The family protection law?!?! (+ an addendum)

These days, Iranian women and Iranian women activists are fiercely battling a retrograde legislation that Ahmadinejad tabled in 2007 and is now put to vote.

"The Legislation of Family Support".

Ahmadinejad's objective, as he states is the following:

با عنايت به نقش و جايگاه ويژه نهاد خانواده در نظام حقوقي و تربيتي اسلام و با توجه به غيرشرعي اعلام شدن بخشهايي از قوانين مربوط به حقوق خانواده و وجود خلاءهاي قانوني در اين زمينه و نظر به متشتت بودن مقررات اين حوزه و معلوم نبودن ناسخ و منسوخ آنها که موجب آثار زيانبار و مشکلات عديده اي از جمله سردرگمي محاکم دادگستري در رسيدگي به دعاوي خانوادگي شده است و با لحاظ برخي کاستي ها و نواقص در قوانين موجود حاکم بر نهاد خانواده و عدم تطبيق آنها با واقعيت روز و به منظور تحقق بخشيدن به مفاد اصل (21) قانون اساسي جمهوري اسلامي ايران و در راستاي تحقق سياست قضا زدايي و براي کاهش يا مرتفع نمودن مشکلات موجود در قواعد حقوق خانواده و رفع ابهام ، تعارض و خلاً از قوانين و مقررات کنوني خانواده و در اجراء بند (2) اصل (158) قانون اساسي؛ لايحه زير جهت طي تشريفات قانوني تقديم مي شود

Which basically means: he wishes to un-judiciarize the family law and make it more common-sensical, which he interprets as less confusing. Yes, Mahmoud is a reductionist; he wants everything facile enough to be comprehensible by a fruit-fly!

The most adamantly and loudly opposed article of the legislation is the following:

a) The right to second (third and forth marriage) is no longer dependent on consent from the first wife; rather it is determined by the court, after the man proves he is financially capable of providing for all wives fairly.

b) The matrimony allowance (Mahriyeh, a prenuptial agreement that guarantees the woman would receive certain sum of money, gold, land or other during the course of marriage. However, this sum is only claimed at the time of divorce. Usually, the amount of Mahriyeh is related to the socioeconomic status of the woman--of course there are rampant women like myself who ask for symbolic things of no monetary value, should the marriage fall apart.) is taxable, and the taxation ratio is ad-hoc; and depends on current economic situation of the country!!

c) Presence of a female counsel in the family court proceedings is no longer obligatory.

There are a few other amusing clauses:

• Medical certificates are required to rule out any of the couple have a dangerous disease or drug addition that could jeopardize the future children (Sounds like something out of a Hitler book!)
• If a man marries or divorces without registering it, he will be fined between $2000-$10,000.
• If a doctor issues a false certificate about exclusion of addiction or dangerous illness, his license will be suspended for 5 years.
• A non-Iranian who marries an Iranian woman without obtaining necessary permissions will be jailed between 91 days to one year! Even the woman and her 'guardian" who have consented to this marriage will be punished!
• >If an Iranian woman divorces in a court outside Iran, that divorce is not recognized and she will be considered married upon arrival to Iran (and thus dependent on permissions of the husband for every little thing.)
• A man marrying an underaged woman will be jailed between 2-5 years. If the underaged woman dies as a result of marriage (read rape), the man will have to pay "diyeh" (price of life, monetary) and will be jailed between 5-10 years!

...

I am now very angry!

Where is that 1-million signature sheet? I refused to sign when I was asked a few years back, but I like to sign it now!

Addendum

I heard that an acquaintance, whose husband cheated on her, has decided to not follow up with her divorce request; because the first person who made an indecent proposal was the judge of the case who proposed to accelerate her divorce if she agrees to a temporary marriage to him. It seems the sexual harassment and insinuations begin immediately when a woman entertains the prospect of being a divorcee: from the court soldier to the honorable judge ... She has decided to "have the shadow and the name of a man whom she hates, rather than expose herself to indecent proposals." I am sure she will soon agree to her cheating husband marrying his mistress.

A few days ago, the prominent and outspoken woman/human rights activist, Shadi Sadr, who is now forced to exile, stirred a controversy by suggesting that the source of violence and discrimination against Iranian women is not just the government, but a patriarchic culture that permits and promotes men making suggestive sexual jokes with random females (something like the Italian wink!)

I was one of the adamant opponents of her article: (A prick to men) یک سوزن به آقایان ; in fact I suggested (in a private conversation) that Shadi Sadr has made an ass of herself to say such outlandish things, condemning all Iranian men, many of whom are decent and dignified men. But, I was apparently wrong.

First, I realized that she had in fact stirred a lot of guilt and self-questioning in many men who are not as decent and as dignified as my father, brother and husband have been. I realized that a few men whom I respected, who are women activists themselves, acknowledged (with guilt) that they too have made such passes--a manifestation of their masculinity. (I don't necessarily think flirtation is bad, and this is why I disagreed with blanket statements of Sadr. In general, I disagree with a lot of feminism according to which women are to be saved from sexual objectification, with total disregard for how women have used and continue to use their sexuality as a power leverage, especially in Iran).

Second, I came to admit that my disagreement with feminists stems from the particular privileged status that I have enjoyed as a woman in Iran, thanks to growing up with two stubborn as mule grandmothers, a feminist mother, an extraordinary father--who hates sports and war and cries if a tree dies, and marrying an extraordinary man who guards my freedom to be a woman, even to his own disadvantage. To be honest, having pro-women-right men supporting me is why I do not have the same bitter sense of discrimination. Also, I left Iran when I was young, and perhaps too young to suffer the tangible consequences of discrimination. Yes, women of upper echelons of education, wealth and heritage enjoy relative degrees of matriarchy at home, but it is unfair of me to deny how vulnerable they can still be. (Somehow, the situation of IRanian women reminds me of Fassbinder's BDR Trilogy).

However, the current system of laws is established by legislators of lower status. And to be fair, men are not necessarily saints, and many have silently enjoyed some of the backward post-revolutionary legislations. The Iranian revolution of 1979 made it disadvantageous to belong to the elite; anyone with elitist links or inclinations (whether financial or cultural) was put aside 30 years ago. I knew gigolos, with a picture of Googoosh and Hayede in their bedroom who suddenly turned into pseudo-mollahs, sporting a half beard, forcing their wives to take the backseat of the car and having their 5-year old son sit in front (a process that reversed as soon as the man was retired and the wife became the primary bread-earner!).

What is happening today is a return of the same anti-elitist phenomenon. In other words, Ahmadinejad has begun a war of the classes to reap his own (seriously dubious, as far as national interests go) benefits from. Just as some of the early Islamic fanatics had begun to climb up the ladder of culture and wealth, a new revolution erupted (in the form of a post-presidential coup d'etat). Today, a large group of those neo-elites, founders of the IRI, are in jail.

As Mehdi Jami brilliantly points out: there is a new push for making urbanism and modernity disadvantageous and removing people, physically and psychologically, from a city mentality. He suggests, as an example, the recent Police Maneuver: During this Police show-of-force, the last-year protests were enacted mockingly. Men were cross-dressed in green; wore strong makeup and blond wigs, carried some of the Green slogans together with nonsensical ones such as "we want holidays from Friday to Thursday" [this is really ironic since Ahmadinejad's government is the one to announce random holidays, provoking the economists' outcry that the country CANNOT AFFORD to shut down because Ahmadinejad thinks it's too warm or fears protests in Tehran and wants people to picnic outside the city!] In this show, these cross-dressing men in green outfit were arrested by the riot police and by the plain-clothes baton-waving 'basijis' who were dressed in 'more manly' outfits--thus making official the participation of non-uniformed individuals in the so called security enforcement.

