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Articles 2004
(in chronological order, most recent articles on top)
Monday, December 27, 2004IRANIANS TO HAVE A TELEVISION FROM HOLLANDIn a surprise move, the Dutch Parliament approved last week a 15 million Euros (20 million US Dollars) budget to create a new television service in Farsi (Persian) language. By Safa Haeri.
HOUSHANG POURSHARI’ATI, ONE OF IRAN’S BEST JOURNALISTS, DIEDFriday, December 24, 2004 Houshang Pourshari’ati, one of Iran’s best journalists and the last General Director of Pars news agency, the former regime’s official news agency died Wednesday morning in a New York hospital, aged 70. By Safa Haeri.
ARREST OF AMERICAN AND ISRAELI SPIES NOT SERIOUS: EXPERTSThursday, December 23, 2004 Experts and intelligence community did not take seriously the so-called revelations made on Wednesday 22 December by the Iranian Information (Intelligence) Minister concerning the arrest of 10 “spies” on charges passing nuclear information to American and Israelis. By Safa Haeri.
MORE WOMEN ON DEATH ROW IN THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRANSunday, December 19, 2004 The Islamic Republic is increasing brutal treatment of women in Iran despite calls from the European Union and international human rights organisations to pay more attention to the appalling human rights situation. By Safa Haeri.
EU LEADERS CALL ON IRAN TO KEEP NUCLEAR ENGAGEMENTSFriday, December 17, 2004 Leaders of the 25- member European Union on Friday called on Iran to keep its nuclear installations shut against closer relations with Europe. By Safa Haeri.
IRANIAN GIRL WITH MENTAL AGE OF 8 ON THE DEATH ROWWednesday, December 15, 2004 A 19-year old girl, Leyla M, who is reported to have a mental age of eight, faces imminent execution for "morality-related" offences after being forced into prostitution by her mother as a child. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN SAYS BRUSSELS TALKS OPEN NEW CHAPTER WITH EUROPEMonday, December 13, 2004 First round of sensitive talks between Iran in trhe one side, Britain, France and Germany on the other ended here on Monday with the Head of Iranian delegation announcing the opening of a “new chapter” in relations between the two sides. By Safa Haeri.
DAIMLER CHRYSLER UNDER GERMAN INVESTIGATIONSSaturday, December 11, 2004 The German-American giant car and truck maker Daimler-Chrysler is under investigation for some 453 units of truck-trailers sold to Saudi Arabia but surfaced in Iran, it was learned on Saturday 11 December 2004. By Parviz Mardani.
THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC ALMOST OUSTED FROM THYSSEN KRUPPFriday, December 10, 2004 The Islamic Republic of Iran suffered Thursday another humiliating blow at the hands of the United States when the German heavy industry giant Thyssen Krupp accepted to drop the representative of the Iranian government from its supervisory board, informed sources confirmed. By Parviz Mardani.
IRANIAN DISSIDENTS TO FORM UNITED REFERENDUM FRONTTuesday, December 7, 2004 After years of bitter internal divisions and a series of crackdowns from the Islamic Republic, the Iranian democratic opposition in the last two weeks has organized a united front to push for a referendum on the powers of the supreme leader. By Eli Lake and Safa Haeri.
"ONLY DEMOCRACY WOULD SAVE IRAN", KHATAMI TOLD STUDENTSMonday, December 6, 2004 Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, in a major speech that could well be the last before the end of his presidency next May, bitterly criticized the hard liners as well as some of the reformists for the sad situation the Islamic Republic both at home and in the world.
DISSIDENT JOURNALISTS OFFERING EXCUSES AND CONFESSIONSSunday, December 5, 2004 In a marked return to old demons, the Iranian Judiciary power which is directly controlled by Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i is reverting to letters of repentance written by intellectuals coming out of prisons.
IRAN TO REJECT IAEA RESOLUTION IN NEAR FUTURE, HARD LINE PAPERThursday, December 2, 2004 “The resolution that the international nuclear watchdog passed on Iran in November and all its clauses that are imposed on Iran would be declared as void in coming months”, an advisor to the Iranian leader predicted on Wednesday. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN SCORED MAJOR VICTORY AS IAEA APPROVED EUROPE'S RESOLUTIONMonday, November 29, 2004 Iran formally escaped Monday possible economic sanctions from the United Nations Security Council after the Board of Directors of the international nuclear watchdog approved a draft resolution tabled by Britain, France and Germany. By Safa Haeri.
