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Tag: "Iran"

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By Erich Vieth on November 07th, 2009

The political battle continues within Iran

You wouldn’t know it from the western mainstream press, but the political battle within Iran continues. These videos were brought to my attention through a newsletter (and website) titled “Windows on Iran.” This first video demonstrates that mass protests continue:

But the senseless violence also continues. For instance, notice this “brave” Iranian police officer protecting public order by smacking a young female protester on the legs:

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By Erich Vieth on November 05th, 2009

Truly speaking truth to power

Mahmoud Vahidnia is my newest hero, based on this startling account of his intense public challenges to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His brave exchange with Khamenei is a crime punishable by prison in Iran.

Censorship • Communication
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By Erich Vieth on October 28th, 2009

Iraq journalism applied to Iran

According to Glenn Greenwald, if you want to see what Iraq journalism looked like, read the the hyped up news on Iran. Take, for example a recent Washington Times piece by Toby Warrick, which is:

purely one-sided, unquestioning and entirely anonymous series of dubious, unverified, fear-mongering assertions that can have no purpose other than to create the most sinister picture of the “Iranian threat” possible.

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By Erich Vieth on October 25th, 2009

Israel’s criticism of Iran’s nuclear program

Israel is one of the countries most fervently criticizing Iran in Iran’s quest for nuclear research (see here and here). Al Jazeera English notes, however, that Israel hasn’t even signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Current Events • Military
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By Erich Vieth on October 17th, 2009

Shiite law and stem cell advances in Iran

While many Americans continue to try to halt embryonic stem cell research, Iranian scientists are forging ahead with this cell research with the aim of curing people suffering from real life medical conditions, especially military veterans who have suffered disabling spinal cord injuries. That is the issue brought front and center by this episode of Frontline. In the Shiite view, the soul enters the embryo only once it is viable–only after viability is can the organism growing in utero be considered a “human being.”

In the U.S., many of us continue to treat stem cells as though they are harvested from organisms that are fully human, even though these embryos lack the biological equipment necessary for any semblance of sentience. As best I can understand the dispute, many of those in the U.S. who oppose embryonic stem cell research consider an embryo to be fully human even though it has merely the potential to someday become a thinking human being. They focus on the potential rather than sentience–on what will someday be rather than what is.

The Iranians, in focusing on viability, illustrate that two versions of religious practices (conservative Muslims and conservative Christians) that both believe in supernatural “souls” and are both conservative look at the exact same thing (embryos) and come to opposite conclusions.

Human animals • Science
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By Erich Vieth on September 28th, 2009

The need to really look at the evidence in Iran.

Amidst new reports that Iran has not been forthcoming about its nuclear program, Glenn Greenwald urges that we do what the Chinese are doing, as reported by the NYT:

The Chinese, one administration official said, were more skeptical [of recent reports], and said they wanted to look at the intelligence, and to see what international inspectors said when they investigated.

What Greenwald is suggesting is common sense. He might need to repeat his advice endlessly, though, because we live in a country where the gold standard for the news media is hyped up conflict and because we are a country that doesn’t seem to “get” common sense anymore.

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Reward for Iranian protesters: torture and rape
By Erich Vieth on September 11th, 2009

Reward for Iranian protesters: torture and rape

From the London Times, reports of the torture and beatings of many protesters:

Ardeshir — not his real name — is one of scores, perhaps hundreds, of detainees who have been raped and tortured by their jailers in the past three months in what appears to be a systematic attempt to break their will. Mehdi Karoubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi, the defeated presidential candidates, accused a regime, which claims to champion Islamic values, of raping opposition supporters.

Times continue to be tough for those seeking reform, as reported by Dr. Fatemeh Keshavarz of Windows on Iran. The battles include cyber-battles, as reported by Dr. Keshavarz, who provided this information in a mass emailing to which I subscribe:

All signs point to the fact that difficult - and decisive - days may be ahead in Iran. But the good news first. For years, Iranians who are ranked as number four bloggers in the world, have been prevented from visiting the sites that the Iranian government has considered containing information contrary to its interests and filtered. Those who devised creative ways to break the filter and get into such sites, are usually in danger of being found and subjected to jail and other punishments. What is most amazing is that the Iranian government considers the existence of undesirable websites as “foreign interference” in its internal affairs.

But there is also some good news of a new work-around to avoid detection and capture (and, often, torture):

Well, this state of affairs may have been ended once and for all. Using Google, an Iranian by the name Mehdi Saharkhiz has come up with an internet tool which he has called the “Green Machine.” The Green Machine! Good News for the Greens in Iran

Here is the site that gives you instruction for downloading the Green Machine. According to Mr. Mousavi’s facebook, after you download the Green Machine, you can visit any website - filtered or otherwise - without being detected.

Censorship • Current Events • Internet • The Middle East
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By Erich Vieth on July 05th, 2009

Whence Iran?

Andrew Sullivan writes that the revolution it’s not over. In fact, it’s just beginning.

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Shout from your rooftop in solidarity with the people of Iran
By Tim Hogan on June 29th, 2009

Shout from your rooftop in solidarity with the people of Iran

I will never forget the images of Pope John Paul II arriving in Poland in June of 1979. The Pope descended from his plane, kneeled, bent and kissed the ground of his beloved homeland.