If you know Iran's social and traditional makeup you would know that no self-respecting average Iranian man would agree to cross-dress (unless if homosexual). Therefore, the showmen are not the so-assumed religious supporters of the regime! After all, it is a patriarchic culture--where cross-dressers risk their lives. But, in this patriarchic culture, exists a type of men called "laat" (لات). Laat refers to a man, who is unemployed, who harasses women, who dresses up like a rock star who itches for fights, and is poor. This seemingly macho man often suffers inferiority complexes due to his lower socioeconomic status; and his behavior is often a hybrid between masculine and feminine. Perhaps, they can be characterized as a rebel without a cause--but not middle-class, nor necessarily teenager. These individuals often have a criminal record (be it a street fight, a little drug deal, a sexual indiscretion, petty theft) and thus prime candidates to carry assignments that normal individuals will not (e.g. cross dressing for a police show). As Jami point, it seems Ahmadinejad's power today is consolidated in this sector. Because this type is ruthless, the average Iranian (especially if women) avoids them; thus emptying the scene for Ahmadinejad's full force fascism.

Putting all these stories together (the family law, the indecent proposal of the judge, the police mockery of Iran's urban women--the Green supporters) makes me realize that the Ahmadinejadist vendetta against the Iranian women and their participation in public sphere is serious. One should not be fooled by his media tricks such as appointing a female to his cabinet, or dragging numerous unidentifiable women to fill the empty chair of UN during his ridiculous speech. There is an active plan to make it undesirable for women to work.

I was for long of the opinion that the Islamic Republic provided opportunity for the religious women of more traditional families to join men in economic, educational and professional developments. However, this new wave of Islamism does not even tolerate such participation. When my friend who has just ran away from Iran tells me that if she were sexually harassed, she would never go to the police because god knows how many of these law-enforces would have gang-raped her (and gotten away with it, or had her stoned for infidelity!) then I know that a SERIOUS threat is lurking over women's head: they are intent on making it so unpleasant for women to be 'out', that they will "democratically" choose to stay home ...

So, this is my official announcement: "I am joining the women campaign as of today!"

P.S. I personally think that the Iranian Social Movement should start targeting the judiciary system ... it is in TOTAL ruins ... before fighting the government and the legislator about passing some laws, we should fight the judiciary and hold them accountable to withholding the existing articles of law. Else, the citizens will take the justice in their own hand, leading to an inevitable civil war.

Copie Conforme (Certified Copy) رونوشت برابر اصل

I am just returning from a semi-private screening of this film.

It is directed by Iran's best-known and most advertised (by French intellectuals) filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami. He is iconoclastic.

Copie Conforme is full of Kiarostami's signature cinematographs: long monologues in a car, close-ups, very long takes, handheld cameras that disorient and distanciate, and yet a rhythmic marriage of time and space that makes the film work like music. Kiarostami's films crawl up your nerves: irritate you, agitate you, excite and exhilarate you; but give you pleasure at the end, only if you relax, and let your brain stop to make a linear sense, a common sense ... if you enjoy the ride, you will arrive!

I have never written about him, not because I disrespect him or dislike him, but because he is so much talked about, by the orientalist, the exoticians, the in-search-of-a-new-philosophy's that I didn't feel like joining the choir. But, his last film made me appreciate a dimension of his filmmaking abilities which I had not previously experienced. This was his first non-Iranian production and as far as I recall, this is the first time he has directed a cinema-star (Juliette Binoche) in front of the camera. This is the first time he doesn't have to shave his female actor's head to show her without Hijab.

About Binoche and her experience and raving admiringly about Kiarostami's mastery, I won't say much because all her interviews are available online and you can just google them. But I can tell that she deserved every bit of her Canne's award for her performance.

To appreciate Binoche's performance, you have to be able to recognize how easily she shifts through her moods and roles. This is not easy when you have to perform through long takes, muster long monologues, be gazed through the close-up shots, and walk in and out the maze-like spaces and mirrors that compartmentalize the space of the sequence without needing a cut.

Binoche IS a great actor (I have learned to not use word actress, as it is not politically correct!), but this film made me bow to Kiarostami's ability to "mettre en scene": he utilized Binoche next to an opera singer (William Shimell) with virtually no acting experience, to construct a play in three acts, to twist the otherwise banal story of a professional artsy couple with marital issues into a voyeuristic journey through Tuscan and Florentine landscapes. He constructs the story in the most play-full way (even in terms of acting--they are not realist acting at times. Towards the end, the performances made me think of Beizayee actually), and juxtaposes his characters against visually stunning landscapes, lights them and costumes them aesthetically, crowds the screen with brides, and art objects which at times challenge the realism and make us wonder if this is intended to be read as a dream, yet without the cliches of vineyards and art masterpieces and food and tradition, and the exoticism of a writer and an art dealer in the middle of it all.

To reduce this film to visuals is not fair. But, I never offer interpretations about films. Nor do I read them. I suffice to point that Kiarostami does not use the language to tell a story. He rather uses the dialogues to ask questions that may be irrelevant to the underlying narrative of the film. He intends to ask philosophical questions and he asks them explicitly. He offers his views on those questions explicitly too. The beauty of his work for me is that he also injects uncertainty into his own answers by having another character ask another question. His films are full of devil advocates.

This film is not mainstream, if it means that one expects a facile narrative. But it is gorgeous. It happens in three languages. There is a lot of talking and no action; other than Binoche's choreographed moves in and out of frame. This was a jolt of joy in my otherwise down mood! I am grateful to him for making it.

When watching this, I felt he has Frenchized a gentle bit of his early master pieces; like an antology teaser! Tell me, if you feel like that too. I would be more than happy to see him make European adaptations of "Where is the Friend's House?", "Au Traverse Des Oliviers", "Life and Nothing More", and my most favorite: The Wind Will Carry us.

A friend of Neo-Resistance? Then you MUST meet: Revolutionary Fesenjan

http://revolutionaryfesenjan.blogspot.com

She is an Iranian woman, gorgeous like sun, intelligent and passionate and generous with her time and keyboard. She doesn't chicken out like I do; she doesn't hide like I do, she doesn't sit on her liberal ass like I do. She has not given up, like I have.

You want to understand how the so called "progressive [assholes] who meet with Ahmadinejad" are regressive? Then Read her! She lives these stuff; she doesn't imagine them! She lives them!

Kudos to Obama

Obama has done and exclusive interview with BBC which will be broadcast soon to Iranians, as Obama's direct reach to the people of Iran. But, I just saw a little excerpt of his statement about Ahamadinejad's 9/11 accusations:

"Mr Ahmadinejad's statements are in total opposition to the reaction of the Iranians, who were first to come out in the middle east condemmning the attack and holding candle light vigils for the victims of 9/11. His statements are a proof of how large the gap between the Iranian people and Mr Ahmadinejad is."

...

Obama has also rejected the notion of war.

I will post more when I hear the interview.

Obama, I feel for you! This lunatic is REALLY making it hard for you to not become a war-wager; but I am impressed by the clever response you came up with! Bravo!

Why did Ahmadinejad accuse the US government of "conspiracy"? Because that's what himself DOES as the head of government!

That's it! He means it :)

Best reaction to Ahmadinejad's nonsensical UN speech?

IGNORE IT!