FULL TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE IAEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON IRANMonday, November 29, 2004 Full text of the draft resolution proposed Monday to the Board of Directors of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Draft Resolution submitted by France, Germany and the United Kingdom. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN, EUROPEAN BIG 3 NEAR AGREEMENT ON DRAFT RESOLUTIONSunday, November 28, 2004 Iran and the European Union’s Big Three narrowed Sunday their differences over a draft resolution to be presented Monday to the Board of Directors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), helping Tehran to escape from international mandatory sanctions, informed Iranian and European sources confirmed to Iran Press Service. By Safa Haeri.
TEHRAN URGED TO RENOUNCE OFFICIALLY TO EXCEEPTING SOME CENTRIFUGESFriday, November 26, 2004 Iran was asked by the International nuclear watchdog to spell out in an official letter that it renounces to except some centrifuges from the deal it coined on 15 November with the European Union’s so-called “Big 3”, Iran Press Service learned from informed sources in Vienna. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN IAEA AND TROIKA ON LOGGER HEAD IN VIENNAFriday, November 26, 2004 Iranians and the Europeans in charge of the Iran’s controversial nuclear program met en tete a tete Friday at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to patch up divergences and “misunderstandings” that the surfaced Thursday at the beginning of the Agency’s Board of Directors here in Vienna. By Safa Haeri.
NEXT IAEA MEETING ON IRAN LIKELY TO BE "BUSINESS AS USUAL"Monday, November 22, 2004 Iran is expected to score a half diplomatic success when the Board of Directors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meets on Thursday 25 November in Vienna to review controversial nuclear activities of the Islamic Republic. By Safa Haeri.
TRIUMPH OF US DIPLOMACY IS ALSO TRIUMPH OF IRANIAN HARD LINERSSaturday, November 20, 2004 Diplomats in Vienna said Saturday 20 November that Tehran was transforming important quantities of yellow cake into hexafluoride gas that could be used for making nuclear weapon. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN WARNS IAEA "NOT TO PLAY IN THE HANDS OF TERRORISTS"Thursday, November 18, 2004 Iran rejected Thursday as "baseless" allegations by the outlawed Mojahedeen Khalq Organisation (MKO) claiming that it has secret nuclear bomb centres near Tehran. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN - EU’S BIG 3 ANNOUNCES AGREEMENTMonday, November 15, 2004 Iran said on Monday that it considers 25 November as an “important date” for the future of its relations with both the European Union and the International nuclear watchdog. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN CALLS ON THE PALESTINIANS TO KEEP THE STRUGGLE ALIVEThursday, November 11, 2004 The Islamic Republic of Iran joined the international community offering its condolences to the Palestinian people Thursday over the death of Yasser Arafat and appealed to them to remain unified in the face of "Zionist aggression" and on the Muslim world to emulate the Islamic Republic in supporting the Palestinian resistance against the “usurpers”. By Safa Haeri.
IRANIAN-MADE DRONES FLEW OVER ISRAELTuesday, November 9, 2004 Verbal menaces between Israel and Iran are bound to escalate after it was found that Tehran assisted its Lebanese surrogate to fly a unmanned aircraft over northern parts of Israel, taking pictures. By Safa Haeri.
USING NUCLEAR WEAPONS BRINGS HAVOC FOR IRANMonday, November 8, 2004 A high-ranking officer of the Iranian revolutionary Guards admitted Monday for the first time that using atomic weapons by Iran would have “adverse results” for the country.
CHINA REFUSES TO HELP IRAN AT THE UNITED NATIONSSaturday, November 6, 2004 China said on Saturday that it will oppose the transfer to the United Nations Security Council of Iran’s nuclear file, but stopped short of saying it would use its veto power in case the United States and European Union’s three major nations presses for harsh sanctions against Tehran. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN, EU TRIO IN "COMPLICATED" TALKS IN PARISFriday, November 5, 2004 The Islamic Republic of Iran and its three major European interlocutors are engaged in "complicated negotiations" over Tehran’s controversial nuclear programs since this morning in Paris and according to one senior Iranian official, "some small progress" has been achieved so far. By Safa Haeri.
