An American's thoughts and discoveries about satellite broadcasts from Iran and the USA, and other published reports about Iran. Sponsored by The Movie Poster Page
IRINN: Editorial on Iran's Latin America Relations
Broadcast 29 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
The trip by our nation's president to Bolivia and Venezuela at the end of the 82nd meeting of the UN General Assembly shows the 9th government's serious determination to continue relations with the nations of Latin America in various economic, political and energy-related areas and the development of the revolutionary spirit in nations such as Cuba, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela. In recent years these nations have formed a front with the Islamic Republic of Iran against America's unilateral policies.
In meetings with the presidents of Bolivia and Venezuela Mr. Ahmadinejad has emphasized the bright future that awaits the revolutionary nations of the region in relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. He cited belief in self, alertness, steadfastness and action against arrogant nations as the groundwork for ending the era of imperialism and exploitation in the world.
On the other hand in view of the fact that in the last decade as the anti-imperialist nations of Latin America have acquired power, anti-imperialist activities have spread among the nations of this region. The reinforcement of the Islamic Republic of Iran's relations with these nations can create conditions for supporting the Latin American nations against the domineering measures of the USA.
The numerous documents of cooperation signed between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Bolivia during the president's recent trip to this region as well as similar documents signed in the past between Latin American nations and the Islamic Republic of Iran's high officials point to the development of invincibility for the revolutionary movements.
Broadcast 29 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
The president of Iran attended the UN General Assembly for the
third year in a row. Dr. Ahmadinejad discussed the Islamic Republic
of Iran's positions concerning international and regional changes.
Our nation's believe that despite the utilitarian use by the great
powers of international institutions, international organizations such
as the UN can at the same time serve the interests of nations. How
does the Islamic Republic of Iran really view the United Nations?
Iran is one of the signatories of the UN Charter and is considered
one of the founders of the UN. Before the revolution, because Iran
was part of the Wester bloc the shah always supported America's
positions in the UN. However, the victory of the Islamic revolution
put the Islamic Republic of Iran's foreign policy on a path of
independence from the superpowers.
The Islamic Republic's policy of neither east nor west was
manifested well in its UN activities. During these years the Islamic
Republic of Iran rose in opposition to the domineering behavior of the
United States and it also opposed that the Soviet Union's domineering
policies during its lifetime. The great powers used the implement of
the United Nations to disregard the rightful interests of the nation
of Iran, especially throughout the eight-year imposed war.
What have Iran's relations with the UN been like in the period
since the victory of the Islamic revolution?
Political Affairs Expert Mahmudian: The issue of the Islamic
Revolution, which was unique. It came to victory with the slogan
neither east nor west, and this victory was not supported by either
them because they believed that any nation that could stand on its own
could be a model for other nations. Therefore from the very beginning
each of these nations opposed the Islamic revolution. Ultimately they
imposed an eight-year war on Iran. Along with this imposed war these
nations, especially America, issued resolutions and put pressure on
the Islamic Republic of Iran so they still impose their will with
terror. They were saying that a cease-fire meant the invading and
occupying nation would sit at the negotiating table. The resolution
therefore had no effect. Right there we, Iran's valiant combatants
using our religious values, stood against the demands of the
imperialists and their unrealistic and imposed resolution.
Announcer: The nation of Iran expected the UN and its subsidiary
organizations to act solely within the framework of their duties
without accepting the domination of the great powers. Unfortunately
with regard to the Islamic Republic of Iran's peaceful nuclear case
the Western powers are trying to misuse the Security Council to put
pressure on Iran. For this reason two resolutions have been approved
so far against the Islamic Republic of Iran under pressure from the
West.
Mahmudian: The resolutions approved so far against Iran's nuclear
energy by the UN with American pressure have had nothing to do with
the UN from the very beginning, because the international community
has provided that overseeing nations acquiring peaceful nuclear energy
is one of the responsibilities of the IAEA, and here the members of
the IAEA Board of Governors include those very nations that have the
right of veto in the UN; in view of this fact they have taken the work
out of the expert realm that belongs to the IAEA and have
unfortunately taken it to the UN so that with American pressure they
could issue resolutions that impose America's will on Iran, hoping
Iran would give up its indisputable right to acquire nuclear energy.
However we saw that the empathy and unity of voice among nations is
undermining the resolutions.
Announcer: The UN is now facing a difficult test. If this
organization wants to continue meeting the interests of the powerful,
it will lose its acceptability among nations.
Ahmadinejad Attributes 11 September to "Bad World Management"
Broadcast 29 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
Announcer: While returning from New York in an exclusive interview
with IRINN's correspondent, the president of the republic discussed
the accomplishments of his trip.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: I think there were very great accomplishments,
much more extensive than we expected. In general I knew that this
would not be a natural or peaceful visit for many reasons. Parts of
the US government as well as the Zionists were certainly not going to
tolerate Iran's president of the republic, who is after all a cultural
and university figure, speaking plainly about the nation Iran's views,
which are new, especially not to a university audience.
Of course there are some who think their invitation was intended to
undermine and sabotage this message. It was organized for this very
purpose.
Interviewer Mehrafar: You were planning to visit the twin towers,
but this was very controversial in their media. What is your view
about what happened?