He is an attention seeker; and says completely outlandish things to get your stupid (as proven by the chain of TV interviews that preceeded this UN event) and sensationalist media all worked up with another freak-show.

BOYCOTT ANY REPORT/PUNDITRY ABOUT THAT LOAD OF CRAP!

Allah-o-Akbar pierces Tehran's evening, despite Ahmadinejad howling

Here are two videos; taped tonight Sept 20 2010; Shahrivar 29, 1389. First women and children and men ... allaho-akbar ... supporting Mousavi and Karoubi and reminding the little dictator and his gang that people are not afraid ... in the second video the guards come, in two vans, and blow whistles to hush people and intimidate them ... the cameraman starts ... ALLAHO_AKBAR ... and more voices flollow ... aerial shots have been fired .... the little circus monkey is in New York. Going from one imperialist media to the next; lying through his ugly teeth and his dirty beard; and scared shitless to be confronted and interviewed by any of his opponents in Iran ... avoiding any media debate in Iran; but pulling his pants up and assuming his sorry self a winner on "imperialist media"... the farce man; the shame of the Fars men ...
Allah-o-Akbar ...
Allah-o-Akbar ...
I am not a woman of faith; but I pray tonight, with all my brother and sisters on the roofs of Tehran ... Allah-o-Akbar ... God is Great ...

Raiding Mousavi's office and promising his trial? The fascist Ahmadinejadists should answer at least "13 million" Iranians!

This is coming from Mousavi's facebook news page:

According to numerous reports the pressure on Green leaders is increasing. Last night security forces attacked the office of Mir Hossein Mousavi and after searching the place confiscated some of the properties including documents and computers. Since few weeks ago and following the brutal attacks on Mehdi Karroubi’s residence by plain-clothes militias and Basij thugs the restrictions on Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi has increased. Security forces have been stationed around Mousavi’s office and Karroubi’s residence and don’t allow anyone to visit the Green leaders. Anyone who attempts to meet with Mousavi or Karroubi is taken away, interrogated and forced to sign a consent that will not return to visit. In addition the chief of staff of Mir Hossein Mousavi's office was arrested few days ago.Also since couple of months ago that the head of the protection team of Mir Hossein Mousavi was dismissed by government the protection team of Mir Hossein Mousavi has been very disorganized. All these new developments are evidence of the future plans of the government in confronting the Green leaders. Based on reports the pressure will escalate against the Green leaders in the coming days and weeks.

Yesterday, on Wednesday, the Tehran prosecutor threatened imminent prosecution of "the heads of conspiracy"--a term referred to Mousavi and Karoubi, the leaders of the post-election protests, by the thugs of Khamenei and Ahmadinejad--who are at each other's throat these days!

Of course, to project fairness and objectivity, on Tuesday, the puppet Tehran prosecutor, Jafari, also stated the obvious that the Butcher Mortazavi is the main suspect of Kahrizak atrocities and two of the escape goats from the Kahrizak guards were sentenced to death--trials behind closed doors! The unstated reason is that one of the young students who was killed in Kahrizak, Mohsen Rouholamini, was the son of an influencial aid of Ahmadinejad and close friend of the Satan-father, Khamenei.

In case the main question is forgotten, this hell broke loose after Ahmadinejadist's number fabrication, that made a vote count that was supposed to look like this, look like that, people (some three million of them) flooded the streets and protested; their silent protest was confronted by the violence symbolized by the shocking images of Neda dying on Camera.

Even if we believe Ahmadinejad's numbers, that Mousavi had only 13,000,000 votes, any arrest or prosecution of Mousavi means that "at least" 13 million Iranians are incarcerated; their demands and rights violated--a recipe for civil war; which incidentally fits well the scenario of these war mongers whose main grudge against Mousavi is not his claims to presidency, rather his not being war-mongering enough.

The biggest beef of the current regime with Mousavi is that at a time that Israel and American armdealers and their Iranian counterparts (like Rafighdoost) were getting rich on the back of a million innocent soldiers dying in Iran/Iraq; Mousavi was the one who concerned himself most with education, with feeding children of my age; and keeping us warm in cold winter nights; when in addition to war, we fought earthquakes and other natural disasters that always plague Iran.

The main problem, currently, is that Israel and the american criminal hawks are drooling over the profitable possibilities of a war with Iran; a war that will give Ahmadinejad's Sepah (IRGC) the absolute power that it wants; because now, there is no Khomeini to listen to his prime minister (Mousavi) and his commander in chief (Hashemi) who convinced him Iran HAD to accept the ceasefire ...

But; my suspicion is that any attack on Mousavi and Karoubi is another nail in the coffin of Khamenei and Ahmadinejad ... these are dead men walking ... zombies who are terrorizing our dreams for now; but their time is soon up ... very soon.

The IRGC denounces the Quods day protofascist attack on Karroubi's home

For once I am going to believe them! They have issued a statement, condemning the attacks, denouncing that the 'pious' Basij or Sepah would have anything to do with such horrendous actions, admitting that these attacks have come from 'divisive and self-motivated' elements; and have finally cautioned that this is a time to be vigilant about any such acts that endanger the country's unity and stability.

Why do I believe them? Well, I believe one part of this. I will explain.

This news was published by the Ahmadinejadist's Fars (False/Farce) News Agency; a snapshot of which is provided in high resolution below.

The "keyword" in the statement above is "velayatmadar" (meaning people who believe in the Supremacy of Khamenei's leadrship) and "hashiye'i" (fringe), !

The IRGC states: "the brave and Velayatmadar Basij and Sepah commanders and employees of Grand Tehran condemn these mindless fringe actions and emphasize that in the current situation everyone has to act with foresight and restraint to avoid providing excuses for the internal division and conspirators."

Of course the fascist Farce news ends the piece by suggesting that the heads of the green movement have to be tried and punished in courts!

What this tells me is that on the weekend, the thugs were out to try the limits of the Green Leader's resolve. The attacks intensified right after Karroubi's wife published a letter addressed at Khamenei, holding him responsible for the harassment. Following this letter, things got worse, and Karoubi's son came out to point the finger directly at Khamenei, suggesting that the intensification of the attacks must have been Khamenei's reaction to his mothers letter. Then, things stopped, apparently be mediation from IRGC. and, Mousavi and his wife, and Khomeini's grandchildren visited Karoubi's house.

The turn of events suggests Khameni HAS intervened and has ordered Ahmadinejad back to his corner (see this article for understanding the relation between these two.) Ahmadinejad has been testing limits of Khamenei's power as well. A couple of weeks ago he appointed his infamous 'lover' Esfandiar Mashayee (for romantic photos see this :) ) as his official representative to foreign affairs. Khamenei was quick to reject the plan, and emphasize that all foreign 'communications' have to happen through the ministry of foreign affairs.

So, why do I believe that this action was not coordinated and ordered by IRGC and Basij?

Iran is a chaotic country. This chaos has gotten worse, with growth of mafia elements in hierarchies of power. When an attack of such shape and scale takes place, it takes a while for the actual security officials (police, for instance) to figure out who is behind the act, who has ordered them, and what are the connections of the attackers. This event, is a prime example of "marionette fascism"; the people who have been firing bullets at Karoubi's house burning the front door of his apartment, beating the head of his security forces to almost coma, cutting water and electricity and land phones from his house, none of them wear uniform, nor do they carry a Basij membership card. I DO believe that.

