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Media Guide 9 Dec 2009, 10:23 pm
Television IRIB or the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (Farsi: Seda va Sima, or 'Voice and Vision'), is the state monopoly broadcaster (radio and television) directly overseen by the office of the Supreme Leader, who appoints the director. IRIB is currently headed by Ezatollah Zarghami, a former Revolutionary Guard officer. IRIB operates five nationwide channels and a rolling news channel, as well as 30 provincial (local) channels. It also has an international service with three stations broadcasting in foreign languages. Television and radio broadcasts are streamed live over the internet via a live portal page at http://live.irib.ir. Terrestrial * Channel 1 "National Network" * Channel 2 "Culture Network" * Channel 3 "Youth Network" * Channel 4 "Knowledge Network" * Channel 5 "Tehran Network" * Channel 6 "News Network" (IRINN) International Al Alam is an Arabic-language channel, launched in 2003 with a style of presentation similar to that of the major pan-Arab satellite news channels such as Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya. Jam-e-Jam, launched in 1997, describes itself as broadcasting to expatriates, Persian speakers, and those interested in the culture and civilization of Iran. Jam-e Jam features a mix of general programming, some with English subtitles. Press TV is a 24-hour English-language news channel, launched 2007. Sahar is a ultilingual channel broadcasting in Kurdish, Urdu, Azeri, and Bosnian, launched 1990. Satellite BBC Persian Television, launched in 2009, is a newcomer; but its radio service has been around since 1940, and its website since 2000. Based in London and funded by the UK government with an annual budget of £15 million, the TV station has 8 hours of programming a day, including news segments every half hour interspersed with a variety of cultural programs, as well as a popular interactive program for audience commentary on weekdays, and a documentary program airing works by independent Iranian filmmakers. MBC Persian UAE-based, launched in 2009, movies with Farsi subtitles. VOA Persian Voice of America's Persian News Network (VOA PNN), funded by the U.S. government, based in Washington, D.C., launched in 2006, estimated audience 30% of adults in Iran, 8 hours of programming a day, including popular "News & Views" newscast, "News Talk" panel, and "Late Edition" variety show, other panels, and documentaries on American history subtitled in Persian. WIN a Washington-based channel launched in September 2009, broadcasting 1.5 hours of newscasts and analysis daily. Expatriate stations There are more than 20 expatriate channels broadcasting on satellite into Iran, with most based in Los Angeles. The oldest were established in the 1980s to serve the large expatriate community that developed in Southern California after the revolution; the stations now target a wider audience inside Iran. A number of exile channels with explicit political stances are associated with fringe groups -- monarchists, communists, and Islamist socialists -- and are widely viewed as being out of touch with reality. The most popular stations are those with entertainment programming, such as Tapesh, Tamasha, Rangarang, and the Dubai-based PMC (Persian Music Channel). Radio IRIB State radio stations: Nation-wide Radio. Cultural Radio, Youth Radio, Maaref Radio, English Maaref Radio, Payam Radio, Quran Radio, Sports Radio, Worldservice1, Worldservice2, Worldservice3, Worldservice4, Worldservice5, Worldservice6, Dari Radio, Sedaye Ashena1, Sedaye Ashena2, Sedaye Ashena3, Tehran Radio, Salamat Radio, Goftegoo Radio, Tejarat Radio, Ava Radio, Nava Radio. Radio BBC launched in 1940, this is the oldest foreign-based radio station in Iran. Radio Farda based in Prague, funded by the U.S. government, most popular foreign-based radio service, broadcasts a mix of news, programs, and music. Radio Zamaneh based in Amsterdam, partly funded by Dutch government. Other stations with Persian services (1-2 hours per day): Radio France Internationale, Deutsche Welle, Voice of Israel, China Radio International, and Voice of Russia. News agencies Fars a semi-official news agency, i.e., with ties to the government, considered the "Fox News" of Iran, launched in 2002. ILNA is the Iranian Labor News Agency, which belongs is a news agency belonging to the Workers' House, a labor union set up by the Iranian government. It is considered closer to the reform movement than other news agencies. IRNA Islamic Republic News Agency: the official state news agency, IRNA is Iran's oldest news agency (founded in 1934 under the name Pars News Agency and changed its name after the 1979 revolution). It is government-funded and operates under the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance; its current managing director is Mohammad Khademol-Melleh. ISNA Iranian Student News Agency: news agency run by university students, most of them on a volunteer basis. Established in 1999, ISNA is considered more independent and moderate than IRNA. Mehr launched in 2003 and owned by the Islamic Propagation Organization (IPO). Domestic press The first newspaper in Iran rolled off the press in 1835. Newspapers and news sites may be divided into three broad categories in terms of editorial stance: hardliner, centrist, and reformist. Hardliner press and news sites Kayhan (Universe) One of the country's oldest daily papers, run after the revolution by the office of the Supreme Leader, who appoints the editor-in-chief, currently Hossein Shariatmadari. Kayhan is state-funded and has a role comparable to "Pravda" under Stalin. Circulation of 100,000; read by a conservative, religious audience. Kayhan has consistently taken a hard line on domestic and foreign policy issues; it often publishes articles slamming those it deems working for 'foreign agencies.' Jomhouri Eslami (Islamic Republic) is still considered to be closely linked to the Supreme Leader. The paper takes the line of adherence to Khomeini's ideals and has consistently taken a radical position on foreign policy issues and a conservative position on domestic and religious issues. Known for slamming opposition and intellectual figures, although its influence does not match up to Kayhan. Resalat (Message) Established in 1985 and owned by the Resalat Foundation, which has strong links to the traditional bazaar merchants-conservative but in favor of a market economy. It reflects the views of the conservative Islamic Coalition Party and the Islamic Association of Engineers. Circulation: 50,000, read by a conservative, religious audience. Managing editor Morteza Nabavi is a member of the Expediency Council. Iran an official government newspaper published by IRNA, the state news agency. Circulation of more than 100,000; popular with government clerks and office workers favoring Ahmadinejad. Jam-e Jam (Cup of Life) owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. Its circulation of 450,000 makes it the biggest-selling paper apart from the sports papers. One reason for its popularity is its availability: Jam-e-Jam prints in several cities across Iran