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: You know they used lies and propaganda. For
example they showed me next Bin Laden. They showed me killing people
with tanks and artillery. This is psychological warfare. The 11
September incident was the beginning of great changes! That was their
pretext for occupying Afghanistan! On that pretext they killed
100,000 people. Naturally we had to show a suitable reaction. I was
planning to do the same thing last year, but it didn't happen, there
wasn't enough time. I wanted to express sympathy and show respect for
those who were killed and their families.
I also wanted to ask two or three questions and give my views. I
wanted to tell them that in our view this incident was the result of
erroneous management of the world! It was the result of inhumane
management of the world! Why did something like this have to happen?
They made something sacred out of 11 September, like the holocaust;
whoever doesn't accept it is an infidel, and if you accept it you have
to accept all the crimes that came later. Well, we had to say these
things. I think they had a relationship with the American people
about this and they didn't want anything to undermine it.
Ahmadinejad Returns Home, Describes New York Visit
Broadcast 28 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
This was broadcast live, moments after Mr. Ahmadinejad landed at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport on his return from the USA and South America.
*****************************************
If you remember, in an interview before the trip I said, today the
nation of Iran is an idealistic society that has valuable and exalted
messages for today's society. The nation of Iran has a program for
managing the world and it has humane and effective ways to solve
today's problems among nations.
The annual UN meeting is the best opportunity to present the views
of the nation of Iran, a nation with roots in history, a nation that
throughout history has been the standard-bearer of worshiping God,
seeking justice, love for human beings and seeking peace and kindness.
Iran is a nation that has founded many sciences and ideas for
humanity, a nation that has had an unequaled share in the
establishment of human civilization throughout history. This nation
also has something to say today! It has things to say that have
arisen from the revolution, from the teachings of pure Islam, and it
has things to say that have risen from the views of those who are
sincerely united with the world and have divine aspirations.
Well, an opportunity was found and I thank God I was allowed to be
present as a child of the nation of Iran and as a small part of the
nation of Iran to tell the people of the world about its positions and
message.
Again I thank God I had an opportunity to describe some of the
outstanding characteristics of this nation and to tell the truth about
this nation's message there.
As I said, this trip had several parts. One part was appearing at
the General Assembly, announcing the positions of the nation of
Iran and presenting solutions for humanity's problems and needs. This
was done; it was broadcast live and the nation of Iran knows about it.
This was accorded a great welcome. After that I held meetings with
the leaders of various nations. At the beginnings of these meetings I
mentioned these same views and solutions. This was considered very
important in diplomatic circles there and was debated. I hope we will
be able to continue presenting these views and solutions in the
context of world decision-making.
The second part of the trip to New York was our relation with the
people's groups. We were invited to Columbia University to talk with
the university people. You know the details. Various incidents took
place surrounding the invitation, the attendance and the talks
that were held there. In my view this was a great event.
Almighty God prepared a scene where two things were put on display.
On the one side were all of the materialistic values, evils, and
selfishness it is possible for a voracious, disunited and selfish group
to have, and on the other side was the oppression of the nation of
Iran, the purity of the Islamic messages and the purity of the
messages to humanity from God-worshiping people.
It is interesting that materially this entire scenario was provided
by those who wish ill for the nation of Iran. They mobilizd all the
resources and made all the necessary provisions so that in their minds
two things would happen. Either my appearance at these meetings would
be canceled, or if the meetings did take place they would be made
into noisy mock trials to destroy the image of the nation of Iran.
It might be interesting for you to know that three networks that
broadcast everywhere in the world have been conducting a continuous
and extensive psychological sabotage program for the last week. They
have targeted the personality of the nation of Iran and its history,
They have accused the nation of Iran over and over again of those
things of which they consider themselves worthy. They have waged
psychological warfare and made threats.
Night and day for about a week they invited the opponents of the
nation of Iran to gather, demonstrate, confront and obstruct the
representative of the nation of Iran. They designed a dark scenario
there that was completely one-sided where everything was negative or
regrettable.
A limited number of people were also able to gather in a hall to go
along with what they wanted. What actually happened was completely
the opposite, 180 degrees away from what they imagined with their
small ideas. They collected an organized group of less than 200
hundred from Europe and America, some of whom did not even know why
they had come. They only knew that they were supposed to protest and
shout! They were mostly on the university lawn. In addition to them
however were thousands of elite individuals who had come to listen and
give support.
They also invited tens of student groups and university professors
to attend with signs and leaflets; they supported the nation of
Iran.
To show the depth of the issue, it is good for the nation of Iran
to know that the telephone numbers they announced for those wishing to
attend the meeting were organized in such a way that whoever made
contact asking for a ticket to attend heard a recording repeating the
same things against the nation of Iran and Ahmadinejad, who is a small
part of it, to discourage them from attending.
Of course in my view they made a very big mistake. They put the
reputation of all the domineering system's claims on the line,
democracy based on materialism, materialistic thinking and all of the
media, and beyond that they also sacrificed the reputation of a
university and a center of knowledge. They pressured the president of
a university to expend his academic credibility in the interest of the
Zionists and the domineering system. Well, what happened is very clear.