If you have lived in Iran, you have witnessed how helpless the police is when it comes to dealing with such criminals. The problem is that such criminal acts are connected to higher-ups. However, in this case, the higher-ups don't seem to see eye to eye about the consequences of this action. But, let's also entertain a conspiracy theory: the neoconservative-backed Monarchists and Mojaheds are not too thrilled about Mousavi and Karoubi's leadership; and miss no chance to undermine their legitimacy by stirring hatred about the political executions that took place when Khomeini was alive and these men were at the helm of power. Would it not be likely that these agitations are fnded by the creators of Jundollah and Al-Quaeda?!

Now, disregarding the conspiracy scenario, and focusing on the more likely case of these thugs being Ahmadinejadist puppets, why would Khamenei suddenly send his minions to "condemn" this act and the Fars News to timidly publish their statement in a non-front page?

1) Iran is completely cornered internationally; and although we have not been hearing much about it, they have been bending over their nuclear huff-puff behind closed doors.

2) the Israel-Palestine talks; and Mahmoud Abbas showing Ahmadinejad the middle finger before the world press (metaphorically)

Not all of these people who attacked Karoubi's house are there for a paycheck ... some of them are actually really brainwashed. Some of them DO believe that he is a "zionist" (which is what they were chanting in front of his house.). The Khamenei-Ahmadinejad axis is aware that as much as they can count on these hooligans to terrorize people to silence about their civil rights, that they also need to contain them. Iran's megalomanic duo (Khamenei + Ahmadinejad) will HAVE to deal with Israel-Palestine peace; and have no choice but to bite the bullet about nuclear program; this is likely to turn the brainwashed automotons against them.

Whatever the reason, they seem to have lost the battle on this front. Not only has Karoubi stood up taller and braver-offering his head but not wavering his demands; but Mousavi and his wife have shown the same courage by paying him a visit, issuing new statements, visiting more victim's houses ...

I welcome the fact that IRGC has condemned these attacks; and if Khamenei was behind this remnounciation, then he has done something "right" since all things began going wrong. it is good to know such violence is not "officially" institutional. But, should we fear these elements create conditions of infestation for a civil war? I don't think Iran is ecologically suitable for growth and multiplication of such parasites--because the "people" and their green leaders were SMART to not get their hands dirty and to not beging the chaos of retaliation. But brainwashed creatures with psychological deformities are dangerous ... let's pray everyone of those who through a stone at Karoubi's house was paid a sum!

Fun Facts About the Insides of an Iranian Embassy in "enemy" land!

I dragged me to the embassy with a cocktail of nausea, grudge, tears, swears, huffs and puffs. I went back and forth over the application and asked myself and my husband: "Is it worth the trouble to renew my passport when I never want to go back?"; "Is it sensible to do what makes me puke, filling a form that needs to bear the permission of my husband or father for me to obtain an Iranian passport?"; and importantly, "Is it morally excusable to walk into the devil's territory without raising a concern about Shiva; about Sakineh, about Saharkhiz & Zeidabadi?" ... "would I become complicit, and accomplice to IRI?", was my dilemma.

At the end I decided to go. I talked myself into "the path to peace passes through compromise"; "you cannot abandon your country and give the occupying goons what they really want: your elimination"; "you will learn from the experience and will be able to blog about it."; "you cannot trust any political stability in the next few years and you better have a passport before the administration of the IRI begins going belly up" and etc.

My "souvenir" from this journey through hell is a few fun(ny) observations:

1) The large pictures of Khomeini and Khamenei on the wall was replaced with large pictures of Iranian landscapes, both natural and cultural. The supreme leaders' pictures were minimized in size and positioned opposite the counters; so that only the employees would be seeing their pictures. The applicants in waiting would be looking at the large TV screen positioned opposite the leader figures!

2) The TV was playing Shajarian's music from a DVD; perpetually. This is strange, and it was noted and joked upon by a few of us. Why?

• Because it is Ramadan, so technically, "happy" instruments such as daf should not be played during the month of meditation.
• Because Shajarian has recently been openly attacked by the IRI goons (in Fars News). His Ramadan prayer "rabbana" (which has marked the month since I recall) has been officially (and expressly) banned from the IRIB, because the Ahmadinejadists have established Shajariyan is an anti-revolutionary. The row between maestro Shajarian and IRIB goes back to the beginning of election-coup events; when he was in the US and he sided with the people and stated: "The IRI might be able to contain the situation, but will not be able to sustain governance".
• Shajarian has objected to IRI playing his music for any motivational or entertainment objective.

3) Not only it was odd to play the "music" (and not the prayer) by Shajarian in Ramadan, but also the background images of the songs were bizarre: Persian miniatures; many of Farshchian's paintings which feature a beautiful women handing wine to an old man (like this); or many beautiful women in some form of "spiritual" orgy (like this)! No matter what spiritualism is assigned to Persian miniature (to rescue it from the religious bigots) images of wine and pretty women in Ramadan is quite unusual!

4) There was an English man who was applying for a visa to visit Iran. He was wearing a silly grin as if expecting us to smile back at him and thank him for his curiosity about our weird country! He was much ignored by all.

5) There was another English man who was married to an Iranian woman with colored blond hair. They had two children and were wishing to go to Iran, but someone had warned them that they had to make sure the consulate issued the right marriage certificates for them, as reportedly Iran was not as welcoming of foreign spouses as it was a couple of years ago. They were haggling to get it done soon so to take advantage of cheap flights!

6) There was entertainment: An Arab driver of Rwanda embassy walked in with an invitation card to a party and his CV!! No one could speak Arabic or French to him; so I volunteered. He had hand delivered the invitation card; and he had his CV in case the Iranian ambassador needed a ride to attend the invitation!!!!!! (he was told that all such invitations should come by mail; and that the ambassador didn't need a ride! I smiled at the naivete of Ahmadinejad's international friends; no wonder he feels himself so popular in the world. We keep ignoring that there exist simpletons in the world who are charmed by A.N.)

At the end, the experience was not as bad as I anticipated. The passport officer was amused by "my having brought my 'master' to give me permission to a passport"; he smiled and said such things were only for women who were residents of Iran and didn't apply to dual citizens like me. The employees were kind, polite, well dressed, more handsome than the last group I had met 4 years ago, and were trying to be efficient. But Iranians are not efficient and it was the customers/applicants who were disorderly, unorganized, uninformed, and unable to understand due procedure had to respected, queues had to be respected, service numbers had to be respected, personal spaces had to be respected ... they kept cluttering around the booths when others were served; kept arguing and haggling about their missing documents; kept jumping in front of the counter to shove their gradually completing documents in ... at the end; this experience reminded me that our people ARE the cause of much of our government's inadequacy and inefficiency.

And it doesn't matter how much we nag at Ahmadinejad, the 15-years long western-dwelling Mr Doctor who could not even sort out his photocopies when he stole my turn at the counter and delayed me by an hour, was responsible for the inefficiency of the service I received.

To obtain an Iranian passport cost me close to 250 dollars! Other Iranians were also counting how much it had cost them to travel, to eat, to pay for the forms and etc. People all talked together and although complained; but had fun! Complaining is the seasoning to Iranian taste!

But I appreciated the fact that they played Shajarian, that they provided nice/fresh espresso; that they had removed the omniframes of Khamenei and Khomeini from the walls; that they were polite, courteous, humorous, hard working, civilized. I observed people who wanted to drink coffee stayed in the little coffee corner; and did not defy Ramadan openly--although I doubt anyone in that room was fasting. It is because of this implicit respect for other's belief, that I believe, the most fanatic of the governments will only succeed in annoying us with a few of their trained criminals for a short period of time ... until they too, learn to respect ... in that room, packed together with some 50 Iranians, I sighed pleased: "my country will NOT succumb to fascist war mongers ... we are too fun-loving to take anything really too seriously!"