ZHILA IZADI CALLS ON INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES FOR HELPSaturday, October 30, 2004 Ms Zhila Izadi, the 13 years-old Iranian girl who was sentenced to death by stoning according to Islamic canons because of sexual relation with his elder brother has appealed to international human rights organizations and world governments for help. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN WOULD NOT ACCEPT LONG-TERM SUSPENSION OF NUCLEAR ACTIVITIESThursday, October 28, 2004 Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced Thursday that Iran would not accept long-term suspension of enriching uranium. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN NOT YET CERTAIN WHICH WAY TO GO ON NUCLEAR ISSUETuesday, October 26, 2004 Sharply divided, the ruling Iranian hard liners are blowing cold and hot on the country's position concerning the controversial nuclear programs, the debate centering on whether to continue cooperation with International community or ending it. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN REJECTS EUROPE’S PLANS AND PROPOSES ITS OWN "TRIGGER MECHANISM"Sunday, October 24, 2004 The Islamic Republic of Iran rejected on Sunday 24 October 2004 the European Union’s so-called “Big 3” demanding Iran to stop all activities related to uranium enrichment.
EUROPEAN ONLINE PRESS MOBILISES FOR IMPRISONED IRANIAN JOURNALISTSSaturday, October 23, 2004 20 leading European online news sites have rallied to join Reporters Sans Frontieres, or Reporters Without Borders in support of colleagues in Iran as the fifth journalist was arrested on 18 October in a crackdown against the online media. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN, BIG-3 TO CONTINUE CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUEThursday, October 21, 2004 Iran’s crucial talk with the European Union’s so-called Big 3, namely Britain, France and Germany on the Trio’s latest “package” to Tehran ended Thursday with both sides agreeing to continue the dialogue on Iranian controversial nuclear programs. By Safa Haeri.
MKO HAS NO INFORMATION OF IRANIAN NUCLEAR SITESWednesday, October 20, 2004 The Mojahedin (Khaq Organisation, MKO) have no secret information about secret Iranian nuclear sites, contrary of what the group pretends”, a former high-ranking commander of the outlawed organization said. By Safa Haeri.
EXPECTED TO WIN, KARZAI WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH OPPONENTSMonday, October 18, 2004 First results from Afghanistan's first presidential election put incumbent President Hamid Karzai in the lead, according to the Joint Electoral Management Board (JEMB), that gave the present Prime Minister 62.9%, ten per cent lower than the first return of the votes. <> By Safa Haeri.
THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC CONDEMNS A 13 YEAR OLD GIRL TO STONINGSaturday, October 16, 2004 Almost two months after having hanged a 16 years-old girl, the ruling Iranian ayatollahs are to commit another human crime by condemning another young girl to stoning. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN NOW AT A CRUCIAL CROSS ROADS OVER NUCLEAR AMBITIONSFriday, October 15, 2004 As the group of eight most industrialised powers gathered in Washington on Friday 15 October 2004 to decide on a possible united stand concerning Iran’s nuclear ambitions, some hard line officials rejected before hand the latest “carrot and stick” proposal put forward by the European Union. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN TO REJECT CALLS FOR ENDING ENRICHING URANIUMTuesday, October 12, 2004 Russia joined Britain, France and Germany, known as the European Union’s “Big 3” demanding the Islamic Republic to heed the international community for suspending enriching uranium, a vital process in the chain of producing nuclear weapons. By Safa Haeri.
AFGHANS WENT TO THE POLLS AMIDST CONTROVERSIESSaturday, October 9, 2004 Elections, the first more or less free and democratic exercise ever held in this nation, ended amid controversy. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN AND SYRIA TO FORM A NEW ANTI-AMERICAN-ISRAELI AXISFriday, October 8, 2004 Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and his Syrian host Bashar Asad discussed best ways and means to form a new anti-American-Israeli axis to take off pressures Washington and Tel Aviv are putting on them. By Safa Haeri.