After that I had a meeting with about 15 world leaders. I spoke
with tens and hundreds of ordinary people and media owners, even
various news groups who had come to the UN, diplomats who had come
from various nations, and as soon as they came they had a one-sentence
message: They said "we are with you."
Broadcast 25 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
Major General Mohsen Rezai (age 54) was commander of the Iranian
Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) during the Iran-Iraq war and for about a
decade afterwards (1981-1997). He ran for president of Iran against
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005. He is currently secretary of the
National Expediency Council and is closely associated with the popular
Persian news website Baztab (http://www.baztab.ir/).
He was interviewed by Mohammad Sajedi on the daily "45 Minutes"
interview program in the context of National Secred Defense week; most
of the questions and answers were about his role in the war. During
the interview he commented briefly on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's
visit to New York City to address the UN General Assembly. He was
obviously prepared to discuss the subject--he was carrying a notebook
with an excerpt from a statement by the 6th US President John Quincy
Adams (1825-1829) made while he was serving as secretary of state in
1821.
In drawing support from Adams, Rezai, a proud and militant
religious collectivist, was conveniently aligning himself with one of
the great American individualists, as Iranian leaders often do. He
was also speaking in support of a fellow IRGC officer (Ahmadinejad)
who has been accused of direct or complicit acts of murder and
assassination while serving in that capacity and has never denied the
accusations.
Most of the Iranian media reactions to the way Ahmadinejad has been
treated in the USA that I have seen have focused on American rudeness
or the Iranian right to develop nuclear energy, without addressing any
of the numerous other charges leveled at the Iranian president or his
government. Ahmadinejad actually said there are no homosexuals in
Iran! I wonder if he would have an answer if someone asked him how it
happens that the Persian language has become so full of colloquialisms
and jokes about homosexuals.
Sajedi: Mr. Ahmadinejad will be speaking to the UN General
Assembly. My first question is a general one. How much can the
General Assembly be a strategic solution for solving international
problems?
Rezai: Let me say first that I consider it necessary to express my
disappointment with the officials at Columbia University, which is an
advanced university with a prominent standing in the sciences. I
declare here that their ugly dealings with their guest is unworthy of
a university environment. They should not have done this. They have
invited a guest. Mr. Ahmadinijad is the president of a nation and
they should have treated him with more respect, even if they had
criticisms of him. It is regrettable that a nation that claims to be
the cradle of liberty has such a low level of tolerance.
With regard to appearances by Iranian presidents at the UN General
Assembly, this has always been beneficial to us. At one time it was
Martyr Rajai, then the Exalted Leader, then Mr. Hashemi, then
Mr. Khatami and today Mr. Ahmadinejad. In the end this is a forum.
There is a lot of propaganda against Iran! They create strange images
of our people and government abroad. Ultimately this is a tribune our
presidents use. It has its ups and downs too. It is possible that
incidents will take place from time to time, but we have always made
use of it. God willing he will also be able to make use of this
opportunity tonight and deliver the nation of Iran's message clearly
to all the nations of the world.
Sajedi: Can we attribute confrontations like this to international
standards? How can a nation that considers itself the world's
greatest supporter of democracy treat an invited president this way at
Columbia University?
Rezai: With your permission I will read an 1821 statement by US
Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, about 200 years ago, so our
great nation can see that this man's prediction has come true. He
said 200 years ago that wherever the standard of liberty and
independence is established, that location has a place in the heart of
America, but America will not go abroad looking for monsters to
destroy. It wishes for freedom and independence, but it will not
go outside its own country. It will invite and counsel other nations
to have independence and freedom.
The statement I want to use is this: He says otherwise (in
other words if America goes outside its own country to support
freedom) it is possible that it will become the arbiter of the world
and it will no longer be the ruler of its own spirit.
You see that the prediction Mr. Adams made 200 years ago that
America would become an arbiter if it went outside its borders and
that it would not even rule its own spirit (its spirit is freedom of
course), has come true, or in other words it would not even be able
to have freedom inside its own borders, has come true.
Well, it appears that this confrontation with Mr. Ahmadinejad has
turned America against freedom and independence! Ultimately you
should let an individual say what he has to say, despite the fact that
you may have criticisms of him. You should let him come and debate
with you, and say what you have to say respectfully! Using insulting
language against the representative of a nation is in my view the very
fulfillment of the prediction Mr. Adams made that America has become
arbitrary and opposed to freedom!
*******************************************
Rezai's translation of Adams' statement takes a few liberties but it
is accurate in principle. The original 1821 Adams statement comes
from a July 4 speech:
"She has abstained from interference in the concerns of others,
even when conflict has been for principles to which she clings, as to
the last vital drop that visits the heart. She has seen that probably
for centuries to come, all the contests of that Aceldama the European
world, will be contests of inveterate power, and emerging
right. Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or
shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her
prayers be. But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to
destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of
all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. She will
commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the
benignant sympathy of her example. She well knows that by once
enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners
of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of
extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual
avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the
standard of freedom. The fundamental maxims of her policy would
insensibly change from liberty to force. . . . She might become the
dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own
spirit."
I found the Adams quote on the On Power website:
http://www.onpower.org/quotes/a.html.
