Shifteh Ansari

Hi Azadeh!

Thank you!  There is a lot of talk about the government's fear of slogans written on bills.  This was probably one of the most effective methods of civil disobedience used against the government.  The real fear they have about the bills is that they travel to the remotest parts of Iran, taking the green message with them.  Look at this new article which discusses how futile the government's efforts are in stopping this:

//www.roozonline.com/persian/news/newsitem/ar...

Tweet: ورود نیروهای گارد ضد شورش به دانشگاه مشهد

دانشگاه مشهد ملتهب است،پلیس ضد شورش وارد دانشگاه شده فوری فوری.......خبر رسانی کنیددوستان را در مشهد تنها نگذارید

Green Paper Money

January 7 will be the National Day of "Paper-Money-Writing"

//www.flickr.com/photos/42446399@N05/4241217142/sizes/l/

«محکومیت بهمن احمدی امویی به هفت سال حبس تعزیری»

بهمن ­احمدی­ امویی روزنامه‌نگار و تحلیل­گر اقتصادی زندانی پس از حوادث انتخابات ایران از سوی شعبه ۲۶ دادگاه انقلاب به هفت سال و چهار ماه حبس تعزیری و ۳۴ ضربه شلاق محکوم شد.
//radiokoocheh.com/article/16280

بازداشت بیش از 35 دانشجو دانشگاه غیر انتفاعی خیام مشهد

شبکه جنبش راه سبز (جرس): در پی برگزاری تجمع بیش از 500 تن از دانشجویان سبز دانشگاه غیر انتفاعی خیام مشهد در اعتراض به وقایع روزهای اخیر در دانشگاه های مشهد، بیش از 35 دانشجو این دانشگاه روز گذشته بازداشت شدند.
//www.rahesabz.net/story/7172/

Thanks Hajminator

Thanks for the laugh!  Have you guys been following what happened on the popular sports program, "90" last night?  It is an impressive show of civil disobedience inside IRIB's very own turf!  Read about it here:

//www.mardomak.me/news/Dadkan_Criticized_Ahmadinejad_On_Air/

شلیک به سنگ قبر ندا

Ha ha Thanks Hajminator

سایت احمدی نژاد هک شد

تا دیر نشده برید روش یک خورده بخندید. اون چیزی که تا الان دیده میشه

//ahmadinejad.ir/userfiles/file/owned.txt
Dear God, In 2009 you took my favorite singer - Michael Jackson, my favorite actress - Farrah Fawcett, my favorite actor - Patrick Swayze, my favorite voice - Neda. Please, please, don't forget my favorite politician - Ahmadinejad and my favorite dictator - Khamenei
in the year 2010. Thank you.

Iran’s claim to the

Iran’s claim to the number one position on the Guardian’s 2010 Troublespotometer is overwhelming. It currently exhibits all the characteristics of a state hell-bent on self-destruction.

First, its repressive government is widely seen by its own people as illegitimate, after June’s “stolen” elections. Simmering political and social unrest exploded again in December and could yet become uncontainable.

Second, the country’s economy is in a frightful mess, with youth unemployment high and opportunity and investment low. This is all the more unforgivable, given Iran’s vast oil and gas riches.

Third, its top leaders, Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, are zealous Islamic purists to whom the idea of compromise, with domestic or foreign foes, is wholly alien.

Fourth, Iran continues to work hard to make itself a pariah state, flouting the UN security council, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the Non-Proliferation Treaty in pursuit of its “nuclear rights” (ie alleged atom bombs).

//www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/04/worlds-most-likely-trouble-spots

Is It the Oil Stupid?

By Cyrus Bina:

 //www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/794/isittheoil.php

Clinton says US still open

Read more: //www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_14119344#ixzz0bh1hsxHT

Holly Jan

That is interesting news.  I just posted a Farsi version of it in the news section.  Looks like the gloves are coming off.  When will the world accept that a military coup has taken place in Iran and that nothing is the same as it was pre-elections?  

On a more humorous note,  this made me laugh!:

"...saying that "political developments in Iran" would remain at the top of the European agenda."  