and therefore gets copies to newsstands before competing Tehran-based papers are delivered with delay to provincial cities. Editorials and commentaries reflect the conservative approach of the IRIB. Ya-Lesarat al-Hossein very conservative Tehran weekly, organ of Ansar Hezbollah. Raja News a pro-government news site owned by Fatemeh Rajabi, wife of Gholam-Hossein Elham, a government spokesman and one of Ahmadinejad's most trusted confidants. Sepah News official news site of the Revolutionary Guard ("Sepah" in Farsi) Ansar News affiliated with the hardliner vigilante group Ansar Hezbollah. Javan is a right-wing daily affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards. Tehran Times and Iran Daily are pro-government English-language newspapers Centrist press and news sites Parleman News official news site of the Imam's Path fraction of the Majlis, or Iranian parliament. The site was briefly blocked by the government following the June elections, but was reopened after lobbying by parliamentarians and the Majlis speaker. Tabnak a news website closely associated with Mohsen Rezai, a Princlipist (conservative) candidate in the 2009 presidential election. Hamshahri (Fellow Citizen) owned by Tehran Municipality, it is one of the best-selling dailies with a circulation of about 350,000. It was the first paper in Iran to print in color. Hamshashri was established during the Rafsanjani period under Tehran mayor Gholamhossein Karbaschi. Unlike other state-funded papers, Hamshahri brings in high revenues due to its comprehensive classified section. Kargozaran (Executives) owned by Hashemi Rafsanjani's centrist Executives of Construction party Kargozaran party, the paper was banned in January 2009 after publishing a report on the Gaza war in condemnation of Hamas. Ettela'at (Information) Iran's oldest daily, moderate, a newspaper of record; one of its popular features is the obituary section. Circulation 60-90,000. It also publishes an international edition in London and New York with an English section. Tehran Emrooz a newly-founded daily set up by a member of the Guardian Council, and close to Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Bager Ghalibaf. Sarmayeh was an economic paper run by a former head of the Tehran Stock Exchange, and shut down in October 2009. Reformist press and news sites Etemad (Trust) Reformist daily run by a leading member of the National Trust party and former MP, Elias Hazrati. Launched in 2002, Etemad is one of the few pro-reform papers still in circulation. Etemad Melli (National Trust) owned by Mehdi Karroubi's National Trust party, this leading Reformist daily was shut down in 2009 following the presidential election. Its editor-in-chief, Mohammad Ghouchani, was detained in June and released after four months in prison. Shargh top Khatami-era Reformist paper, shut down in 2006. Mardom Salari (Democracy) owned by the pro-reform Mardom Salari party, the paper was launched in 2001 and has not been shut down to date. Aftab-e Yazd (Sun of Yazd) a regional paper that went national in 2000 (ex-President Mohammed Khatami is from Yazd) as a way to circumvent the closure of other dailies; affiliated with the Militant Clerics Society and aides to Khatami. Circulation: 160,000. Mowj Camp website affiliated with opposition figure Mir Hossein Mousavi, after his official website Ghalam News reportedly hacked in August 2009. Independent pro-reform news sites Ayandeh Asr Iran Farda News Kalameh Khabar Online Khordad88 Norooz Rahe Sabz Student press AUT NEWS Amir Kabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic) Web publications in Farsi based outside Iran Balatarin is the most popular Farsi-language website, especially for those in Iran. At its core, acts as a user-generated news aggregator similar to Digg. BBC Persian Mardomak was launched in 2008 by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. This online news site aims to "promote civic engagement and political dialogue in Iran." Features include interactive maps, online polls, and political scorecards for elected officials. Radio Farda Rooz (Day) is a Farsi-language internet daily, Rooz was launched in 2005 and is based in France. It is produced by self-described "independent reformist journalists supporting freedom and human rights." Some of its contributors live in exile, while others work in Iran. Tehran Bureau was launched on Nov. 5, 2009 in Boston and is now affiliated with the PBS documentary series Frontline. VOA Persian Copyright © 2009 Tehran Bureau Read more >>
Opinion: Help Iranians Harness the Internet 9 Dec 2009, 1:38 am
[ comment ] The United States and the international community should support efforts to provide unfiltered Internet access to the Iranian people, and take measures to curb censorship by the Iranian government. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei oversees the nation's television and radio networks, and has engaged in a systematic repression of the press, leaving the Internet as the final resource for Iranians seeking information that is free from government control. Web-based networking tools have also played an important role in providing Iranians with an avenue of expression and communication in an increasingly closed society. When Iran expelled foreign journalists in the wake of the contested June 12 election, Iran's vibrant Internet community used Facebook and Twitter to expose the Iranian government's violent crackdown on peaceful protesters. In response to these developments, the Iranian government has staged a coordinated campaign of Internet filtering, censorship and intimidation. Initial reports from this Monday's Student Day demonstrations suggest that the Iranian government has gone as far as shutting down the Internet completely in certain urban centers in an effort to block communications amongst citizens, and to prevent reports of unrest from leaving the country. It is crucial that these avenues of communication and information remain open. Several concrete steps should be taken to ensure that the Iranian people retain open access to the Internet. 1. Investment in Anti-Filtering Technologies First, the United States and the international community should support efforts to provide the Iranian people with technology that can be used to bypass government censorship. The Islamic Republic currently blocks access to more than 5 million websites, including blogs, Internet news outlets, and social networking sites. The government also monitors web traffic, email, instant messaging, phone conversations, and text messaging. While a number of systems are available to help counter these measures, financial and legal hurdles have prevented their full-scale implementation in Iran. Proxy programs like Haystack, created by the Censorship Research Center (with which I am affiliated), can bypass Iranian filters by diverting a user's traffic to servers located outside the reach of censors. But the servers required to run these programs are expensive to maintain, and their operation is complicated by sanctions regulations that govern the export of software to Iran. The U.S. Senate took a positive step towards resolving these issues when it passed the Victims of Iranian Censorship (VOICE) Act, which promises to provide funding to support the development of technology that allows Iranians to gain access and share information. The House of Representatives should vote on the bill sooner than later, and expedite the distribution of funds to organizations working on providing relief to the victims of Iranian censorship. Additionally, executive agencies should ease some of the legal restrictions placed on anti-censorship software sent to Iran for the purpose of promoting free access to the Internet. Finally, nations in the European Community should follow the United States' lead and fund similar programs aiming to provide unfiltered Internet access to the Iranian people. 