Broadcast 24 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
The president of the republic went to New York with his delegation
to attend the second meeting of the UN General Assembly. In addition
to speaking to the General Assembly, President Ahmadinejad spoke with
this organization's secretary-general, the leaders of certain nations
and religious leaders at American universities. After arrving in New
York the president of the republic said Iran wants lasting peace based
on justice.
Responding to a question about American sabotage of relations
between nations, Mr. Ahmadinejad said: "They do not know about the
progress of the Iranian or its orientation. We are aware of this
anger. Some are saying this is an indication of their defeat in Iraq,
which they are trying to cover up.
"Even without this however, they have been trying for several years
to convince the world that Iran, which always been the standard-bearer
of peace, should deviate from its peaceful nuclear direction. They
are saying its activities are suspicious, that it has no right to do
these things.
"The IAEA report showed that all of this talk was unrealistic and
artificial. No one accepts them in the world. Nobody likes them
because of their wrong and selfish behavior."
Broadcast 24 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
The term "ceramic," which is used today to mean "earthenware," is
derived from the Greek term 'keramus," meaning "cooked material."
Another definition which comes from a Sanscrit root refers to material
made with fire.
After the fall of the Qajar dynasty the art of pottery was revived
by its master artisans after a period of stagnation, especially in the
nation's rural areas. It gradually became one of the most prominent
hand-made products in Iran.
Since the Islamic Revolution support for handicrafts has brought
about the spread of pottery factories and the production of
earthenware in Iran. There has been striking development in the
production of decorative earthenware. This is being supported by the
Iran Handicrafts Organization.
Plaster molds are used to make earthenware vessels with outstanding
decorative qualities or special designs, because they cannot be formed
on a pottery wheel. Sometimes plaster molds are made in several
pieces. In this method of construction clay tubes are pounded into
the walls of the plaster mold so the clay takes the form of the mold.
After a short time the plaster mold is opened and the surface
irregularities of the formed shape are smoothed with a wet sponge.
After drying, these products are placed in a kiln.
Today traditional industrial workers use round dome-top kilms made
of fireclay. There is an opening at the top of the kiln that is
closed when the kiln is fired. The floor of the kiln has two levels.
The fire is lit on the lower level and the dried pots are on the upper
level.
Unglazed materials and pots need to be fired at 950-1000 degrees
centigrade for 8 hours. Glazed earthenware is fired in two stages.
In the first stage the unglazed earthenware is fired at 900-950
degrees centigrade for eight hours.
Today ceramics is not seen as just a rural rural art. At art
centers and in the nation's art schools ceramics has found a special
place as a branch of the arts.
I went to a pottery shop yesterday
I saw 2000 mute but exoressive pots
Each one said to me silently
Where is the potter, the pot buyer and the pot seller?
Broadcast 24 September on Iranian State Satellite Tv (IRINN)
[Male Announcer]: Rail connections between the Caspian and
Mediterranean seas will be established within the next 5 months. With
the completion of the construction of the Iran-Iraq rail line by the
end of the year rail connections will be established between the
Mediterranean Sea and the Caspian Sea, the nations of Central Asia and
the Caucasus. The project's second phase is the 35 kilometers between
Shalamcheh and Basra, which will be completed within 5 months.
The second and most important phase of the construction of this
line is the crossing of the Arvandrud, which will cost $110 million.
Iranian companies are doing the work. The first phase of this project
is the 50 kilometers from Khorramshahr to Shalamcheh, which is in its
final stages. With the construction of this rail line, in addition to
the establishment of rail connections between Iran, Iraq and Syria,
the transport of goods will begin over this line between the Caspian and
Mediterranean seas.
With the construction of the rail line Iraq will be able to export
its goods to Central Asia and Pakistan.
[Female Announcer (second report)]: The second phase of
construction has begun on the Iran-Iraq rail line, to be completed by
the end of the year, rail connections will be established between the
Mediterranean Sea and the nations of the Caucasus and Central Asia.
The second phase of this project, which began in Iraq, is the 35
kilometers between Shalamcheh and Basra. It will be completed within
five months. This line crosses the Arvandrud and will cost $110
million. Iranian companies are doing the work.
Broadcast 15 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
Elham Jalali Farhani, Journalist Club correspondent: In recent
years, as in the past, the White House has created an organic
relationship with Hollywood to use the power of the media to advance
its political objectives.
One of the methods of encouraging youth to join the army is
Pentagon cooperation with Hollywood. Among the most important
examples of coooperation between the Pentagon and Hollywood was the
making of the film Pearl Harbor. For the making of this film the
aircraft carrier John C. [Stennis] was moved from San Diego Harbor to
Pearl Harbor.
In general American policy is based on the principle of creating a
crisis first, then deciding what to do. They made the film the
framework for this exercise. In other words they present the
situation in the film first then create an artificial crisis. Then
they make a final decision based on the public response.
In recent years they have concentrated their efforts on Iran. This
is actually the height of cooperation between the CIA, the Pentagon
and Hollywood.
Films such as the War of the Worlds, 300, Persepolis, Alexandria,
Not without My Daughter, Independence Day and many others try to tell
the viewer that Iran is a threat to the world.