I am happy I adhered to the principle of "measured compromise"; and I am happy to have a passport again.

A Campaign for War with Iran

BEGINS ...

Keyvan Samimi, refusing to break his hunger strike.

This is Keyvan Samimi کیوان صمیمی.

Keyvan is a journalist: the editor of the banned periodical Naameh نامه (letters), who also blogged on a now banned site, Kharabaat خرابات. He was also a member of National committee for peace. A committee formed in 2007, by a call from human rights Nobel laureat, Shirin Ebadi, and in response to increased foreign threats about IRI's nuclear program. Their motto: No to War, Yes to Human Rights.)

Last year, in Ramadan (which has begun now), his daughter wrote a moving letter praying for her father's broken heart for witnessing injustice, and prayed for his safe return.

Now his life is in danger. He refuses to break his hunger strike. From the 17 prisoners who went on strike over three weeks ago, 15 of them have broken their strike (yesterday). They have broken their strike, after the Green leadership pleaded with them to save their own lives (a very respectable gesture from Karroubi and Mousavi who insist they are not going to play with "the blood of others".)

The older ones, however, refuse: one is Keyvan, the other is Arjang. Keyvan remains on strike for his "sons" (who are still in solitary confinement).

...

Samimi was arrested a few days after election coup d'etat. Samimi's daughter speaks of his high spirits (after he returned to jail after a new-year break he was given on 100,000$ bail): "Father's going to prison for his ideals. He has chosen this path and he is content. His ideal is justice and freedome and his is determined. He has never stopped, he never will." (Samimi's vacation was not extended, he was punished for continuing to act politically as soon as out of prison.)

When asked why Keyvan refuses to break his strike (while others have), a close relative of his responded: "Mr Samimi is a goal oriented individual. He did not go on strike to protest his own condition, but the abhorring prison conditions for others. Therefore, he will stay on strike until others (the 15 who are still in solitary confinement) are transferred to common wards. Unless his family convinces him otherwise, he will not break his strike. A few months ago he discussed this matter with his family, because he cares for consensus. [...]

According to prisoners who are released, Samimi has a high spirit: he chats with the younger prisoners to lift their mood, he doesn't leave the prisoners alone and gives them home and morale. [...] He also believes in dialogue, he believes dialogue will solve all problems. According to his daughter, he even planned to go visit Hossein Shariatmadari; the fascist in chief and the chief editor of Keyhan.

Samimi is not a "new" revolutionary. When he was young, he was amongst the student protesters who had thrown rocks at Shah in protest to (then) Vice President Nixon's visit to Tehran; a few months after the CIA-coup of 1953. For that, Keyvan was jailed three months but then allowed to go back to university. In the brutal Shah's regime, political activism did not turn into life-time ban from education institutes and public service. (He is now deprived of ANY public/intellectual activity, for life.)

After being handed his 6 years prison term, he sent a short message from the 209 ward of Evin prison:

"Steady and determined, I Jihad for my sacred ideals, internally and externally. And of course, the prophet has called the internal Jihad the more magnificent and the more important one. Thus, goodbye to 'me', hello to 'us'."

Arjang Davoudi's critical condition

Arjang Davoudi (also spelled as Arzhang Davoodi ارژنگ داوودی) has been in prison since 2003. He is an ardent and vocal activist; he was sentenced to 15 years of prison; and 74 lashes for having dared to spoken to a Canadian journalist, who worked on a documentary (Forbidden Iran) about the death of Zahra Kazemi (an event that crystallized the rift within the ranks of the IRI, as it happened under international watch, during the presidency of Mohammad Khatami, and highlighted the venomous powers of the hardliners who have now stolen the power in Iran. It is over Zahra Kazemi's death that Canada and Iran relations fall apart.)

Arjang has not been silent in prison: he secretly wrote a book about savage tortures he endured and there is also a video clip he has made from Evin prison, speaking in English, to the world community, reiterating his hopes and struggles for Iran (video is posted in 2008). He protested to the recent execution of the innocent Kurd prisoners with a poem. He also raised a warning flag when Ali Saremi's death sentence after over two decades of imprisonment was upheld. For being such a noncooperative prisoner, he has been punished by being sent to horrendous prisons in Iran's southern provinces; reserved for the most dangerous of felons: murderers. Nevertheless, he has kept writing his letters and having them heard. His cause is simple and within the realm of the existing constitution of Iran:

"... establishment of a civil society in Iran, which will uphold:

1. Freedom of Speech

2. Freedom of the press

3. Freedom to inform

4. Free elections

5. Freedom to assemble and to peacefully protest

6. Freedom of political parties and groups."

He is one of the prisoners on hunger strike and in critical condition. This is the second time he goes on huger strike. Last time was 2008 (he held on for 51 days, his demand was to be handed in a copy of his charges and sentence.)

According to his wife Nazanin Davoudi, the reason for his current strike is: "protest to eavesdropping of his phone calls by prison officials as well his transfer to the solitary confinement." For this hunger strike, he is additionally punished! His scheduled family visit was cancelled a few days ago. He (56 years old) is in critical condition.

Looming gloom

Please see persiantoenglish.com ...

A relative in prison: Hossein Nouraninejad

His name is Hossein Nouraninejad. I don't know him. I didn't care to know any/many of these reformist journalists when the reformists were in power in Iran. In fact, before this election fiasco, I considered them and Ahmadinejadists entities of the same fabric. But, Hossein is in prison since September 2009. He is not granted a leave (not even on bail) since then. Not even for the new year.

Hossein went on hunger strike close to two weeks ago. The country's begging the 17 of them to break their fast. Karoubi, Mousavi, old political activists, young ones are begging them to save themselves because it has become apparent to us that the world community doesn't give a damn; and the IRI is in fact happy if they die. These individuals were the hard-to-crack ones.

But, the IRI is very wrong. Because they have now encouraged me to read about this gentleman to figure out why he is given such an extraordinary hard treatment that he has gone on a detrimental hunger strike to have his voice heard.

Nouraninejad (حسین نورانی نژاد) is a journalist. and head of the Information Committee of Participation Front. (The Participation front party has issued an invitation to its members to go on hunger strike in solidarity with their jailed comrades.) His charge was "attempting to disrupt public order". Thus, sentenced to three years at first. His jail term was cut to one year, of which he has almost served all. So why is this "mild" case on hunger strike now? Why is he prevented from a short leave? why is he kept in solitary confinement? What are the evin conditions that make a man on the verge of freedom risk all his life? The IRI must answer.

His mother has gone public, in a hope to save her son. But, she was told that the prisoners on strike will face extra charges. Parastoo Sarmadi, his wife, has also joined the strike, publicly. She has also pleaded with the authorities to let them hear the messages of Karoubi, Mousavi, Ayatollah Zanjani, Abdollah Nouri, and Sohrab's mother, and numerous other opposition parties, begging them to end the strike. Interestingly, Nouraninejad's mother is also threatened to jail!

Nouraninejad has edited a book entitled: عاشورا در گذار به عصر سکولار "Ashura, in Passage Through Secularism" (2004); it is a collection of essays by a number of religious theoreticians, some founding figures of the IRI philosophy, turned its ardent critiques: Soroush, Aghajari, Ahmad Haj Seyed Javadi, Kadivar and others. It is hard to find much of his writings; but there is a little letter of her sister that tells us Hossein dreaded politics, but found himself obliged by conscience, to act ...