2. Restrictions on sale of censorship technologies to the Iranian government Second, legislation should be passed that discourages private companies from providing censorship technology to Iran. A joint venture of Siemens AG, the German conglomerate, and Nokia Corp., the Finnish cellphone company, recently sold Iran powerful technology that can be used to filter and monitor phone and Internet communications. The European Union should denounce this activity and impose laws that ban or discourage the sale of filtration technology to Iran. Provided it becomes law, the VOICE Act would require the United States to issue a report on "non-Iranian companies, including corporations with U.S. subsidiaries, that have aided the Iranian government's Internet censorship efforts." This is a step in the right direction, but not one that goes far enough. The United States and the European Community must cease to do business with companies which continue to provide filtration technology to the Iranian government. Taxes collected from the citizens of the democratic world should not be used to increase the profits of companies that aid and abet Iran's human rights abuses. 3. Make news more accessible to Iranians Third, news media organizations should take steps to make news -- particularly news concerning Iran and the Middle East -- more accessible to the Iranian people. The U.S. and the U.K. host or sponsor a number of radio and television programs that transmit international news in Farsi into Iran. These feeds can be picked up within Iran with satellite dishes and radios. These efforts should be supplemented with legislation that would support the translation of nongovernmental news sources into languages spoken in censorship-affected communities. For example, the VOICE Act could be amended to provide incentives to private news organizations that provide a portion of their online content in Farsi. This would help make international news more accessible to Iranians. 4. Protect bloggers Fourth, the international community, and the United States in particular, should explicitly denounce Iran's abuse and persecution of bloggers. Iran became the first nation to arrest someone for blogging in 2003, when the government detained journalist and blogger Sina Motalebi for 23 days in solitary confinement because of the contents of his blog. Since then, the Iranian government has detained and harassed hundreds of bloggers, often without charge. Many of those who have been released have reported being subjected to sever psychological and physical abuse. The recent tragic death of 29-year-old blogger Omid Reza Mir-Sarryaffi in Tehran's notorious Evin prison exemplifies the need for immediate measures to focus attention on the unjustified persecution of this new breed of journalists. The United States must take a leadership role in denouncing these acts, and protecting the basic human right to free communication. The most effective way to help Iran's budding democracy movement, and to further U.S. interests in the region, is to give the Iranian people a voice. The measures described here would do just that, making it more difficult for the Iranian government to hide human rights abuses behind a veil of censorship, and empowering Iranian citizens to expand the public debate on the future of their nation. Babak Siavoshy is the Director of Development at the Censorship Research Center and a Visiting Scholar at Georgetown's Center on National Security and the Law. Read more >>
Selected Headlines 9 Dec 2009, 12:00 am
Student protests continue at Tehran and Sharif universities Norooz \| Dec. 9, 2009 Despite warnings issued by Tehran University officials banning protests on Wednesday, December 9th, a number of pro-opposition students staged a protest in front of the Faculty of Engineering at this university on Wednesday morning, Nooroz news site reported. In an apparent gesture of restraint toward student protesters who gathered outside the office of faculty dean Mahmoud Kamarei, faculty officials opened the doors to Shahid Chamran auditorium and invited students to state their objections. Following an opening speech by Kamarei, the student protesters spoke in the form of an open forum and demanded the resignation of Farhad Rahbar, the university's dean. Kamarei rejected the demand and the students objected to his refusal, prompting Kamraei to walk out of the auditorium. At the gathering, students chanted slogans slamming the university's security personnel. On December 7 and 8, university security had allowed Basij militiamen to enter the campus and to beat student protesters. Norooz reports that students at Sharif University in the Iranian capital also staged a rally Wednesday in protest at the arrests of at least seven Sharif students on December 7 and 8, as well as the arrests of scores of students from other universities on these dates. Sharif students gathered at the university's main entrance and chanted anti-government slogans. Principlist MP disapproves of Ahmadinejad being quoted on Hidden Imam Parleman News \| Dec. 8, 2009 A Principlist lawmaker reacted strongly to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remarks about Americans preventing the coming of the Hidden Imam by accusing reporters of taking his words out of context. When asked by a Parleman news reporter about his opinion on Ahmadinejad's claims to have evidence of Americans preventing the coming of the Hidden Imam, Asadollah Badamchian said, "These sort of exploitations are wrong. Mr. Ahmadinejad has said something but it's wrong for you to take those words and make a big deal out of it." When asked if he meant what Ahmadinejad had said was not wrong, Badamchian said, "It's morally wrong to ask such things." "It is against Islamic morals and Iranian manners to take the things one person says out of context." When asked if speaking about the Hidden Imam in such a manner was not against Islam, he said, "you are not jurists and neither am I; when a person states his opinion about the Hidden Imam the important thing is his intent. If he intended to make an insult, yes, it's wrong. But if he had no intention of insulting [religious beliefs] and was only stating his opinion, then it is in no way wrong." Beware of Brittle Iran Daily Star \| Dec. 10, 2009 In the aftermath of Iran's controversial presidential election in June, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the dubious claim that his country was the "most stable" nation in the world. But the government's crackdown on renewed opposition demonstrations in the country this week, nearly six months after the vote, shows that the regime is still terrified of the enormous and potentially destabilizing power of its own people. It is understandable that any government in the world would act -- even with a degree of heavy-handedness -- to curb lawlessness and quell disorder. But it is another thing entirely to impose draconian measures in response to non-violent dissent. The use of tactics like making massive arrests, cutting phone lines, shutting off internet access and preventing journalists from doing their jobs suggests that the regime has calculated that allowing students to rally on the streets could have dangerous consequences to its own survival. Rafsanjani: Iran not to make concessions, ready for talks BBC Monitoring \| Dec. 9, 2009 [Announcer-read report over video] In an interview with Al-Manar, Shaykh Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, chairman of the Expediency Council in the Islamic Republic of Iran, has said that the West is making a mistake in adopting the policy of threats and terrorization against Iran. He noted that the Islamic Republic does not seek to possess a nuclear weapon. However, it will never abandon its endeavours to possess peaceful nuclear power. He affirmed that Tehran is ready for dialogue. [Hashemi-Rafsanjani, who is speaking in Persian with voice-over translation into Arabic, translated from Arabic] Serious talks should be held in order to enhance confidence [in Iran]. We will do anything to prove our good intentions to the world and to prove that we are sincere and serious in this regard. US should back Iran's students Boston Globe \| Dec. 9, 2009 Student protests Monday against the Iranian regime, and against the vicious representation captured in cellphone videos, bear one message for Iran's leaders and another for President Obama. The regime -- which has come to resemble a military junta more than a clerical theocracy -- continues to deny the import of the protesters' resistance. President Obama need not do the same. Despite beatings and arrests, students in Tehran and many other Iranian cities showed that they will not be intimidated. They no longer define their movement simply as a rejection of the fraudulent reelection over the summer of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They are also repudiating Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and the entire system of the Islamic Republic. Nobel Prize Winner Says Iran's Regime Won't Last ABC \| Dec. 9, 2009 In a calm but defiant interview with ABC News, Iranian human rights activist and 2003 Nobel Prize Winner Shirin Ebadi said the current Iranian regime has "no popular base". "I promise you, this regime will not last," she said. Pressed as to how a largely a popular protest movement can challenge a regime which seemingly has all the cards -- police, military, basij paramilitaries, Revolutionary Guards -- she said the movement is becoming more widespread despite the crackdown, spreading from Tehran to other cities. She said political backing from prominent religious leaders adds strength, and that while political leaders such as Mirhossein Mousavi have been largely quiet, "the real leaders are the people." Iran offers 'Al-Shirbini' scholarship to Muslim European students BBC Monitoring \| Dec. 9, 2009 The chancellor of Kashan University [central Iran] has announced that his university will offer "Marwah al-Shirbini" martyr of hijab scholarship to ten European students who observe hijab. According to Jahan News, Seyyed Javad Sadatinezhad said: In view of the fact that women who observe hijab are prevented from receiving scholarships in law and other subjects in many European countries, they can use the great environment created at the University of Kashan and win scholarships in every field, particularly law, and continue their education. Number of detained Kurdish students reaches 15 Gooya News \| Dec. 9, 2009 Amid uncertainty about the fate of the seven students who were detained while protesting the death sentence handed to Ehsan Fatthahian, more Kurdish students have been detained in recent days. Ahamd Esmaili, Amaj Rahimi, Avdollah Arefi, Bakshan Azizi, Leila Mohammadi, Sarveh Veysi and Hazhar Yousefi were arrested on Nov. 16 for having objections to Fatthahian execution sentence. According to the Amir Kabir Bulletin, Amjad Kordnejad and Abbas Kakayi, two Tehran University students, were arrested after being summoned to the Revolution Court. Edris Moloudi, an Allameh Tabatabaei University student, was arrested at his home. Alireza and Sajjad Moradi are two more Tehran University students who have been arrested. Farzad Kalbali, a TU post-grad student of sociology, was arrested upon exiting campus on 16 Azar. Sohrab Karimi, a political science graduate student in Qaraveh, was arrested after traveling to Tehran. The arrests of these students brings the number of Kurdish students in detention to 15. Iran official says seismic stations used for spying Reuters \| Dec. 9, 2009 An Iranian official criticized an international treaty banning nuclear explosions on Wednesday, suggesting a newly built seismic monitoring station near its border was set up to spy on the Islamic Republic. Abolfazl Zohrehvand, a senior Iranian diplomat involved in nuclear talks with major powers, underlined Iranian distrust of world powers involved in a long-running dispute with Tehran over its nuclear program in his remarks, carried by the official IRNA news agency. Last week, the Vienna-based Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) said a primary seismic station had been built and was undergoing tests in Turkmenistan, which borders Iran. Zohrehvand said the facilities had been revealed as "dens of espionage" and suggested that plans to build them inside Iran had been halted. Tamadon: What the hell does Mousavi want from us Lahzeh News \| Dec. 9, 2009 Tehran Governor Morteza Tamadon said Mir-Hossein Mousavi's statement issued for 16 Azar was the main reason behind the unrest on Student Day. "People ask me in different places what is the reason for Mr. Mousavi's insistence on his unlawful behavior? What does he want from us?" "Unfortunately the sedition-seeking movement, which has been trying to use the important and revolutionary days [on the calendar] to its benefit since the election, tried to confiscate 16 Azar for the counterrevolutionary movement but the vigilance of the revolutionary students prevent the seditionist from achieving their objectives," Tamadon told IRNA. "One movement has been hiding behind Mousavi under the guise of supporting him, and Mousavi, with his deliberate silence in the face of their pretense and by issuing provocative and questionable statements, helped the seditionist movement." "Foreign and counterrevolutionary media outlets on the one hand and questionable parties inside Iran headed by Mousavi on the other hand tried to bring the opponents of the Imam [Khomeini] and the establishment to the scene on 16 Azar, but the vigilance of revolutionary students prevented them from succeeding." Ayatollah