In the film Independence Day a space ship above the highest
American building is seen as the Islamic Republic of Iran, casting the
shadow of Islam everywhere. [chuckling] The interesting thing here is
that the Americans, after a succession of political defeats, are
making an imaginary film this time about the occupation of the spy
nest.
George Clooney, based on cooperation between the CIA, Hollywood and
the American government, will make a film about the escape of 6
American citizens from Tehran called Escape from Tehran based on the
1979 takeover of the American Embassy. The film is about Tony Mendez,
a former American CIA agent and a master of disguise who acquired a
mission during the hostage crisis. He was to get six Americans out of
the country who were hidden in a Tehran safe house. This is being
treated as a great Hollywood film. They have published six
advertisements about the film, effectively deceiving Hollywood's
prominent publications, and these publications have also published
articles about this project.
Without a doubt political objectives have been and will be the most
important motivations for the making of such fictitious films against
the Iranian nation.
Since 11 September the United States has irreversibly changed its
essence from republic to empire. America's leaders want to compare
themselves to the Roman Empire, even though they do not know that much
about the history of Rome!
Domestic opposition to the central government in Tehran is known to be widespread, but has been difficult to substantiate and quantify because of the severe restraints on free public expression in Iran. Kurdish opposition to the IRI in Western Iran has always been much more pronounced and has been violently targeted for years, most notably in the Mykonos killings in Germany in 1992, in the Vienna assassinations in 1989 and in recent border clashes with Iranian Kurds in Iraq, which are now seen as a key element in rising tensions between Iran and the US. In a 12 September Gulf News article titled "Kurdish Revolt Makes Iran Uneasy," Amir Taheri reviews the history of Kurdish opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Read it here.
In an opinion piece today in Lebanon's Daily Star David Ignatius says a military confrontation between the US and Iran would prompt Iran to order the Hezbollah in Lebanon to attack Israel, which would then be followed by an Israeli attack on Syria. He also briefly discusses four potential opportunities for averting the crisis. Read the article here.
Broadcast 14 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivered the Tehran Friday
prayer sermon today on the first Friday of the month of Ramadan. From
his gleeful facial expressions and boastful posturing, one can see that
this was a happy occasion, a time to gloat over years of political and
ideological successes against both Western adversaries and Iranian
opponents of the Khomeini revolution. There have been many such
crowing sessions over the years.
****************************************
[Announcer narrates with footage of speech and crowds filling the streets in the surrounding area]: On the first Friday prayer sermon His Holiness Ayatollah Khamenei
advised all the people to comply with divine commands. He referred
to the month of Ramadan as a month of valuable opportunities. He said
if the opportunities during this blessed month are used properly a
lifelong treasure will be obtained. Among these opportunities he
mentioned fasting, worship, reading the Koran and avoiding sin.
He said in this great month hearts must be purified to prepare for the
its blessings.
The leader of the Islamic revolution said the nation of Iran is a
spiritual society of prayer and worship. He emphasized that the
nation of Iran's spiritual relation with Almighty God has brought
astonishing results and effects and the blessed month of Ramadan must
be used to increase this spiritual treasury more than ever.
In the second Friday prayer sermon His Holiness Ayatollah Khamenei
discussed the reasons and the message behind the defeat of the
imperialist front by the Islamic Republic of Iran. He mentioned
the war between Iran and Saddam and his supporters and said the real
objective of this great and heavy project was the destruction of the
Islamic revolution because Western analysts and officials understood
that the Islamic revolution would become the central inspiration for
the Muslim world; they tried to block its progress.
He said the imposed war was a channel for various pressures from
the governments of East and West, NATO, Europe, and the region's
reactionaries against the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
He added that each one of those pressures would bring down a nation
and a country but the nation of Iran stood up against those pressures,
became more aware, stronger and more determined each day and defeated
the enemy front.
The leader of the Islamic revolution said the defeat of Saddam and
Iraq's Ba'thist regime against the nation of Iran was a basic blow to
the structure and body of that regime. He said in reality the basic
blow from the nation of Iran destroyed the aggressor Saddam and that
was his fate later on.
His Holiness Ayatollah Khamenei discussed the remarks in recent
months by American and Western officials about the embargo against the
nation of Iran. He said: During the war the nation of Iran was under
a strict embargo and various sanctions, but it has brought itself to a
place where today it has the first word in the region in terms of
military ability, and it has also made proud advances in other areas
such as the nuclear issue. This shows that any kind of embargo will
have the opposite result against the steadfast reliance on internal
power, the initiative and the spontaneity of the Iranian nation.
The leader of the Islamic revolution said the imperialist project
to defeat and suppress the Islamic revolution before the spiritual
steadfastness of the Iranian nation is a new research topic in
psychological and sociological studies; he advised scholars in the
political and social sciences to reflect on the causes of this
instructive reality.
He mentioned the dimensions of America's defeat in its effort since
11 September to create a New Middle East and ultimately to surround
and defeat the Islamic Republic of Iran. He added: In a
multidimensional plan the Americans tried to create a Middle East
based on the interests of the Zionist regime with Israel as the
capital but they were frustrated in all the dimensions of this project.