These men in prison are heros. They are not afraid of death. But the least we can do is to hear them out, before the candle goes out.

In fact, the IRI fears journalists, fears information, fears statistics, fears numbers ... Ahmadinejad is treating the pubic opinion as a "civil engineering" project; bulldozing his path, burning the forest, digging the graves of our civilization to erect an ugly monument, ode to his megalomania.

Hossein nouraninejad, a prisoner of conscience ...
On hunger strike ... even though his jail term was to end soon ...

17 withering away in Evin, entering the 12th day of dry hunger strike ...

Please see International Federation for Human Rights

Their names are:

Majir Tavakoli (this is his second strike. He is suffering ulcer, and kidney failure). He is the brave engineering student who stood up and called Khamenei to task. He is the one who was arrested and forced into women clothing. Iranians responded to this media scandal by wearing a veil, and starting a media counter campaign of "I am Majid".

Bahman Ahmadi Amooei, journalist,
Hossein Nourinejad, a journalist and member of the Islamic Iran Participation Front,
Abdollah Momeni, a student and Spokesperson for the Bureau for the Consolidation of Unity (BCU)
Ali Parviz, a student
Hamidreza Mohammadi, an activist
Jafar Aghdami, an activist
Babak Bordbar, a photojournalist,
Ebrahim (Nader) Babaei, a civil society member and a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war,
Kouhyar Goudarzi, a human rights defender and blogger,
Keyvan Samimi, a journalist,
Mohammad Hossein Sohrabi Rad, activist,
Zia Nabavi, a student,
Ali Malihi, a student,
Majid Dorri, a student,
Gholam Hossein Arshi, a demonstrator
Peyman Karimi Azad, demonstrators.

In solidarity with the Evin prisoners on hunger strike, a number of Iranian refugees (most journalists) were planning to go on hunger strike in Paris. Interestingly, the Iranian embassy pressed charges on the high profile individuals; and they were indicted by the French court. Of course, the activists pledged to use the court appearance as a platform to raise awareness about deplorable condition of fellow journalists and political prisoners in Iran. But I can't find anything in English; so I guess it didn't.

There is a facebook group, trying to raise awareness ...

I hate for this cause to be picked by the McCain gang of human-right-defense torjan war horses .. but 5 of these prisoners are in very bad condition ... everyone is urging them to stop the strike ... knowing that it is he regime's dream that they self-execute ...
...
...
I just want you to know ... no; I don't want you bomb us into liberation!

Assassination of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?!

Yup; his wish to go down the history sewage with full glory of an attempted assassination was about to come true. (media-watching and updating below; the contradictions of IRNA and FALSE news are getting hilarious!)

Two days ago, after a significant amount of finger pointing at this, that and the other; and telling the west that looloo (genie) has taken the mameh (boob); meaning that middle east's breast is not to feed the west's brats, he also predicted that the Zionists are plotting to assassinate him!

Because this gentleman is such a zionist insider, and has so much insight into their intentions, in fact about an hour ago a hand grenade was thrown at his motorcade, hitting the car carrying journalists, the profession that these days has low life insurance, the less journalists/reporters, the happier the goons. There is smoke and blood; and of course Mahmoud the Zioniser is just dandy and undead! They say the "terrorist" is arrested.

12:28 PM local time: Parliament news reports the grenade blast
13:11 PM local time, Irna has reported on his speech in Hamedan, but no mention of assassination.
13:34 PM Iran local time: Curiously, no report on Fars News site yet (after an hour of the news announced on Al Arabia, although the news is not tagged for time on their site) 13:34 PM Iran local time.

This silence means they are regrouping for a new oppressive strategy, or that they are caught by surprise and Mahmoud hasn't had time to instruct them Gobbelly?

First Fars News report emerged at 14:07, snapshot below:

Now things are getting funny, because while Fars News, Ahmadinejad's official propaganda reports teh attack, his english pipe, pressTV is denying the news:



Now this is IRNA's news (at 16:05 local time): "The fire cracker of a joyous Hamedani lad leads to [media] excitement"!

As I said, they seem to be trying to figure out a strategy! Fars News has not updated the previous news. Whether this was an assassination or not, at this point, is less important than the obvious ahmadinejadist-media confusion on the matter! Initially, they had to decide between two narratives:

The "beloved" president came close to an assassination attempt.

The "mighty intelligence office" failed to stop an assassination attempt.

It seems they have chosen the third alternative: "there was no attempt"; "there was no arrest"; "there was no injury" ... as reported initially! I won't be surprised if the orders for this version of the story came from the Khamenei office. Khamenei cannot afford to appear weak; nor can he afford giving Ahmadinejad the martyr/hero status he was hoping for by predicting his own assassination by "zionists infiltrators".

24:00 Local time:

And to conclude this: I have surveyed the Iranian bloggers, who are united in mocking Ahmadinejad and attributing this even to one of his half-assed publicity stunts in which he has attempted to prove, to his brainless followers who consider him the sign of the messiah, that his prediction of a zionist attempt on his life is validated!

I stay by my analysis: the higher-up has ordered him to close the act and let this pass ...

What a nonsensical farce is this man ... i can't help sweating in agony and embarrassment.

Mohammad Nouri: Another voice of a past we love, passes away ...

Mohammad Nouri (1929-2010) was the singer of my parent's generation. I heard him more because my aunt played and sang his songs on the guitar and a relative was said to have dated him in pre-revolutionary glory-days.

Nouri was one of the first "fusion" musicians of Iran: influenced by folk songs, and performing them in western style, as far as the vocals and the orchestra composition were concerned. His music is never categorized. He was not a pop singer, not a classical singer, nor a folk singer. His music was not traditional, but his melodies and lyrics were. There is something pulsatile in his music, short harmonics, low pitch, that brings it close to jazz but with 'oriental' rather than African beats. But his music also invokes memories of French singers Edith Piaf, Jacque Brel, and Charls Aznavour.

Nouri was educated in Iran in the Honarestan-e Aali Mousighi (High college of music, or Tehran Conservatoire, envisioned by Reza Khan Pahlavi and founded by the French Alfred Jean Baptist Lemair about 100 years ago). He studied music with several musicians such as Sirous Shahrdar, Fereydoun Farzaneh, Hossein Aslani, Naser Hosseini, Mohammad Sareer, Mostafa PourTorab. (Source)

In addition, he studied English literature and theater, he wrote (or performed) 300 songs, and translated and wrote music articles. He was modest, and not a businessman. For this reason, loved by foe and friends. The You Tube video I posted below, however, is his first on-stage performance with an orchestra, in 50 years of his career. (The concert is in Tehran.)

Nouri was spared the terror other pop singers suffered after revolution, because he was 'pious'. Five years ago, he was recognized as an icon of the Iranian music, by (the now-turned-infamous Iranian broadcaster) Seda O Seema. It is important to know, that Nouri died in poverty and after struggle with 1.5 years of illness. The IRI minister of Culture and Islamic guidance did offer help, but Nouri refused. (Source: Donyaye Eghtesad, 7 July, 2010, quoting The Artistic Deputy of the Minister of Culture and Islamic guidance.)

And he died, yesterday, in a hospital bed in Tehran, at home ...

All newspapers, from left and right, are acknowledging his passing in sadness (including the Ahmadinejadist propaganda machine, False-News)

There was a song that, when aunt Khorsheed sang, made me cry:

Ne-mi-she ghos-se ma-ro [is it possible that sadness]

ye lah-ze tan-ha be-za-reh? [leave us alone one day?]