Bayat-Zanjani questions Ahmadinejad's faith Parleman News \| Dec. 7, 2009 A Shia Source of Emulation questioned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's adherence to the Shia faith over his controversial remarks about the Hidden Imam in Isfahan. In a meeting with the members of the Islamic Participation Front, Ayatollah Bayat-Zanjani urged attendees to do everything in their power to safeguard the younger generation from superstitions, adding, "Unfortunately some of the echelons are party to this attack by superstitions." "Sometimes the remarks [made by certain parties] reflected in the news amazes one and makes one think if the speaker of such words has any Shia beliefs at all? How must the youth who hear these remarks from people who affiliate themselves with the Hidden Imam react?" He urged clerics to inform the youth that "some of the things said by officials in this country have nothing to do with Islam or the Shia faith and one must have serious doubt about the religious awareness and the intentions of their speaker." The grand Ayatollah was referring to controversial remarks by Ahmadinejad in Isfahan in which he claimed to have evidence that the Americans were preventing the Hidden Imam from coming. Rasaii challenges Mousavi to bring proof of his descent Pool News \| Dec. 8, 2009 A Staunch Ahmadinejad supporter and lawmaker questioned Mir-Hossein Mousavi's descent from the family of the prophet of Islam. In his latest blog post, Hamid Rasaii said he had received a text message stating that Mousavi was not a Seyyed (descendent of the prophet) as his campaign had claimed. This claim legitimized the use of the color green by the Mousavi campaign, as green symbolizes descent from the Prophet Mohammed. Rasaii urged Mousavi to clear his name by responding to the allegation on his official website and prevent his own political suicide. "While being a descendent of the prophet or a cleric are honorable and positive qualities, they are not considered the best criteria for choosing a candidate for presidency. Using such symbols means exploiting the religious beliefs of the people." Karroubi: Ahmadinejad causing establishment to lose honor Hammihan News \| Dec. 8 Opposition cleric Mehdi Karroubi said Ahmadinejad's remarks about Americans preventing the coming of the Hidden Imam are causing the establishment to lose its honor. "Many of the Sources of Emulation are critical of the present situation. Some voice their criticism and pay the price for it, while others due to certain considerations keep silent. Such remarks, which unfortunately have become a habit for him [Ahmadinejad], play with the [religious] beliefs of the people." Karroubi read out parts of Ahmadinejad's remarks in which he said, "We have documented proof that they believe that a descendant of the prophet of Islam will rise in these parts [Middle East] and he will dry the roots of all injustice in the world. They have devised all these plans to prevent the coming of the Hidden Imam because they know that the Iranian nation is the one that will prepare the grounds for his coming, and will be the supporters of his rule." "The Doctor [Ahmadinejad] has made two claims here: one, that Americans are trying to prevent the coming of the Hidden Imam and two, that they have found proof of it. Are you keeping these documents in the foreign ministry? Our clergymen have been saying for centuries that there is no way to tell when and how the Hidden Imam would be coming and that the predictors of the coming are liars," Karroubi said. "What kind of thing is that to say? How are the Americans going to stop the Hidden Imam from coming? By arresting him or assassinating him? What is the meaning of such childish remarks about the Imam? What is the real objective behind such claims?" Karroubi went on to say that if a Reformist had made even a fraction of these types of remarks, radicals would have raked them over the coals, but no one has tried to stop Ahmadinejad from such sacrilege. "If making such remarks has become a habit of his [Ahmadinejad], echelons should stop the spread of such remarks and the rational should warn him [to stop talking]." "It is one thing to claim they wanted to kidnap me in Iraq or assassinate me in another place, even though uttering such remarks by an Iranian official is unfortunate it does not hurt anyone, but here [with his Hidden Imam remarks] the [religious] beliefs of the people have been targeted. This is not a personal issue. We must not allow such things to happen and we must warn and call [Ahmadinejad] to virtue and caution [him] against vice. Karroubi closed by saying that the threat of a stupid friend and a zealot is much greater than a wise enemy. Read more >>
Bassidji: Talking to the Other Side 8 Dec 2009, 11:58 pm
An interview with director Mehran Tamadon. [ film ] A young boy sits on rusted tank tracks in the desert bordering Iran and Iraq. His head is bowed, and he's sobbing. A few yards away, a dozen bearded men gather around a Shiite cleric. The men weep as the cleric recounts the story of a fearless martyr killed during the Iran-Iraq war. He compares the soldier to Imam Hossein, the revered third Imam of Shia Islam, massacred in the battle of Karbala in 680 A.D. These men belong to the Bassidj [Basij], the voluntary paramilitary force formed in the early days of the Iran-Iraq war, who now serve as the plainclothes foot soldiers of the Islamic Republic. The militia was largely behind the brutal crackdown on protesters during Iran's recent election fallout. Filmmaker Mehran Tamadon spent three years immersed in their world. Without hiding his liberal secular views, Tamadon sought to understand their convictions and engage in a dialogue. The film begins on the Iran-Iraq border, at an open air museum dedicated to the martyrs of the war. Among throngs of pious pilgrims, the audience meets the film's protagonists, a pair of Bassidji loyalists. Nader Malek-Kandi, 46, is a veteran of the war who now runs a publishing house for religious propaganda. Mohammad Pourkarim, 28, commands a unit of Bassidji guards in the Tehran neighborhood of Nasr. In the spirit of dialogue, Tamadon diligently listens to his friends. But when Pourkarim encourages him to ask questions, an uneasy conversation ensues, including a scene where four Bassidjis sit facing the camera, answering anonymous questions by angry Iranians. The tension builds with each long silence, as Tamadon struggles to get answers to complex questions. The result: a rare glimpse into the lives of men devoted entirely to Shia Islam and the Islamic Republic, and a fascinating dialogue between unlikely friends. Sanaz Meshkinipour: How did you come across this topic? And what did you originally set out to do? Mehran Tamadon: I made a documentary about the mothers of martyrs at Beheshte Zahra [the largest cemetery in Iran, located outside Tehran] who have come to the cemetery every week for the past 27 or 28 years since the death of their sons. Here I met the main character of the film, Nader Malek-Kandi. Some Bassidjis came every week, sat on the grass behind the cemetery, shared war stories, and talked politics. So I started talking