His Holiness Ayatollah Khamenei cited the coming to power of the
pious and populist Hamas government in Palestine as one of the
American defeats in creating the New Middle East. Despite the
American plots and even the unfortunate assistance from some
Palestinians, the populist Hamas government is still in power, and
this reality is a great victory for the people of Palestine over
America and Israel.
He mentioned the international importance of Jerusalem Day and
added: The nation of Iran and other Muslim nations will cry out their
support for the nation of Palestine on this great day.
The leader of the Islamic revolution cited as another dimension of
America's frustration with its project to create the New Middle East
the defeat of the Zionist regime's loud and boastful army by Lebanon's
Hezbollah. He said the Americans did not even imagine that Israel's
army would be defeated by Lebanon's Hezbollah, but the complete and
shameful defeat of Israel's army in its 33-day war with Lebanon's
Hezbollah was another frustration for the American project. The
Hezbollah not only did not disarm, they continued with more power than
before.
His Holiness Ayatollah Khamenei said Iraq is another area where
America's policies are at a dead end. He said America's
objective was to create a hand-picked government in Iraq, and
achieving this objective would have been a great help creating the
Greater Middle East and surrounding the Islamic Republic of Iran, but
after four years of occupation, all the analysts now believe America
has reached a dead end in Iraq and is looking for an honorable way
out.
His Holiness Ayatollah Khamenei said another dimension of the New
Middle East project was to weaken the Islamic Republic of Iran. He
said Iran's enemies have also been completely frustrated with this
objective because through the efforts of the nation of Iran and with
God's help the Islamic Republic of Iran is stronger today than in
previous years in all the political, scientific, economic and social
fields. The nation of Iran is more intelligent, lively and active
and is present in all public affairs.
The Exalted Leader of the Islamic Revolution mentioned the polls
that have been conducted in the Muslim nations and emphasized:
America becomes more hated every day in the Muslim world. It is
isolated in world public opinion and there is no doubt
that that nation's current president and officials will be tried one
day in an international court for creating the disaster in Iraq.
He said the demands of the American media are bearing no result.
He said: To flee the defeat that has overtaken them in Iraq the
Americans are accusing Iran, but even in the report that was read
recently in the American Congress, connecting Iraq to the US arms
market is America's only achievement in the occupation of Iraq. This
shows the ultimate defeat and weakness of the American government.
The leader of the Islamic revolution advised the nation of Iran to
appreciate the direct divine path. He said following God's path has
made this nation powerful and humiliated its enemies, and the nation
of Iran must continue alertly on this proud path. It must
come out of its vulnerability and arrive at a place where no power
will dare even to threaten it.
His Holiness Ayatollah Khamenei also honored the memory of
Ayatollah Taleqani; he mentioned that he held Tehran's first Friday
prayer by order of the hidden Imam and mentioned his emamate. He
added that Ayatollah Taleqani was a crusading steadfast ayatollah who
was tested well in various previous eras and after the revolution.
After holding and leading the Tehran Friday prayer he gradually spread
the Friday prayer throughout the country and turned it into a center
for spirituality and resistance. This center must become more
passionate and vigorous every day with the yearning of the people and
especially the youth, and through the efforts of the Friday imams.
Stephanie Nebehay said today in a Reuters piece that Amnesty International has recorded 210 hangings in Iran so far this year, compared to 177 for all of last year. Her article cited an IRNA report Thursday that Iran had hanged three more people for participation in a bombing attack in the southwestern part of the country. She noted a Thursday meeting of the UN Human Rights Council at which delegates from Canada and Portugal criticized Iran for its poor human rights record. Read the full article here.
Broadcast 12 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security
Council, gave a 90-minute press conference in Tehran yesterday. He
began by describing the Pretraeus/Crocker report to the US Congress
the day before as a "play." His own press conference was also a
carefully staged performance in which he argued that security
improvements in Iraq have been more due to the work of Iraqis than to President Bush's surge. He also criticized the US for turning Iraq into an arms market and for
not doing more to improve Iraq's public welfare infrastructure. I
have translated a key excerpt from his opening remarks below:
*************************************************
Of course this report had very skilled players and they did a good
job of preparing this play. They had to deal with a lot of problems.
They realized that after a short time this artistic commotion was
subsiding. They had to give a response to the main issue and talk
about just what they have been doing in Iraq in these four years of
occupation.
Of course there are contradictions in this report which I think
careful political observers will gradually bring out and clarify. For
example in the part where they praised the successes they have had
creating security and stability in Iraq they attributed this to the
20,000 soldiers they have added to the force in Iraq, because the
primary objective of this play was to justify Mr. Bush's decision to
add the 20,000 soldiers. They said security has been established in
Anbar Province, in Baghdad and in many other areas and said the level
of insecurity has been reduced.
At the same time they announced there is still a serious threat
from Al-Qaeda. Then at the end they concluded that now is a good
opportunity gradually to withdraw these 20,000. Do you think it is
rational that they consider this the right thing to do? If they were
so successful creating security with these 20,000, why remove them?
They should stay there. The conclusion does not fit the
introduction!
