetry. I don’t know where in my response this conclusion could be reached. What I know for a fact is that last week I wrote back to the person who writes under the assumed name of Qumars Bolourchian, a full time representative of NIAC on the Iranian.com, and asked that person to stop sending me porn. The only conclusion for me at this time is that NIAC and several of its members call those who don't share their views, Neocons, MEK supporters, Monarchists, Pro-war, Communists, and more. In my opinion NIAC's Trita Parsi not only sues any person who as much as questions NIAC's pro IRI policy but seem to seek every opportunity to cash on Iranian people’s misery!

Nobel prize ceremony with victims' mothers

A group of Iranians that includes writers, artists, journalists, humanitarians, and political and social activists living in exile request that the Norwegian Nobel Committee for Peace Prize invite to the ceremony the mothers, or another immediate family member, of those killed in recent protests. More can be read here.

NIAC “Why would Ambassador John Limbert, a former hostage imprisoned for 444 days by the government in Iran, join the advisory board of an organization that supposedly represents the interests of the very same government that imprisoned him?” This is the statement made by Trita Parsi of NIAC which means nothing. There are also some families of the Pan Am Flight 103 victims who believe in conspiracy theories. The fact that Trita Parsi uses such a shaky argument to prove NIAC’s independence shows that what we have here is a murky organization.

Yes! There is a connection between human security and human rights!

Today a representative from the White House will speak in my daughter's class about leadership. Last night their homework was to write a letter to the president. The representative will put their letters with the White House mail. This is what my seven year old wrote to her president.

Dear President Barack Obama,

My name is /////. I go to ///// elementary school. I am in second grade.
There was an assignment in my class to write a letter to you about the issues and ideas I have.

One: You should help more people to get health insurance.

Two: Every child has to have healthy lunch choices at school.

Three: Every Human has rights. Please support Human Rights in Iran.

Four: Everyone should have a good security system so that no one will break in to their homes.

Sincerely,
/////

Iran: Crimes Against Humanity


This report may help the identity of the perpetrators become widely recognized as a first step in one day bringing them to justice.

NIAC

An Open Letter to Hadi Ghaemi of United4Iran


As a participant in Washington DC July 25 rallies in support of the people movement in Iran, I am saddened to express my utmost frustration with the uncivilized behavior of the event organizers in confrontation with a group of the Lion and Sun flag carrying compatriots.

I participated without carrying any banners or signs. However it is beyond my comprehension how the event organizers found this flag (which by the way has both pre-Islamic and Islamic roots and by no means is an ideological sign) so offensive as if Swastikas were being carried around. As a matter of fact, in her futile attempt to convince the police to intervene, an event associate likened the divide between the flag carrying crowd and the others to the difference between Nazi sympathizers and anti-Nazi demonstrators (her conversation with the police is captured on youtube). But who were these threatening scary banner carrying folks? A younger mom who was quietly shedding tears to the voice of Dariush as she was holding her 5-6 year old daughter. A mild mannered gentleman who was watching in disbelief the intolerance of the increasingly loud and noisy organizers. One organizer stood behind the microphone shouting to the flag carrying crowd, "have your own protest!" Have your own protest? And you call it a "unity rally"? Shame!

Such behavior and use of deeply offensive language does not help the cause of the Iranian nation, but perhaps the cause of an organization such as NIAC, which apparently cares more about its "special interests" than anything else.

Iran

It looks like that Reza Aslan and Trita Parsi were having tea together a few days ago discussing the recent movement and vending their frustration and in the process discovered it was all exiles' and their neo-con backers' fault!!! Reza and Trita: I understand your frustration but you are aiming it at the wrong target. Exiles have virtually no effect on what's going on except that they give moral support through their demonstrations abroad which by the way has been very effective in a positive sense. Stop blaming the victim instead of the perpetrator.

Security Apparatus versus Pasdaran

I am not so much into conspiracy theories but the mass movement in Iran appears to be a revolt led by regime's intelligentsia, of course with active participation by large segments of the population. I cannot imagine such large scale operation and the organization behind could have taken place without tacit consent of key elements within regime's security apparatus and propaganda machine. The movement has obvious support among key clerics and the new class of technocrats whose father figure (or godfather if you will) is Rafsanjani. Whoever not already on-board the steamroller will be flattened. There was a time Khamanei could have jumped on-board but he decided not to. There is no reason why the steamroller should stop now for Khamanei. The movement has obviously targeted the power seeking Pasdaran elements without whom Khamanei is a nobody anyways. Each passing day he is proving to be less and less relevant.

The regime has been worried about a "velvet revolution" in Iran for several years. These worries were apparently not totally baseless.

Not What It Was Supposed to Be

It was supposed to be the perfect script. Mousavi’s victory was supposed to be hailed as the indication of Iranian rulers having “unclenched their fist”. It was supposed to be the perfect time for reconciliation with Mullahs. It was supposed to be the clearest sign yet of the success of Obama administration’s soft spoken approach towards the Muslim world. It was supposed to be the time for celebration of the Obama effect.

Ahmadinejad’s coup d'état changed the game altogether. It sent all the deal-makers and rapprochement enthusiasts of Washington think-tanks back to the drawing board.