to them, joking around and pestering them, and I saw it was possible to talk! So I decided to see if I could build relationships with them. I'm from a leftist family, the kind who believes people of all backgrounds should interact. The motivation for the film came from my hatred of strict categories between people. I began the project wanting to test these boundaries. But later, I realized the situation was far more complex. The Bassidj is a political instrument, and the bassidjis in my film are political people. You can't simply examine their world through an anthropological lens -- it's impossible. And they were willing to go along with your project, knowing your background? They look at your clothes, your face, your mannerisms, [and] they inevitably know who you are. I had told them my opinions about the Bassidj. As it turned out, they liked that I spoke so openly with them. They were open and comfortable with me. I promised to be forthright about my criticism of the bassidj, my intentions, and the direction of the film, that I wouldn't create an entirely different movie in the editing process. I wanted to create a situation where at the end, we could still look each other in the eye. There seems to be a great deal of trust between you and them, but of course, there are boundaries to that trust. They were always thinking, "What are his intentions?" They kept saying, "Our conscience is clear. We know our words hold the truth. We have already answered to God." But in terms of trust, I think I'm a very relaxed person, I don't have too many censors. I once told Malek-Kandi, "I don't own a television in France," [but] he didn't believe me. I said, "Well if I did, I would see what you guys do on the streets, and I wouldn't be talking to you." He laughed. So I teased them, especially Malek-Kandi, we had a joking relationship. There are two types of relationships in this film. One takes place between two individuals, the other takes place between an individual and a government. On one hand, Malek-Kandi tells me in the film, "You're a good person." But there is a layer of ideology between us that doesn't allow our relationship to progress. There's a red line, and it's the same one that has created Iran's polarized society. If I would not have forced the conversation to reach that red line, then I would have lost. When did you begin pushing the conversation to this red line? I couldn't allow them to use my camera to advertise their message. At a certain point, I was forced to take the film into my own hands, show a stronger presence, and find some way, step by step, to move forward to reach the red line. I wanted to ask a question about Ramin Jahanbegloo [the Iranian intellectual imprisoned in Evin for four months in 2006]. And I knew this would be the last question of the film, because if I asked that question early on, I wouldn't be able to ask any other question. That's why I took things very slowly to get to that breaking point. Why did you decide to keep all of the silences in your final cut? During that same scene with the line of men staring at the camera, I think the silence showed my inability to ask my questions, as if I had a mental block. I thought to myself, "How do I say it so that Malek-Kandi truly hears me out and isn't offended by me." And of course the silences showed my fear. Do you think you succeeded in your dialogue with the Bassidji? The moment the camera is pulled out, there are two types of power competing against each other. Inevitably, they transform into the Islamic Republic's representatives, and I transform into the representative of all those who are against the Islamic Republic. Inevitably, the camera creates a space driven by power. It was crucial for me to learn how to talk to the other side. Based on these standards, the film was unsuccessful because their responses were filled with rhetoric. There was a dialogue between friends, but in the end, Malek-Kandi didn't try to understand my perspective. But you can also say they were willing to sit in front of a camera and be judged by others and this was a step. After you went through this whole experience, what was running through your mind as the protests were taking place this summer? During that whole period, we were all sickened. But as the demonstrations continued, you could see people trying to speak with the Bassidj. The Bassidjis know they're not supposed to talk to the protesters, they know they're supposed to look at the ground, not talk, not answer questions, because if they do, they won't be able to continue beating those standing in front of them. The issue of the Bassidji's victim-hood comes up quite a few times in the film. Why so often? Whenever you want to hurt someone else, you do it because the other person has hurt you -- you claim you are a victim as an excuse. It's rare that a government oppresses it's people just out of stated malice. So when they oppress it's because they feel like victims. How do you gauge the Green Movement's use of Shia references? It seems they are trying to usurp the Shia call, the story of Imam Hossein's martyrdom, and use it against the government. I think Moussavi's use of Shia reference is more like an excuse. When they protest on Jerusalem Day, it doesn't mean they are out in support of Palestine, they are looking for an excuse to protest. It's less a reference to Shia Islam than a way to oppose the government and legitimize their position. For example, Imam Hossein knew he was going to die. This is a very important aspect to the story; he knew he was going to be dead by midday but he goes ahead with the battle. In Shia mythology, the night before he goes to see his troops, he tells them it's dark, no one will see you, if you want to leave go ahead, because tomorrow none of us will be alive. Some leave and some stay but he tells them you are going to die. Now, when the veterans of the Iran-Iraq war recount their war stories, they recall a reference to this story, where their superiors would come and tell them if they want to leave at night they can. And of course none of them leave; they don't dare espouse fear after hearing a reference to Imam Hossein. This is prevalent amongst the Bassidji, but you can't find this in the reformist movement or among the protesters. When ten Bassidjis charge at them, they all disappear. Because they are genuine reformists, they're seeking peace -- they're not revolutionaries. A fearlessness of death doesn't exist, and that's the difference with the Bassidji. Did you ever show the movie to your characters? Yes, before filming the question & answer scene, I presented them with a four-hour rough cut. It was a means to convince them to participate in the next scene. this was quite difficult and it took about ten hours because they would argue over every single sentence. I told Malek-Kandi, "I want to know one thing: with all the good and the bad, would you show this film to your father?" He thought for a bit, weighed his options, and finally said Yes. Even this, you have to fight for. At that moment, he relinquished a small piece of power. It's a start. Copyright © 2009 Tehran Bureau Read more >>