The reason goes back to something else. Yes, there have been
changes in Iraq. Security has been created. Security has gotten
better there, but not in the way stated in the report. This
was not caused by what they did! It was caused by the various desires
that have existed there. The sources of emulation (high Shia religious
authorities) and especially His Holiness Ayatollah Sistani have played
a significant role reducing the ethnic fighting. The political
parties have played a very great role. The understanding and
perception of the authentic groups in Iraq, the thinking
the Iraqis have developed since the occupation and the image they have
formed of the occupation and especially the neighbors who have helped
from the beginning to create a political process in Iraq, have all
played a role.
If anyone thinks security was established in Iraq with militarism,
then the 20,000 ought not to leave. Security has improved in Iraq
because some kind of political understanding has emerged. Some
countries have helped this to happen. The Americans are very naive
to think everyone will accept the idea that they did this by adding a
few soldiers.
I'll give an example that contradicts this. In Basra the British
soldiers left. Statistics on violence and insecurity there have
dropped sharply. If you think the statistics on violence in Iraq have
fallen because of the presence of soldiers there, the opposite has
happened in Basra! The British left Basra and the statistics there
dropped sharply! If there was an average of 6 or 7 incidents per week
there, this has dropped to one per week. This was the result of the
political understanding and rationality that have emerged for running
the government in Iraq. It seems this is something else they have not
taken into consideration. They have not realized that these things
have nothing to do with them. They have to do with political maturity
and the insight of the Iraqi government, Mr. Maleki's government, the
high Shia authorities, the political parties that have come to exist
there, all these things have played a part!
Some of the events of the last few days will clarify very soon that
the information they have given there is not correct. For example if
you remember about 20 days or a month ago a coalition formed in Iraq,
a four- or five-part coalition that held meetings. The Americans were
among the first to condemn this coalition, yet in this report they
took credit themselves for forming the coalition! We can see from this
that they have condemned themselves. How can they take credit?
We have no problem if they want to make themselves feel good about
the things other people have done, but we must realize that this was
not their work. Effective elements have played a role there. Iran
has believed from the beginning in the political process in Iraq and
the establishment of a democratic government there; we are the
only country in the region that has supported the political process in
Iraq and the project of democratizing Iraq, contrary to what it says
in this report where they gave the names of other nations. They
ignored the roles of the high Shia authorities, the government, the
political parties and and the intellectual forces in Iraq because of a
few they added. They wanted to justify...
Of course they may be right! Mr. Bush recently went there and they
had to make a good report based on his orders. This is
understandable, but the face that exists in Iraq differs from the one
shown in this report.
There are some things in this report that I'm not sure how to
describe. For example they say they have created an Iraq that has now
become an arms market for America. This is a disaster! After the
occupation that have created a market in Iraq for US arms!
How many hospitals have they built for the people in Iraq? How
many universities? How many elementary schools? How many public
health centers? If their report had given information about things
like this it would have made the people of the world very happy!
Unfortunately they have closed most of the hospitals and public health
clinics in Iraq. They don't have a single hospital in Baghdad! This
is what they have done. They have left two hours of electricity for
the nation of Iraq. You should give the people of Iraq water and
electricity!
Iran is the only country giving Iraq fuel! Last year we gave Iraq
a huge amount of fuel in difficult circumstances. We gave them gas oil
and kerosene. We are the only country that is giving Iraq
electricity! Have they given Iraq electricity or created resources?
In Samarra the greatest insult was perpetrated against Muslim
sacred symbols. Have they done anything against the violence? Today
they are killing Sunnis in the name of the Shias and they are killing
Shias in the name of the Sunnis. We have intelligence about this! We
know what is happening in Iraq.
Was the aversion of civil war following the Samarra incident the
work of their soldiers, or was it the result of the actions of the
Shia high authorities? Was it the result of the actions of the leader
of the Islamic revolution who advised the people? We remained calm
despite all this unrest. Instead of producing a good performance
report on Iraq they are saying they created an arms market in Iraq!
This is a disaster for us.
In an article published in the Financial Times today Najmeh Bozorgmehr described two ways in which Iran benefits from the US presence in Iraq, despite its constant demands that the US withdraw. She says Iran has benefited from the removal of Saddam Hussein because this has improved Iran's regional standing and brought success to the Iranian project to advance Shia political objectives in Iraq. Iran also benefits from the US presence because this presence acts as a buffer between Iran and its Sunni adversaries in the Arab world, who would feel compelled if the US were not in Iraq to increase support for Sunni opponents of Iran's Shia proxies in Iraq. Read the article here.
Broadcast 11 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
Haleh Esfandiari censored in Western media! After Haleh said at a
Washington press conference that she was not treated badly during her
period of detention at Evin Prison and that prison officials treated
her with great courtesy, the Western media and especially the
Americans distorted and censored her remarks.
Haleh Esfandiari said that during her detention nothing was ever
said to her about a trial or the existence of a case against her. She
said her cell at Evin Prison was well-lighted and relatively large and
that she even read, exercised and wrote a book in it. She said there
was no small dark solitary cell. These remarks by the director of the
Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars in Washington, D.C. were not reported in the media except on
a few sites.
At the same time Kian Tajbakhsh, who is currently being held at Evin
Prison, told journalists "I have all the resources in prison other
than a swimming pool."