The Pope arrived as a pilgrim, news reports said. The Polish people saw more, perhaps a glimpse of freedom in the offing where their historic contributions and ties to the world were once again recognized as Polish, not as a Warsaw Pact satellite of the communist USSR.

Something similar is going on now in the Islamic Republic of Iran. After an historic election where the chosen candidate of the ruling elite was challenged, the results were announced mere hours after the paper ballots were cast, and current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared the winner.

Some say the Iranian voters’ ballots were not even counted.

Reports of unrest due to concerns of electoral fraud continue, although foreign media have been barred from Iran

Many of the supporters of the rival candidate for President have taken to the roofs and shouting, “Allahu Akbar!” which I’ve seen translated as “God is the Greatest!” and “God is Great!”

Without a doubt, there is continued opposition to the hard line polices of President Ahmadinejad which many in Iran believe do not reflect the country’s history and traditions.

It has become a staple of the ruling council to denounce protesters as incited by the West, mostly the UK, where two diplomats were thrown out of Iran. The UK responded by giving the heave to two Iranian embassy personnel. But, the Iranian government raised the ante on the UK, yesterday and detained many members of the diplomatic staff assigned to Iran in violation of international law.

It remains an issue is whether there what actions may be taken in solidarity with the aspirations of Iranians by supporters of freedom around the world.

First, one must caution forbearance.

If many take up the rhetoric of the far right in the US calling for swift, strong action against Iran there will be a backlash against the protesters in Iran. Such is already in the offing as the media have been closed down, and the government tries to spin the whole thing as a plot by the West and points to such rhetoric in support of its claims. Those which make such harsh statements and urge imprudent action give aid and comfort to the enemies of freedom in Iran.

So, what then for those worldwide which support the Iranian people’s return to the world community and to again recognize Iran’s past contributions and continuing ability to contribute to the world at large? I offer several ideas.

We could tie a green ribbon ‘round the old oak trees. Green is the color of the party of the opposition in Iran.

We could join in solidarity with the aspirations of the protestors and go onto our rooftops or just go outside and shout or say; “God is Great!” at midnight Tehran time (about 2:30 p.m. CST [+4 GMT]).

And ask that peace be with our Iranian brothers and sisters.

Current Events • Featured • Fraud • The Middle East
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By Erich Vieth on June 28th, 2009

Song from Iran and other news

For the past few years, I’ve been receiving emails and attachments from a woman with close ties to Iran. Along with this Youtube she wrote the following:

Here is a song gifted to the new Iran emerging from the 2009 election by the one of the greatest musicians of present day Iran, Mohamad Reza Shajarian. And he rightly calls it “Iran, the land of hope.

She indicates that letters are circulating in Iran to weaken the grip of Mr. Ahmadinejad’s government by doing the following:

o Refusing to give ads to the state run TV, and newspapers
serving as the voice of the government.
o Pulling out money invested in banks and financial
institutions run by the government or by the revolutionary
guards.
o Refraining from contributing to the charity boxes scattered
throughout towns all across the country.

Protesting has become incredibly dangerous.

Civil Rights • Politics • The Middle East
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By Erich Vieth on June 17th, 2009

The sounds of freedom at night in Iran

Andrew Sullivan has had ongoing detailed coverage of the post-election events in Iran, including this short post and video of the sounds of freedom being called out from the rooftops at night.

Interesting, how American neoconservatives (and Israel conservatives) could only talk of bombing Iran, year after year, demonizing the entire country based upon the belligerence of high-placed officials. Iran now also has a face of youth, hope and potential change, though the situation is incredibly dangerous at the moment. I would add that Barack Obama has shown masterful restraint and read-between-the-lines encouragement to the forces of freedom and dissent in Iran:

American Culture • Civil Rights • Current Events • The Middle East
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By Erich Vieth on June 16th, 2009

Iran election news

If you want to keep up to the minute on the topic of the Iranian election, Andrew Sullivan’s Daily Dish is offering impressive coverage.

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Barack Obama’s impressive speech in Cairo
By Erich Vieth on June 04th, 2009

Barack Obama’s impressive speech in Cairo

Obama gave a terrific speech (here’s the video). In the first ten minutes, he detailed the many connections between Islam and the United States (yes, Rep. Keith Ellison did take his oath of office using a Koran once owned by Thomas Jefferson).

The first condition for progress of any type is to plainly state where we are, and Obama’s speech did a great job of this. Yes, our many misunderstandings, driven by irresponsible media frenzy, occlude plain facts, several of them highly embarrassing to the U.S. For instance,

For many years, Iran has defined itself in part by its opposition to my country, and there is in fact a tumultuous history between us. In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically elected Iranian government.

That, then, is how we can repair the damage: by establishing trust by stating the facts. Only after speaking frankly can tone matter. Obama’s tone was impressive, based on the many applause interruptions.

But good tone is nothing without admitting undeniable facts. Only then can we move forward. By traveling to Cairo to make his speech, Obama has made a dramatic statement that America is no longer framing its diplomatic strategies through the use of crude stereotypes. I don’t know whether the audience entirely trusts America, but this was a huge step in the right direction.

Featured • Iraq • Military • Politics • Religion • The Middle East • War
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