Day 2: Clashes at Tehran universities 8 Dec 2009, 5:26 am
Protests Six students arrested at Tehran University AUT \| Dec. 8, 2009 Following two days of protests and clashes with security forces at Tehran University, six students have been detained according to a student online news source. According to the Amir Kabir Bulletin, there have been at least six confirmed arrests: Navid Soltanpour (Physical Education), Mojtaba Hashemi (Law), Niloufar Esbati (Engineering), Bardiya Najjar (Mechanics), Tahereh Dehkhavarqarnian (Medicine) and Mehdi Bolkhari. There are no official figures available regarding the actual number of detained students. 2 Tehran universities attacked AUT News \| Dec. 8, 2009 Revolutionary Guard and Basij militia forces attacked campuses at Tehran University and Shahid Beheshti University in the Iranian capital on Tuesday morning. Amir Kabir University of Technology (AUT) news service reported that the gates of Tehran University were opened by campus guards to allow the militia forces to pour onto campus. Today's events after pro-opposition students announced Monday that they would gather Tuesday morning to protest the violent treatment they had received at the hands of plainclothes forces during Student's Day protests at Tehran University on Monday. The security forces attacked student protesters on campus today with batons and pepper spray. According to eyewitnesses at Tehran University, a number of students were arrested and taken away. Also on Tuesday, Basij and plainclothes forces entered Shahid Beheshti University in northern Tehran, according to an AUT News report. The forces entered the Faculty of Law building, disrupting classes and beating students. Eyewitnesses report that a group of about 200 Basij forces faced off with about 300 opposition students, with the two sides chanting slogans against each another. Yesterday, Shahid Beheshti students chanted anti-government slogans during protests to mark Student's Day [16 Azar]. They had also chanted "Allaho Akbar" in the direction of Evin Prison located near their campus. Pro-government forces from the Basij milita and Ansar Hezbollah vigilante group who had entered Shahid Beheshti campus today chanted, "Death to the anti-Velayat Faqih" [Death to those who are against the position of Iran's Supreme Leader]. Student protesters countered with chants of "Death to the Dictator" and "Guns, tanks, Basijis are no longer effectual," referring to the government's violent crackdown on the opposition to suppress and intimidate them. Female medical student arrested by security forces HRA \| Dec. 8, 2009 Following a raid by security forces on the University of Tehran, a second-year medical student named Tahereh Dehkhavarqarnian was arrested. According to the Amir Kabir Bulletin, Dehkhavarqarnian was severely assaulted by security forces, dragged into a Peugeot GLX and transferred to an unknown location. Clashes and canceled classes at Tehran University BBC Persian \| Dec. 8, 2009 Classes were canceled today at Tehran University after pro-opposition students clashed with members of the pro-government student Basij and plainclothes forces on campus early Tuesday morning. A Tehran University student told BBC Persian that the skirmish led to the breaking of doors and windows at the Faculty of Technology building. The atmosphere of the campus is still tense, the student said. Earlier, another eyewitness reported that the clashes erupted when opposition students had gathered to protest the authorities' crackdown the day before during the Students' Day [16 Azar] student protests. The plainclothes forces used batons on students today, eyewitnesses report. A YouTube video shows students lighting a fire in the corridors of the Faculty of Technology to counter the effects of tear gas thrown at them by plainclothes forces. State news agencies reported today that "military and police officials" were deployed since early Tuesday morning around the Tehran University campus and had sealed off the main campus gates after the clashes died down. Karroubi accuses IRIB of doctoring 16 Azar footage Radio Farda \| Dec. 8, 2009 Opposition cleric Mehdi Karroubi wrote a letter to the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting to object to the 16 Azar videos aired by IRIB. In his letter to Ezatollah Zarghami, Karroubi wrote that, as the state broadcaster instead of helping national unity, the IRIB had manipulated the videos broadcast in the controversial 20:30 program. He added that this was the first time that the IRIB had aired footage showing posters of the late founder of the Islamic Republic being torn, and that they edited the footage to frame the student protestors. Karroubi added that certain movements seek to defame the true voice of protest to open the way for radicals to crackdown on the nation. Rioters prevented Rahnavard speech Safir \| Dec. 8, 2009 Rioters present at the Tehran University faculty of arts prevented Zahra Rahnavard from delivering her speech on 16 Azar by chanting anti-government slogans. Safir claimed that Mir Hossein Mousavi's wife, who was invited to address students at the faculty there, was forced to quickly leave after disagreement broke out between Mousavi supporters and rioters began to chant slogans against the establishment while holding up posters of Mousavi. Rahnavard attacked on 16 Azar Gooya \| Dec. 7, 2009 Zahra Rahnavard, the wife of Mir Hossein Mousavi, was attacked in Tehran University by a group of women claiming to be members of the Basij. According to eyewitness reports, when Rahnavard asked the group why they were following her, they claimed to be there for her protection. "Rahnavard told them: you have been following me everywhere since morning. I tell you that I'm green inside and out and you are only here to stop me [from speaking]," the eyewitness said. The discussion then became heated and the leader of the Basiji women insulted Rahnavard. Witnesses said the leader of the group forced her way into the faculty of arts building and with the intervention of campus security Rahnavard was escorted out of the premises. The group of women following Rahnavard followed her to her car and sprayed her in the face with pepper spray from close range. Local shopkeepers came to Rahnavard's aid. Bikers threaten Mousavi at workplace Deutsche Welle \| Dec. 8, 2009 Reports suggested that a group of bikers gathered outside the Arts and Cultural Center prevented Mir Hossein Mousavi from leaving the compound. The Deutsche Welle report said that the bikers, who are known as plain clothes officers, gathered outside Mousavi's workplace chanting slogans against him. The Kalameh website said that there were no clashes and that the bikers were only shouting insults and slogans against Mousavi. An informed source told AFP that, "They allowed other employees to leave. We called the police but not many officers were dispatched to the scene." According to the Kalameh website, Mousavi got out of his car, was approached the bikers and addressed them by saying, "You have been sent on a mission. So complete your mission. Kill me, beat me and threaten me [if that's what you are here for]." This reportedly caused the bikers to leave the