The most important foreign policy implication is that the coup d'état government is dead serious about going nuclear. Any “grand-bargain” between Washington and Tehran under Mousavi would have led to concessions on Iran’s nuclear program. This would have been unacceptable for the Pasdaran commanders who will not be content with any less position than the one enjoyed by their Pakistani counterparts.

As the western governments and in particular US will be wrestling with the question of legitimacy versus negotiations, the coup d'état government will use the time to make as much progress as possible in its nuclear program. Unlike what many might think, the coup d'état government will in fact embrace doubts on its legitimacy to further complicate the issue and seize on it as an opportunity to blame the West for interference in Iranian domestic affairs. As the game continues, Israel will see no choice but to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities. What will happen next is anyone’s guess.

This is all obviously conditioned on the success of the coup d'état which by no means is a given at this time. The arrests made by the coup d'état government yesterday has no significance other than a show of force. Rafsanjani is the only person who, as the head of the assembly of experts, has the authority to remove Khamenei from power. He has the will but the question is whether he has enough number of votes (i.e. enough support among clerics). Many believe that he is in Qom to make such assessment. Additionally, such high risk move has a chance of success only against the backdrop of mass dissatisfaction with the election results and at least some support from the armed and security forces.

A velvet change is underway. Whether it turns out to be a velvet revolution or velvet coup d'état remains to be seen.

From Theocracy To Junta

Yesterday even before the news of Ahmadinejad's win was released I declared in my blog that something funny was going on. Today it is even more evident that something really really funny is going on. Rafsanjani's house is apparently surrounded by security forces. Let's face it Rafsanjani has the most to lose here. His and his sons head is on the line. If there is any chance that this trend is going to be reversed, Rafsanjani will be the key player. Today is the day that the Islamic Republic officially transformed from a theocracy supported by Pasdaran to a Junta supported by a handful of clerics. Whether or not the mullahs who were apparently outraged by Ahmadinejad's statements during televised debates sit on the sideline and watch remains to be seen. The people should not become pawns in this power game.

The letter written by Rafsanjani to Khamenei, gathering of the crowd with green banners outside the Ministry of Interior, and the warning issued by the Revolutionary Guard Corps, are indications that the regime or a faction of it is trying to make Mir Hossein Mousavi (the prime minister during Iran's worst years of terror and repression) and Rafsanjani (one of the regime officials responsible for the killings of dissidents in Germany) the champions of reform and human rights.

september

Iranian Presidential Election, 2009

Watch the debates (1), (2). Four sentences suffice.

Mir Hossein Mousavi: Sent by Rafsanjani's Mafia to take back power especially now that there is prospect of negotiation with the U.S.
Ahmadinejad: A Paasdaar (IRGC)
Karrubi: A total idiot who is corrupt to his teeth.
Rezaee: Nokhodi (also run)

For people who want to vote take your pick.

It’s a shame to watch these characters for Iranian presidential election when Iran has people who are truly qualified to lead the country.

Fed contractor, cell phone maker sold spy system to Iran

Washingtontimes: "Two European companies — a major contractor to the U.S. government and a top cell-phone equipment maker — last year installed an electronic surveillance system for Iran that human rights advocates and intelligence experts say can help Iran target dissidents."

Change for Equalit: Twelve women’s rights activists were arrested today on March 26, 2009, on Sohrevardi Avenue in Tehran, while meeting up to go for New Years visits of families of imprisoned social and political activists. Ten of those arrested are members of the One Million Signatures Campaign.

Real and groundbreaking, this anthology edited by Sheema Kalbasi is a breathtaking collection of Iranian women's poems and is an event not to be missed. The Poetry of Iranian Women is full of passionate and vital poems that speak of universal themes with grace, craft, sensual imagery, and sociopolitical angst. This compendium affords a wonderful opportunity to learn what is being written today by women of this ancient Persian culture of the Mid-East cradle of civilization. 

―  Daniela Gioseffi

Earlier today the Iranian blogger Omid Reza Mirsyafi who was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for insulting authorities died in Evin prison.

The executions of minorities continues in Iran and Farzad Kamangar, a teacher, a trade unionist, and human rights activist is at risk of execution. It was a few days ago when the 27 year old Iranian Kurd, Mehdi hasemzadeh was executed. In addition the Iranian regime forces cracked down on hundreds of protesting university students and arrested around hundred of them. This should not go unsaid that the US journalist Roxana Saberi was arrested in Iran recently.

Iran: Human Rights Crime

A sixteen year old Iranian Kurd has been tortured and killed by the regime's revolutionary guards.

Slowing demand in the U.S. and the related decrease in the oil prices will contribute hundreds of billions of dollars towards reducing the deficit enough to compensate for fallen revenue due to decreased domestic output. Cleverly President Obama would like to take credit for that by hyping these fiscal responsibility mantra.

Mohammad Khatami is a president for the international affairs and not domestic. He came to power in the aftermath of Mykonos and now in the aftermath of President Obama's election. He is a gimmick, an international ploy to deviate attention from what is happening inside Iran. He is a cover for Iran's nuclear program and a savior of regime in light of the looming economic disaster given the free fall of oil price.

Every Iranian, “without distinction of any kind, such as, race, color, sex, language, religion, politics or other opinions,” and  “social origin, property, birth or other status,” is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However followers of the Baha’i Faith in Iran have been deprived of many provisions of human rights solely on account of their religious convictions. 

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