What makes the EU think that this statement would somehow endear them to IRI and score another invitation for them?!  "Watching the political developments in Iran" is what we have attempted here and look what happened!

Well, back to more tabloid reading and posting now! 

From www.chinaview.cn

Political developments in Iran remain at top of agenda: European Parliament

BRUSSELS, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The European Parliament
delegation for relations with Iran on Monday voiced surprise at the
last-minute cancellation by Iranian authorities of its scheduled visit
to Tehran later this week, saying that "political developments in Iran"
would remain at the top of the European agenda.

    Delegation chair Barbara Lochbihler
said the cancellation of the visit, set for Jan. 8 to 11, was "another
sad illustration of how much the Iranian leadership opposes any
discussion of the major unresolved problems in the country."

    The visit was to take place at a
time of "great political upheaval" in Iran, Lochbihler said. The
program therefore included official exchanges with representatives of
the Majlis (the Iranian Parliament), the Foreign Ministry and business
representatives, as well as a wide range of meetings with the political
opposition and representatives of civil society.

    "The Tehran leadership apparently considered that the delegation's visit was a risk not worth taking," she said.     

IRI prefers the Khomeini clan to leave

As you recall, in the 80s (?), there was a rumor that Ahmad Khomeini (Son) was poisoned by IRI.  Furthermore, Khomeini's grandson (Hossein) was very outspoken in Iran, and since he went into exile, no one hears about him anymore.  

So, IRI most likely prefers the Khomeini clan to be gone.  If gone, IRI will take some heat for a short time, if it is isolated news by itself, but that will be that. 

FG

You raise interesting questions.  I must say I was surprised to see rumors about Seyyed Hassan Khomeini's looking into leaving Iran for Najaf.  He has been extremely non-combatant in his approach, even though he supported Mir Hossein Mousavi during the elections and has been upset with the events in Iran.

The straw that broke the camel's back for him was not the authorities' forcing him to cancel all Muharram events at Imam Khomeini's shrine (for fear of green movement protesters' showing up), but the blatant attack of Basijis on Khatami's speech at Khomeini's last home in Jamaran.  He feels the thugs have undermined the sanctity of Imam Khomeini's name on direct orders from those who are running the show in Iran now.  The week before this fiasco, everyone watched the state's propaganda and "outrage" over torn up pictures of Khomeini (most likely all made up), and yet the state kept quiet on the much worse act of violence at Khomeini's home (beit).

The rumor has already been denied, but the news is very big in that it shames Khamenei to no end if true.

The khomeinis don't need exit visas for going to Najaf.  Many clerics and their families routinely visit Iraq, some for months at a time.  If Hassan Khomeini wants to leave, nobody can stop him.  My hunch is that if this rumor is true, a group of people are working around the clock to negotiate soothing measures to keep him where he is.  IRI desperately needs Khomeini's name for its already compromised legitimacy.

FG, it is not clear that Najf is safer than Tehran.  Najaf has seen more bloodshed, explosions, and assassinations over the past few years than one can count.  I would actually fear his safety more in Najaf than in Tehran.

I doubt there would be a mass exodus of clerics toward Najaf in the immediate future.  Most Iranian clerics and their families are heavily involved in business ventures inside Iran and they are indebted to IRI for letting them do their business.  

Najaf is hardly independent of IRI, and Sepaah has a very long and deep reach into Iraq, don't forget.

Questions re: Khoumeini family seeking refuge in Najaf

ASSUMING THE KHOUMEINI FAMILY TRIES TO LEAVE:

1. Will the Khamenei regime refuse exit visas?

2. Will that create an accurate perception that the Khoumeini family is under house arrest?

3. How will Iran's pious respond to such treatment of the Leader's offspring?   Wouldn't it be a scandal?

ASSUMING THE KHOUMEINIS MANAGE TO LEAVE:

1. Would they not be better off and safer (and isn't that true for most Iranians?) 

2. Will other persecuted Ayatolahs and their family do the same?

3. Having freedom of speech, what will they have to say regarding the regime and its crimes that they can't say now?

4. Will the above developments reduce Khamenei's dwindling support among Iran's pious?

5. What will be the effect on Qom's status, compared to that of Najaf?  To whom will Iraqis look to guidance: Yazdi Land or Freedom Land?