IRANIAN NEO-CONS MAKE POWER PLAY IN TEHRANWednesday, October 6, 2004 At a time when Iran finds itself under increasing international pressure over its nuclear program, the country’s domestic political balance is coming under increasing strain. A new Iranian neo-conservative movement, comprised mostly of young and fervent advocates of Islamic republican ideals, is making a bid to seize control of Iran’s political agenda. By Kamal Nazer Yasin.
MAJLES IMPEACHED KHATAMI’S ROAD AND TRANSPORT MINISTERSunday, October 3, 2004 Iran’s beleaguered President Mohammad Khatami was dealt a severe blow on Sunday after the conservatives-controlled Majles impeached Mr. Ahmad Khorram, his Minister of Roads and Transportation by a large majority.
SAVE THE WORLD FROM A NUCLEAR DAMOCLES SWORDFriday, October 1, 2004 Iran’s controversial nuclear program was the subject of articles in two major French newspapers, one warning on the dangers of a nuclear Iran and the other arguing on the reasons that pushes the Iranian ruling ayatollahs to build the atomic bomb. By Safa Haeri.
THE HATE OF THE PEOPLE REACHING EXPLOSION POINTTuesday, September 28, 2004 The demonstrations that took place on Sunday 26 September 2004 shows above all the degree of the hate the Iranians have for the ruling ayatollahs and the vulnerability of the Islamic Republic. By Safa Haeri.
A HUMILIATED KHATAMI CANCELLS VISIT TO TURKEYSunday, September 26, 2004 Iran’s embattled President Mohammad Khatami reported sine die an official visit to Turkey, scheduled for Tuesday 28 September 2004, the government’s spokesman Abollah Ramezanzadeh announced Sunday at the end of cabinet’s meeting.
ALL IRAN’S NUCLEAR-RELATED SITES WORK PERFECTLYSaturday, September 25, 2004 Iran reiterated on Saturday that its determination to reach full nuclear circle was non negotiable, but at the same time repeated that since the project is for civilian purposes, it would continue cooperating with both the European trio and the international nuclear watchdog. By Safa Haeri.
HARD LINE MAJLES DEALT A HEAVY BLOW TO KHATAMI'S GOVERNMENTThursday, September 23, 2004 Iran's conservative-dominated Majles, or parliament dealt the government of powerless Mohammad Khatami a major blow by approving, with a small majority, a bill that imposes on the government serious strings when it signs major deals with foreign firms.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ALARMED AT IRAN’S NUCLEAR POSITIONTuesday, September 21, 2004 The Islamic Republic of Iran, in a visible defiance and disdain for the international community, announced Tuesday that on line with its nuclear policy, it has “successfully” converted tones of yellow cake into refined uranium gas.
IRAN OFFERS STICK AND CARROT TO THE IAEA, EUROPE AND USSunday, September 19, 2004 Hojjatoleslam Hasan Rohani, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) announced on Sunday 19 September 2004 that Iran refuses any resolution which binds it to suspend its uranium enrichment process By Safa Haeri.
IRAN WARNED IAEA TO REPORT IT TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICEFriday, September 17, 2004 Iran warned the IAEA that if its Board of Governors passes a resolution imposing on Iran to terminate its uranium enrichment, Iran might opt for lodging a complaint with the International Court of Justice. By Safa Haeri.
AS TEHRAN AND WASHINGTON EXCHANGE ACCUSATIONS, US AND EU GET TOGETHER ON IRANThursday, September 16, 2004 As the European Union’s so-called “Big 3” and the United States reached an agreement on a draft resolution concerning Iran’s controversial nuclear activities, the regime’s former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani warned the Europeans that there are limits to Iran’s capacity for compromise. By Safa Haeri.
AS IAEA SOFT PEDALS, OPEC TAKES OVER ON THE NEWS HEADLINESTuesday, September 14, 2004 The usually calm city of Vienna continue to be one of the world’s most news generating point, as alongside of the ongoing battle in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over the controversial Iranian nuclear activities, ministers from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) are also here to discuss the situation of oil markets, as prices hovers around 40 dollars per barrel. By Safa Haeri.