scene. The bikers also prevented Mousavi from leaving the Arts and Cultural Center to participate in rallies on 13 Aban. Report suggests Kurdish doctoral student kidnapped Kurdistan Media \| Dec. 8, 2009 Kurdistan media claimed that a Kurdish Tehran University graduate student was kidnapped by security forces moments after the 16 Azar protests ended at Tehran University. According to eyewitnesses, Farzad Kalbali was kidnapped by plain clothes officers after exiting the eastern entrance of the university and was driven away in a black Peugeot. Kalbali is an honor student who was getting a PhD in political sociology at Tehran University. Police chief: 204 protestors arrested in Tehran, Basij not involved Tabnak \| Dec. 8, 2009 Tehran police chief Brigadier General Azizollah Rajabzadeh rejected reports of Basij and police clashes with protestors in Vali Asr Square on 16 Azar. The police chief told ILNA that 169 men and 35 women had been arrested during Monday's protests in Tehran, stressing, "Basij was not on duty in the gatherings on Tehran streets yesterday." Iran warns of tougher action against protesters CBS \| Dec. 8, 2009 Authorities may be concerned because the coming months could heat up, with several key occasions that give the opposition a pretext for bringing supporters into the street. In mid-December [Dec. 18], the Islamic holy month of Moharram begins -- and throughout the month Iranians traditionally hold mass mourning ceremonies. Next comes the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which is marked by 10 days of celebrations in early February. Preparing the groundwork for an arrest? Khabar Online \| Dec. 8, 2009 Following a Tuesday morning gathering outside Farhangestan (an Arts Cultural Center), which is headed by Mir Hossein Mousavi, rumors began to spread about the opposition leader's arrest. According to Khabar Online, rumors that a number of Peugeot vehicles with dark windows entered the Arts Cultural Center building prompted onlookers to believe that they were there to arrest Mousavi. However, no source was able to confirm that Mousavi was on the premises at the time. No official source has reacted to this rumor, which was sent as a text to citizens. Two more Shiraz University students detained HRA \| Dec. 8, 2009 Two Shiraz University students who were summoned by the province's intelligence office, which is nicknamed Nob. 100, were arrested. According to the Amir Kabir Bulletin, Saeed Aganji, one of the students who was in Mehdi Karroubi's campaign, and Razieh Jafari, a sociology student who was suspended for one semester last year, are the two detainees. The detention of Aganji and Jafari has brought the number of Shiraz University students detained over the past 24 hours to 8. Seyyed Mohammad Mohsen Mousavi, Sobhan Heydari, Najma Ranjbar, Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini, Saeed Lotfi and Masoud Mahdavi are the six other students that have been detained. Clips reportedly from Dec. 8 Chant goes, "Shame on you Basiji, let go of the university." Chants: "Death to Basijis" National Ejehi says would punish Rafsanjani's son more severely, if found guilty Press TV \| Dec. 8, 2009 Iran's prosecutor general has called for an investigation into corruption charges against the son of a high-ranking Iranian official. Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani, the son of Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of Iran's Expediency Council, has been accused of money laundering and fact fabrication. "If there are any charges against Mehdi Hashemi, he should be summoned and his case investigated," Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i said in a Tuesday press conference. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a TV debate during his presidential campaign, accused the Rafsanjani family of corruption. During the fourth round of the trial of the post-election detainees in August, one of the defendants accused Mehdi Hashemi of embezzling $2 million of the assets of the Iranian Fuel Conservation Organization -- which was previously headed by him. Hashemi, who is now in Britain, has categorically denied the accusations. "If he [Hashemi] is found guilty, he should be punished without any mercy," Eje'i said. Meanwhile, Iran's prosecutor general dismissed as "fake" defeated presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi's alleged "evidence" about the rape and murder of a young man and a teenage girl during the post-election unrest. Iran acknowledges Amiri nuclear expert Mehr \| Mehr (Farsi) \| Dec. 8, 2009 Iran accused Saudi Arabia on Tuesday of handing over to the United States an Iranian nuclear scientist missing since June. Shahram Amiri, a university researcher working for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, disappeared during a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in June. [Some media reports said he wanted to seek asylum abroad.] "Riyadh has handed over Iran's nuclear scientist Amiri to America," Mehr quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as saying. Mehmanparast said Amiri was being detained in the United States. "He is among 11 jailed Iranians in America," he said. Ahmadinejad sister reacts to green candy Parleman News \| Dec. 8, 2009 During a Tehran City Council meeting on Tuesday, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's sister Parvin refused to eat green candy. The meeting started with Masoumeh Ebtekar's congratulatory remarks on 16 Azar. She criticized the police environment dominating universities but was interrupted by Mehdi Chamran who would not allow her to finish. When candy was distributed to the members of the council, Ebtekar asked one of her colleagues to give green candy to Parvin Ahmadinejad. Abad, member of the cultural commission of the council, approached Ahmadinejad and told her that, "They asked me to give you this candy because it is green." Parvin Ahmadinejad refused to accept the green candy. Ayandeh website filtered Khabar Online│ Dec. 6, 2009 The Ayandeh news website was filtered early Monday morning. No explanation has been given regarding the filtering of the website, which has been extremely critical of the Iranian government. Read more >>

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It's Not Easy Being (a) Green (Revolutionary)

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A resurgence of protests across Iran this week, sparked by National Student Day -- and the expected crackdown in return. A special guest dropped by the show to offer his reflections. More on our channel: ...

FRONTLINE: Tehran Bureau: Intel chief warns of extent of opposition | PBS

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Iran's top intelligence official denounced senior clerics who he said support the country's opposition, an acknowledgment of the split in the leadership amid the postelection turmoil and a sign of growing pressure by hard-liners within the government to extend the crackdown.

Plagiarism scandal continues to grow in #Iran http://pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2009/12/selected-headlines-84.html

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