THIRD OPTION

Given the unpalability of both options above to Khamenei, would the mere prospect of the Khoumeini's and other top Ayatollahs abandoning ship for Iran force the regime into substantial compromise.   That is, can the Khoumeinis and other say, "Do this or else..." and exert leverage?

Iran jails journalist for seven years

TEHRAN — Iran has sentenced a prominent journalist critical of
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's economic policies to more than seven
years in prison and to be lashed, opposition websites reported on
Monday.

Bahman Ahmadi Amoui "has been sentenced to seven years
and four months in jail plus 34 lashes," the Kaleme and Rahesabz
websites said.

The journalist was jailed during a massive
crackdown on reformists and critical journalists in the wake of the
disputed June 12 election which saw Ahmadinejad re-elected amid
allegations of poll fraud.

The website reports did not specify the charges against Amoui, who contributed for years to reformist newspapers.

Amoui,
who has been in jail since June 20, was an editor in leading economic
paper Sarmayeh which was shut down by the authorities in November.

Iran
has put about 140 people in the dock suspected of acting against
national security by inciting or taking part in street protests which
erupted after the election.

Several reformist politicians and
journalists have been sentenced to jail terms, although some have been
released on bail pending appeal.

On Saturday the appeals court
upheld a six-year jail term handed down to Ahmad Zeidabadi, a prominent
reformist journalist who has to serve his sentence in a remote town
more than 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) from Tehran.

//www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM...

Anahid

I have a policy of not getting personal with other users, so I will say this in general terms.  Some people on this site have a tendency to carry things to the nth degree.  They never get tired of the "back and forth", especially on a personal level and over trivial things.  We all get things thrown at us by other users on this site.  Most of us just ignore it, flag the comment if it's abusive or respond once and then move on and ignore the person.  There are a few, however, who not only carry forward the back and forth to no end, but also escalate and turn it into a personal, insult, attack and / or ridicule infused free for all.  From what I have seen, those are the ones who get blocked, and rightfully so.   

Thank you shifteh jan. Your

Thank you shifteh jan. Your insights are as usual spot on and most valuable.

Vildemose

Hi! 

It is so clear that the "maraje" in Iran can no longer do or say anything to affect Khamenei, who himself issued the order to shoot in June.  The remaining independent ayatollahs, who are not sharing business interests with IRI, are being harassed and marginalized further even as we speak.  Ayatollah Sistani could have been a hope, but two things make me have no hope that he would do anything about this.  One is that he is generally not prone to issuing "fatwa" for political reasons.  The other is that he is very fearful of IRI's retalliation on Iraq and Iraqis, should he do anything to alienate IRI which has immense power and influence in Iraq.

Recently there has been talk about asking him to issue "fatawee" for what is happening in Iran.  One example of it is after IRI's decision to discredit and isolate Sanei and Dastgheib, two top clerics who have sided with people, someone asked Ayatollah Sistani about Sanei's position as a "marja," and he confirmed his legitimacy by virtue of people's freedom to choose their own marja. (see here)

I know he won't voluntarily express an opinion about Iran's internal affairs, but I think muslims should directly, publicly, and specifically ask Sistani about what he thinks about what happened on Ashura, and he is obligated to reply.  I won't be surprised if people have alreay asked him.

After all the good qualities attributed to Khomeini before the revolution, helping gullible people to romanticize him to their utmost disappointment later, I will never again believe any "good news" or "good deeds" from a cleric until I see it.  So please keep that in mind when you see the links below which say that Sistani is aware of what has been happening in Iran and has sent messages to Khamenei about his disapproval.  Please take with lots of salt!

//sinmag.blogspot.com/2010/01/blog-post_7229.... and

//radiokoocheh.com/article/16213  and

//www.twitlonger.com/show/71e6df129afbcc92385...