THERE IS NO DEADLINE FOR IRAN, SAYS IAEA BOSSMonday, September 13, 2004 The international nuclear watchdog agency, the European Union's "Big 3" in the one hand and the Islamic Republic of Iran on the other continued their exchange of nice words and compliments coupled with threats on Monday in Vienna. By Safa Haeri.
NO MAJOR DECISION ON IRAN'S ISSUE EXPECTED AT IAEA "FOR NOW"Sunday, September 12, 2004 "There would be no surprises at the tomorrow (Monday) meeting of the directors of the International Atomic Agency in relation to Iran's nuclear activities", an informed source speculated in the Austrian Capital on Sunday. By Safa Haeri.
AS IRAN STANDS FIRM ON NUCLEAR ISSUE, EU MOVES CLOSER TO THE USFriday, September 10, 2004 As Britain, France and Germany adopted a tougher language, if not attitude towards Iran, going closer to the position of the United States, Tehran reiterated Friday commitments to its nuclear ambitions. By Safa Haeri.
ISLAMIC IRAN, ORTHODOX ARMENIA, STRANGE BEDFELLOWSThursday, September 9, 2004 President Mohammad Khatami described the relationship between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the orthodox Christian Armenia as a benchmark of peaceful co-existence and cooperation between neighbours. By Safa Haeri.
ELECTIONS CAMPAINING STARTED IN AFGANISTANWednesday, September 8, 2004 Candidates to the next month's presidential election in Afghanistan started campaigning on Tuesday 7 September, with the present Prime Minister-President Hamid Karzai, the favourite of the Americans, given by most analysts as the victor.
IRANIAN BASIJI WOMEN DENOUNCED FRANCE’S ANTI-HEJAB LAWSSunday, September 5, 2004 Several Iranian fundamentalist women demonstrated Sunday in front of the French Embassy in Tehran denouncing what they described as France’s “anti-hejab interdiction laws”.
IRAN INSISTS THAT IT IS NOT ENRICHING URANIUMSunday, September 5, 2004 The Islamic Republic of Iran on Sunday repeated that it was still going on with its commitment to suspend uranium enrichment. By Safa Haeri.
IRANIAN OPPOSITION URGES TEHRAN TO RESPECT NUCLEAR DEALSSaturday, September 4, 2004 As international pressures increases on the Islamic Republic of Iran concerning its controversial nuclear projects, several Iranian opposition personalities and groups urged the Iranian clerical-led authorities to stop at once all suspicious atomic activities. By Safa Haeri.
SEVERAL IRANIANS SUSPECTED OF NUCLEAR ESPIONAGE ARRESTEDTuesday, August 31, 2004 Iran revealed on Tuesday that it has arrested several people charged with spying on Iranian nuclear activities
ISLAMIC KIDNAPPERS GIVE FRANCE ANOTHER 24 HOURS FOR JOURNALISTSMonday, August 30, 2004 In a dramatic appeal to their government, the two French journalists kidnapped ten days ago in Iraq demanded in a video to heed their captors' demand and rescind a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools or else they might be killed soon. By Safa Haeri.
ALLEGED ISRAELI SPY IN PENTAGON WAS IN CONTACT WITH IRANIAN “FIXER”Saturday, August 28, 2004 The man FBI suspects as having spied for Israel has met Manouchehr Qorbanifar, an Iranian arms dealer involved in the Iran-Contra deal scandal of the 1980s. By Safa Haeri.
EXECUTION OF 16 YEARS OLD GIRL OUTRAGES PUBLIC OPINIONFriday, August 27, 2004 Iranians and international community expressed outrage at reported execution of the 16-year-old Ateqeh Rajabi on vague charges of un-Islamic behaviour. By Safa Haeri.