Ne-mi-sheh in gha-fe-leh [Is it possible that this caravan]

ye-rooz ma-ro ja be-za-reh? [leave us behind one day?]

See? ... pulsatile ...

Rest in peace, lovely man. May one day, your genius and contribution to the Iranian modern music be discovered in a PhD thesis ...

Who's being Chastised for US Sanctioning Iran?

Israel?

Zionists?

American Imperialism?

Islamophobed?

Great Satan?

NOPE!!

The greens!

Yup!

It is because of the Greens that 'Obama', the person, has slapped Iran with crippling economic sanctions.

Says who? The False News quoting some unknown Friday Imam, speaking to the students of an unknown university, in a Kurdish province: Kermanshah! This Mullah believes that it is because of the Green elements inside, that Iran's immunity is compromised. He adds that such compromises are to be expected before the "return of the messiah".

These days, it seems Iranians Mullahs and the Zionist war mongers are all working for the same purpose: Bringing the Messiah out!

The mullahs seems to be almost orgasmic about the possibility of an attack. It seems as if they are cheering for it. They are treating it as if it is a gift given to them by Greens and Zionists: the catastrophic war after which their Mahdi will emerge!

The name of Mahdi is revoked just too frequently to be comforting! The dinosaur Jannati, Ahmadinejad, the dinosaur Alam-ol-Hoda ... This is the superstition that Mousavi has been warning against for some time.

So, Santionizers! In case you think your beating the war drums is deterring Iran, you are wrong. Don't gamble; as they are hoping for your attack! And when you attack, it will be the green ones who will defend that country; and it will be bloody; and it will be long, and it will make Iraq and Afghanistan look like a piece of pie!

So, back off of this Hojjatiyeh/Zionist scenario! Get it?!

The Iranian Wikileaks: Fars News and Rafighdoost prove why war profiteers who are running Iran today hate Mousavi.

I am a bit busy these days, but in one of the most recent idiocies of the Iranian hardliners, and Ahmadinejad's propaganda machine: Fars News, one of the IRGC who-is-whos, who was forced on Mousavi's Cabinet, during the Iran-Iraq war (sacred defense, for Iranians) attempts to undermine Mousavi by expressing how Anti-War he was as the head of the government of the time.

A summary of what this crook (Mohsen Rafighdoost) claims is published in Persian.

Mousavi's angry response, (English on Khordad 88) and his vowing to blow the whistle on war profiteering of Rafighdoost and his ilk is one of the most threatening statements Mousavi has ever made against the IRGC rulers of Iran, today. It is not that Mousavi is angry to be called anti-war; but he is expressing anger at how the IRGC commanders such as Rafighdoost harmed the country, and vow to harm the country with their unattainable love for war and its profits.

I hope to come back with an english translation of how Rafighdoost is shooting himself and his accomplices in the foot. In the meantime, a sample of his self-incriminations include:

- Admission to confiscating industrial factories against the wish of the government, to produce weapons. (من به زور مي‌رفتم كارخانجات دولتي را تسخير مي‌كردم و در آنها مهمات مي‌ساختم،)
- Admission to smuggling and potential war profiteering (يك بار من جنسي را با تخلف قانوني وارد كردم و دادم كارخانه‌ها و پس از آنكه كالاي مورد نظرمان توليد شد، تازه وزارت بازرگاني پيغام داد كه ما اين كالا را 7 دلار در تن ارزان‌تر پيدا كرديم
- Admission to how Mousavi was more concerned about feeding people than conquering Baghdad when the country didn't have enough resources for war (حتي اواسط جنگ آقاي موسوي از من خواست كاميون‌هاي سپاه را براي حمل گندم از بندرعباس به سيلوها اعزام كنم تا نان مردم داده شود. در واقع خيلي از وزرا هم روحيه جنگ نداشتند و هم مملكت امكانات آنچناني نداشت.)

The Bombing of Zahedan (update with Mousavi and Khamenei's statements.)

Disclaimer: if you come here by way of a link from Michael Ledeen, please be advised that I am ADAMANTLY opposed to the war mongering views held by this gentleman, and as part of my fight against local and global fascism, I hold his school of thought in utmost contempt. (July 27, 2010)

Today, I came across a report about the aftermath of Zahedan's Jundollah Bombing of the 14th of July, 2010. The report ended with a question asked by the The Iranian Muslims Society in America (not sure what their official name is in English; but they are not the average anti-IRI modernist, secularist, monarchist Iranians you are likely to meet in America: they are 'decidedly' Muslims and in the Islamophobic atmosphere of today's world, you are likely to brand them as "fundamentalist"!):

"Where are the human right defenders in exile to raise an issue about the bombings in Zahedan? Why don't they condemn the attacks? Don't the people of Zahedan fit the same bill for human rights? Are they not Iranian? Then your silence is an indication that your patrons [the West] are responsible for this?" [By many Iranians, Jundollah, like Al Quaeda is considered a CIA offspring]

I admit to guilty feelings about my silence. This bomb has hit close to home for me. I remember a smaller version of such blast from childhood: it was loud, it was smoky, it was bloody, it was in the first year of the Islamic Republic, it scared me; I was a child.

But the reason why I find it hard to blog these days is because Iran seems to have turned into a hodge podge. Criminals are busy killing each other, to satisfy each other's thirst for blood. The IRI kills the Rigi brothers, a few weeks apart, without proper trial, without even considering the possibility that giving Rigi a death penalty together with a pardon and a life term in prison, will have served the country far better than his death. The IRI is behaving like a savage barbarian; one matching the rouge elements of Jundollah; primitive, uncultured, mercurial!

So Jundollah sends suicide bombers and IRI sends thugs to the streets of Zahedan, the city of kind people, open minded people, mountain and desert people, city of smuggled goodies, city of white Sunni mosques, and dusty parks. The thugs, report says, have been knifing people. These knife thrusters would be of the same ilk that was unleashed on Tehranis in Ashura: they are most likely Ahmadinejad's products from the "rehabilitation program" that found "convicted criminals" a useful job in the society.

According to local observers, these knife-pushers are the worst of all: they seem to target Balouchis randomly, and beat them up for no reason--further fueling the ethnic resentments and convictions that the Balouch are discriminated against.

The city seems to be trampled by some uniformed security forces (they must be soldiers doing their compulsory military service, sacrificial sheep ...), plainclothes knife/baton holders, and jundollah 'terrorists'.

Ahmadinejadists are not losing any breath in their comfortable Tehran towers blaming the blast on the West; especially because Abdulmalek Rigi, the Jundollah "hero", confessed within literally hours of being arrested, to being paid by America.

But, what is interesting is that several people have lost their lives in the aftermath of the bombing, to the knife wounds of the plainclothes. Depending on their age or looks, the plainclothes can be called Basiji (more religious looking and young and unlikely to give a damn about anything happening in Zahedan as they are only posed to fight the Westernish opposition in Tehran) or the so called Intelligence forces (more gangster-like; body-builder with a big belly, giant beard, angry bloody eyes, carrying a walky talky and wiggling their ugly asses when they walk and taking jobs in Zahedan because it PAYS WELL--and because the Sissy-boys of official security forces have literally closed shop--with the excuse of fearing further targeted attacks.)

Three parliament members from the province resigned in protest to lack of sufficient security provisions to guarantee the citizen's safety. However, they were "ordered" by the Stalin in chief, Khamenei, to take back their resignation (it's amazing how much this person, the soupreaked leader, is meddling in the affairs of the country. It would be as if the queen of england would be meddling and over ruling every minute decision and action in the house of commons.)