Onlyiran, do we have telepathy? You are so right

After coming to this blog and seeing more magassaneh cries than news, I was tempted to write that JJ blocks people who do not play fair on the site and guess what, Onlyiran beat me to it.  Yes, Dame JJ garm with his blocking.  I don't know about kharmagas enough but on this blog, he has been a real magass.

Blocking accounts

In my opinion (and this has nothing to do with Kharmagas or his account as I know nothing about that) JJ has a good eye for blocking accounts, and he usually blocks "instigators", i.e., people who pick on other people and make debates personal.  I have noticed that most of the blocked individuals recently have been of this caliber.  In that sense, I think that he's doing a good job.   

Shifteh Jan:

Shifteh Jan:

۳۶نماینده حامی دولت با ارائه طرح دوفوریتی، خواستار تقلیل زمان اجرای حکم محارب از بیست روز به پنج روز شدند.
//www.hammihannews.com/news/8314

This  catastrophe  is unfolding in a peace meal fashion because they don't want anyone to be able to stop them.

Can Sistani intercept as a Shia Marja??

KHARMAGAS

As you are well aware, I have ignored you completely since your very poor bahavior on one of my blogs a couple of months back. We both know you are aware of this deliberate action on my part because we both commented on it subsequent to the intial incident. Ignoring you was the most civil one could be under the circumstances. You on the other hand have since gone around various blogs calling me names. That is perfectly OK since it reflects on your character and not mine.

Last week you started your mockery targeted at Ms. Ansari, myself and others contributing to this blog. I continued to ignore you until I saw a comment that was simply not acceptable so I flagged it. I don't usually flag comments in poor taste because I feel they are actually an asset to all readers in determining who and what they are dealing with.  But in this particular case I chose to view it as 'nuisance abatement'.

While I don't believe that having a comment flagged leads to one's account being blocked, and while I can assure you that I myself do not have user account blocking previleges, I can not in all honesty say that I am sorry to hear you were indeed blocked. I frankly don't consider you funny or smart as some of the kinder members of the site seem to.

I wish you well but will continue to ignore you. This comment is being posted only because I felt it was proper that I publicly take responsibilty for having flagged you since you seem to be quite upset about having been blocked which is resulting in you throwing around accusations that are unfounded. And in case you haven't figured it out yet, yours is exactly this sort of belligerent behavior that causes account blocking. God knows JJ is a hell of a lot more tolerant than most people would be.

To Shifteh: My apologies for going off topic but after careful consideration I felt it was necessary. I hope you understand and forgive me.

Maziar Bahari's blog on Newsweek: United in Iran

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has finally managed one major accomplishment: forging a consensus among protesters, reformers, and conservatives alike that it's time for him to go. They fear as long as he stays, the violence will grow--perhaps ultimately threatening the Islamic Republic itself.
//blog.newsweek.com/blogs/wealthofnations/arc...

طرح نمایندگان حامی دولت: اعدام محارب ظرف پنج‌روز

۳۶نماینده حامی دولت با ارائه طرح دوفوریتی، خواستار تقلیل زمان اجرای حکم محارب از بیست روز به پنج روز شدند.
//www.hammihannews.com/news/8314

تا آزادی تمامی هم کلاسی هایمان در امتحانات شرکت نمی کنیم

دانشجویان رازی کرمانشاه: تا آزادی تمامی هم کلاسی هایمان در امتحان شرکت نمی کنیم
//www.autnews.de/node/5833

good for you.... Khar magas

good for you.... Khar magas jan. I wish you success.

Account Blocking (re to Vildemose)

Vildemose says: "Kharmagas: I have no idea why your account was blocked. You need to take that up with JJ."

I understand (honestly!), and that is why I addressed my last comment to you and JJ and said:

Now, your shoulough bazi may help JJ, but will not resolve his
issue. He can only resolve this issue by unblocking people such as very anti IRI Farhad Kashani, to very green Capt_Ayhab and correct his policies in this regard. And as you can see down below I have offered him my account, he can have it (I WILL disappear under any avatar if JJ wants)!

Kharmagas: I have no idea

Kharmagas: I have no idea why your account was blocked. You need to take that up with JJ.