Tajbakhsh: As I said, with regard to prison conditions I have
access to a television. The whole time I have been at Evin I have
been in a cell with a private bathroom. As I said, I have limited
visits with my wife, I have almost daily telephone contact and there
are also other resources.
The spokeman for the judicial power also reported today that he
will soon be released from prison.
In the English edition of today's Al-Hayat Jamil Theyabi notes the threat IRGC Naval Commander Ali Razmjoo has made to turn the Gulf countries into "hell" if the US invades Iran. He urges the Arab governments in the region to be careful about supporting Iran's policies and to take Razmjoo seriously. Read the article here.
Walid Phares projects current trends in Iranian regional ambitions and support for Iraqi dissident groups to produce a well-reasoned scenario about what Iraq would look like if the US suddenly withdrew. Read it here.
Broadcast 10 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
Iranian pilgrims were fingerprinted again in Saudia Arabia. An
official in our nation's Pilgrimage and Hajj Organization's
representative office in Saudi Arabia has said another caravan of
Iranian pilgrims performing the minor pilgrimage to Mecca were
fingerprinted at Jeddah Airport. This is the third caraan of Iranian
pilgrims to be fingerprinted in the last two weeks in Saudi Arabia.
Before this several high officials in the Foreign Ministry and the
Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization have said if we see that the
fingerprinting is being done deliberately and not randomly, we will
take a different approach to the matter..
Yesterday Hosseini, our nation's ambassador in Saudi Arabia, warned
in a meeting with officials from this country that they must deal
severely with certain hard-line individuals who are treating the
Iranian pilgrims in an inappropriate way. Recently some hard-line
salafist clerics have been creating problems for Iranian pilgrims in
the area of the two shrines.
******************************
The use of the term "salafist" in this Iranian broadcast is
considered derogatory and most likely refers to clerics from the Saudi Wahabi
sect of Islam.
Broadcast 10 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
The [Shia] Iraqi newspaper al-Bayyina al-Jadida reports that Iraqi
Ministry of the Interior officials have announced that the ones who
bombed the dome of the Samarra al-Askari Mosque were affiliated with
the Irsraeli Mossad spy organization. Based on this report the agents
arrested for this crime also admitted that the operations in Samarra
were organized and carried out with the awareness and cooperation of
certain nations to create ethnic and religious conflict in Iraq.
Iraqi Minister of the Interior Jawad al-Bolani said the details
of the investigation of the terrorist event in Samarra will be
announced within four days. Last year the terrorists bombed the dome
at this shrine and several months ago they also destroyed the minarets at
the shrine for Imam Hadi and Imam Hassan Asgari.
Broadcast 10 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)
The Persian Gulf has many large and small islands. There are about
130 islands in the Persian Gulf, of which 25 belong to Iran. Each of
these islands has special characteristics that are always of interest.
The islands of the Persian Gulf can be studied in terms of the way
they were formed and in terms of the their forms. In terms of origin
these islands are divided into four groups; sedimentary islands,
manufactured islands, islands that were created by movement of the
earth's crust and coral islands. The islands are either naturally
parallel to the coast or they are more or less round. A number of
islands, especially in the mouth of the Persian Gulf, follow the
Zagros promontories. Geologically, they display the characteristics
of the Zagros fold.
Almost all the Iranian Persian Gulf islands are inhabited. Some of
them have few residents such as Hangam and Siri Islands. Some of the
islands also have more families and life on those islands even goes
back to the period before Christ. At the mouth of the Persian Gulf we
go from the Sea of Oman to the Strait of Hormuz to Hormuz Island.
This is considered the key to the Persian Gulf because it is
geographically adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz. Hormuz Island has
special importance commercially and for military mobilization. It has
an area of about 45 square kilometers and it is 59 kilometers from the
nearest point on Iran's coast.
In ancient times Hormuz Island was a place for trade with India,
China and the East. History books write in detail about the
prosperity of this island. The name of the Strait of Hormuz is taken
from its name. Hormuz's neighbor islands are Laraj,
Hangam and Qeshm.
Qeshm is the largest island in the Persian Gulf. Its area is 1,491
square kilometers. It is about 2.5 times as large as the second
largest island in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain.
Before the birth of Christ Qeshm Island was prosperous and had a
significant population. It was the governing center for the islands
and ports of the Persian Gulf.
In the southeastern part of Qeshm Island there are caves with round
entrances on a relatively high plateau which are actually stone
entrances. Behind these openings is a 25-meter hallway that is 2.8
meters high, dug out with an adze.
Studies on the construction details of these caves attribute them
to the time of the Medes [2000 B.C. - 800 -B.C.]. This site, which is
known as the Khorbas Caves, shows the existence of a specific
government and an urban civilization in the era of the Medes on Qeshm
Island.
In the village of Laft on Qeshm near Naderi Castle there are 366
shallow wells for collecting rainwater, of which 100 have been
excavated and are in use. These wells are known as the Golden Wells
and are thought to have been dug in the time of the Achaemenids
[559-339 BC].
********************************
Sohail Forouzan-sepehr gives more information about Qeshm Island on his website.
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