ARAFAT, FROM ZENITH TO INFERNOWednesday, August 25, 2004 In his last intervention at the Palestinian Legislative Council, or parliament, Yaser Arafat, the 75 years old Chairman of the Palestinian Authority “admitted” to wide spread “corruption” and “mistakes” in his Administration and promised he would take measure to wipe out abuse of power. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN DEFEATED REFORMISTS ARE DIVIDED OVER WHAT TO DO NEXTSunday, August 22, 2004 Iran's reformers are in crisis. The organizational framework for the reformist movement, the Second of Khordad Front, is considered by many Iranians to be passive, ideologically divided, and far too accommodating to the Islamic Republic's authoritarian establishment. The front has decreased its public demonstrations and its platform for an Islamic democratic state is purposefully vague. With its declining fate may disappear the last chance for non-violent reform from within Iran. By Majid Mohammadi.
IS IRAN SERIOUS ABOUT HITTING ISRAEL?Saturday, August 21, 2004 As the war of words escalate between the Islamic Republic and the Jewish State, with both sides menacing each other with their latest weapons, including Shahab-3 missiles for Iran and Arrow for Israel, some Arab commentators wonder whether Tehran is serious in its menaces against Israel. By Abdul Rahman Al Rashid.
IRANIAN THREATS MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, ANALYSTS SAYSThursday, August 19, 2004 Iranian analysts on Thursday 19 August 2004 expressed "serious concern" about Iranian Defence Minister's latest declaration warning that Iran might launch a pre-emptive strike against the United States or Israel to prevent an attack on its nuclear facilities. By Safa Haeri.
IRANIANS DIVIDED ON MIRESMA’ILI’S REFUSAL TO MEET ISRAELI JUDOKAMonday, August 16, 2004 As Olympic judo officials say they need more evidence before any action can be taken against Iran for an apparent political boycott of a bout with an Israeli, many Iranians and sports commentators regretted that Mr. Arash Miresma’ili refused to fight his Israeli competitor over “sympathy with the Palestinian people”. By Safa Haeri.
ARMED IRAQI ISLAMIST GROUP ORDERS IRAN TO FREE IRAQI POW’SSunday, August 15, 2004 The Islamic Republic regarded as “suspicious” a menace by the Islamic Army of Iraq, threatening Sunday 15 August 2004 to “punish” and Iranian diplomat it kidnapped last week.
IRAN’S NEO-CONSERVATIVES POISED TO TAKE CHARGE OF POLITICAL AGENDASaturday, August 14, 2004 In response to deepening domestic and social challenges, a neo-conservative movement is fast gaining influence in Iran, and now appears poised to take charge of shaping the country’s political agenda. By Kamal Nazer Yasin.
WHY NOT A KURDISH-ISRAELI ALLIANCE?Wednesday, August 11, 2004 In a recent interview with an Arabic daily, Mr. Mas’oud Barzani, the leader of the Democratic Party of (Iraqi) Kurdistan said if the Kurds decided to open diplomatic relations with Israel, they would do it “on the open and announce it officially”. By Safa Haeri.
IRANIAN JOURNALISTS ARRESTED IN BAGHDADWednesday, August 11, 2004 As relations between Iran and Iraq continue to degrade, the official Iranian news agency IRNA confirmed on Wednesday 11 August that the Iraqi police had arrested its bureau chief in Baghdad and three Iraqi journalists.
IRAN TEST FIRED NEW VERSION OF SHAHAB 3 MISSILEWednesday, August 11, 2004 As expected, Iran confirmed on Wednesday 11 August 2004 the test firing of its Shahab-3 missile.
IRAN SAID IS UPDATING NUCLEAR DEFENCE AND MISSILESSaturday, August 7, 2004 Iran revealed on Saturday 7 of August 2004 that it has a “deterrent nuclear defence” program and is improving it along its delivery system based on the Shahab-3 missile system. By Safa Haeri.
KHATAMI’S VISIT TO BAKU WOULD SOLVE NO MAJOR OUTSTANDING DISPUTESThursday, August 5, 2004 Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan signed on Thursday ten agreements and protocols aiming at improving and increasing trade between the tow neighbouring, Shi’a dominated nations.
AUTHORITIES STEP UP REPERESSION AGAINST THE POPULATIONMonday, August 2, 2004 The Islamic Republic had dramatically increased the level of social repressions, mostly against women and the youngsters following the control of the Majles, according to press and eyewitnesses reports. By Safa Haeri.