So, to the "American Iranian Muslims": I DO condemn the bombings; but I don't lay the blame on ANYONE other than the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and their CORRUPT security officers (especially the DRUG LORDS OF THE IRGC) for their utter lack of respect for human life, for ethnic rights; and their utter lack of competence, care and wisdom.

When I lived in that city, it had a reputation for having a high density of 'elite' population, because the Shah's government of the time followed a policy to send "experts", political scientists, historians, lawyers, engineers, and the better ones of the army to this "volatile" region (this province has been volatile for 200 years, at least) to manage it out of trouble, to educate it, to bring prosperity to its harbour (Chahbahar), to its agriculture (Mirjaveh, Sarbaaz). Balouchestan was to get attention by the queen wearing Balouchi patterns, and by the King building a royal residence in this poorest of the provinces to allow him frequent visits. Alas, all the rush to modernity was too much to take for the traditional Iranians, and it looked too capitalist to the university-educated lefties. Revolution happened; and Khomeini stole it and turned it into a fundamentalist battle of egos East vs West. And then, Iran and its people were forgotten, and remain forgotten, in the cacophony of headless heartless politicians of the East and the West.

What is interesting is that revolution didn't come to Zahedan, really. (I remember distributing colourful slips with Khomeni messages on behalf of my university student uncle, and I remember my father bailing him out of trouble a few times, but that was it. I never saw or heard of a rally; and the Wall writings were so few and so mediocre that no one bothered to do anything about.) Revolution came only after it was declared victorious, and only then did the people pull down the Shah's statue from the statue of his horse), I watched both the palace and the province being robbed of all potential in the first years of the IRI. Some of those old blueprints have been put back on the table during the Reform era; but they are now peripheral (remind me to tell you the story of Banana) and what dominates is the corruption of the revolutionary guards, who together with their accomplice (drug) lords of the province are the targets of the Jundollah attacks. What is ironic, is that apparently, after Abdulmalek Rigi was arrested, a bit of confidence was returning to the province, luring investments and development projects. But now, people are afraid of "being Balouch" again; and investors run away from trouble.

Don't blame our miseries on the western patrons: WE are accountable for our OWN lost opportunities and for any loss that comes to us, of life and of fortune.

UPDATE: I have translated statements of the green leader and the 'supreme' leader on the event. See, the division in the country really fades when the country comes under serious danger! So the Republican assholes who wish to give the green light to the Israeli assholes to bomb Iran, better beware!

=====Translation of Mousavi's message on the 3rd day of the event, stressing that both the internal and the external agitators are eager to use the event to muddy waters for their gain.

In the name of Allah, the giver and the forgiver.

The atrocious act that took place in Zahedan, was clearly intended to create a rift between the Sunni and the Shiite brothers; a despicable act against the national unity. Of such actions benefit, both the foreigners and also those whose profits lay in the chasm of cultures and ethnicities.

In the critical times we are living today, be careful of conspiracies, across the country, targeting the unity of the people.

I express my condolences to the families of the victims; and to all my brothers and sisters in Sistan & Balouchistan. I hope the alertness, the fraternity and the national unite of the brave people of our country will neutralize the malicious intentions of their enemies.

Mir Hossein Mousavi

=========Excerpt from Khamenei's message on the 7th day of the event, stressing that the external enemies are eager to spread terrorism in the middle east to gain control of the region.

"Blind, ignorant, and murderous fundamentalists have given their hearts to corrupt powers who have repeatedly demonstrated their hatred for Islam and Muslims; and have delivered a blow to them when ever a chance has presented itself. Their animosity with Iran is because of the flowing flag of Islam in this country, and its perpetual call to Islamic unity, dignity and power. In this bloody event, and many alike, one of the aims of the enemy is to generate rifts between Muslims. The Islamic Republic of Iran, who has for years supported the [Sunni] people of Gaza, Afghanistan and Kashmir, is now the target of the Intelligence agencies of the US and Israel, who have delusions of dragging [Iran] into the conspiracy of Sunni/Shiite clash. Unaware, are they, of the fact that the Sunnis of Iran, like their Shiite brothers, have frequently proven their loyalty to this sacred Nezam [yes they have, but not to the Nezam, but to the country, dude! Since Nezam is the one who is conspiring with the "enemy" in wronging them] and have stood up against Imperialism in defending the Islamic Republic.

In our region [Middle East], the emergence and the growth of blind and savage terrorism, is born out of the malicious American and British policies. It is up to all Muslims to stand up against and fight this ominous and unfortunate offspring.

[...]

The Shiite and Sunni elite, across the Muslim and Arab world, must illuminate the intentions of the enemies in spreading and strengthening sectarian terrorism, and alert them of the dangers of the enemy's dream of religious conspiracy.

[and then condolences]

Seyed Ali Khamenei"

Iran & The World Cup

Disclaimer: I am no soccer expert; and I hardly know Iran's current national team. I watch the world cup every four years. I do not care about any specific team, but in general I like people with southern looks and attitudes: they dance the ball!

This post is just to say, to the readers of this blog, who I suspect are mostly North American, and thus only recently become interested in soccer, that Iran HAS in the past qualified to play in the World Cup (and some may recall that Iran beat USA (2-1) in 1998 in France; a game preceded by exchange of gifts and courtesy, the first world-encounter during Khatami's presidency and the missed opportunity of the "dialogue of civilizations".)

Until Ahmadinejad took over, Iran was a rising star in Asian football. Taking a page from Goebbel's book, Ahmadinejad tried hard to ride the populist waves of football waters in Iran (that were stirred high during the reform era. However, as everything that he puts his finger on, this went rotten as well! Iran didn't qualify for the WC this year because of Ahmadinejadism.

In addition to characteristic incompetence of the Ahmadinejad-picked national team managers; many Iranian players chose to stand with the people in the aftermath of the bloody election. (Wikipedia: During the final game of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against the South Korean national football team held in Seoul on June 17, 2009, seven members of the team, Javad Nekounam, Ali Karimi (The Asian Maradona), Mehdi Mahdavikia, Hosein Kaebi, Masoud Shojaei, Mohammad Nosrati, and Vahid Hashemian, wore green wristbands in support of the opposition candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi in the 2009 Iranian election protests.)

Some of these players (home stars and players for Bayern Munich, Leicester City, Bochum and Eintracht Frankfurt) were forced to retire and banned for life. Of course, Iranian footbal federation denied the reports of disciplinary action related to green symbolism.

Some of these soccer stars didn't go out without a bang. Ali Karimi (the Bayeren Municher, also called the "Asian Maradona" and eyed by LA's Galaxy) spoke to Ahmadinejad's False-News agency and openly criticized Iran's football federation by calling it "the weakest in his ten-year presence in the national team [that] would bring Iran's football backwards rather than forward."

What are my sentiments about Iran's participation in the WC?

Personally, I am happy Iran is not playing. Countries like Iran do need things like a national team to inspire a bit of pride and unity in a people that is slapped around by internal and external criminals (read Khamenei and the USA). However, under a Fascist government, a national-team triumph will only feed the monster (of Ahmadinejadism) and its defeat will break the country's spirits further. Also, being part of the world cup distracts the nation from the goal they need to focus on right now: scoring against militarism and fascism.

For now, I enjoy the display of human triumph, speed, power, reflex, strength and stamina on the field. These players become "stars" because they inspire faith in the capabilities of human being and the marvels of team-play.

Here, a video of the Asian Maradona: Ali Karimi!