ERDOGAN BACK HOME FROM HIS TEHRAN VISIT EMPTY HANDSSaturday, July 31, 2004 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan came back from his official two-days visit to Tehran on Thursday evening empty hand except for a vague promise by the Iranian side to increase fight against the Turkish separatist group Kongra-Gel, formerly know as the Workers Party of (Turish) Kurdistan. By Safa Haeri.
IRANIAN JUSTICE NEW RABBIT: KAZEMI DIED OF DROP OF SUGAR PRESSUREWednesday, July 28, 2004 The Iranian Judiciary has taken out a new rabbit out of its sleeve, saying that Mrz. Zahra Kazemi died of a “sudden drop in her blood sugar caused by hunger strike”. By Safa Haeri.
ERDOGAN IN TEHRAN TO FOSTER TIES WITH IRANTuesday, July 27, 2004 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Tehran Tuesday evening for a two day official visit, during which he would discuss with the Iranians about several topics, including gas sales, a controversial dispute over an airport contract, enhancing cooperation and operations against Kurdish rebels, Iran's foreign ministry said Sunday. By Safa Haeri.
AQDAM AHMADI, THE SUSPECT OF THE MURDER OF ZAHRA KAZEMI ACQUITTEDSaturday, July 24, 2004 Mohammad Reza Aqdam Ahmadi, the officer of the Intelligence Ministry accused of “semi-intentional manslaughter” in the case of the Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi was acquitted on Saturday 24 July.
TEHRAN FEARS POSSIBLE “TOUGH” MEASURES FROM BUSHFriday, July 23, 2004 “Deducting from what comes out from Washington these last weeks and days, I seriously would say that the Bush Administration is considering serious measures against Iran”, one prominent analyst told Iran Press Service on condition of anonymity. By Safa Haeri.
A DOZEN OF PROMINENT IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONERS OBSERVES HUNGER STRIKEWednesday, July 21, 2004 Iranian lawyer and human rights campaigner confirmed Wednesday that a dozen of prominent Iranian political personalities and students, among them Mr. Naser Zarafshan and Heshmatollah Tabarzadi are in hunger strike since two weeks ago By Safa Haeri.
IRAN US RELATIONS CONTINUE DOWNWARD TRENDTuesday, July 20, 2004 The Islamic Republic of Iran rejected as “utterly baseless” new American allegations that it was harboring al-Qa’eda leaders and could have been linked to the 11 September 2001 attacks carried by this organization against World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. By Safa Haeri.
AMIDST GENERAL INDIGNATION, THE IRANIAN JUDICIARY ENDED THE TRIAL OF KAZEMI’S CASESunday, July 18, 2004 The surprising decision of the president of the tribunal that tries an Intelligence Ministry’s agent accused of the death of Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi points to a hot confrontation among the Iranian ruling conservatives, according to political analysts.
18 TIR MARKS THE RUTPTURE BETWEEN IRANIAN STUDENTS AND THE REGIMESaturday, July 17, 2004 “18 Tir (Iranian date corresponding to 8 July) marked the start of the separation of the movement of Iranian students with the Islamic republic and their lack of confidence in this regime”, according to Mr. Sa’id Razavi-Faqih, an influential leader of Iranian students. By Safa Haeri.
TRIAL OF KAZEMI’S SUSPECTED MURDERER OPENED PUBLICLYSaturday, July 17, 2004 The trial of Mr. Mohammad Reza Aqdam Ahmadi, a 43 years-old agent of the Intelligence Ministry the Judiciary says is suspected of the murder of Ms. Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian photographer started Saturday in Tehran.
IRAN AND CANADA RELATIONS SUFFERS OVER THE MURDER OF Ms. KAZEMIThursday, July 15, 2004 In continuation of its new policy of “building tension”, the Islamic Republic of Iran entered a new phase of diplomatic conflict with Canada after it refused to allow Canadian observers attending the trial of a man suspected to have caused the death of Ms. Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist murdered last year while in an Iranian prison. By Safa Haeri.
SHARIFZADEGAN APPROVED AS NEW MINISTER WITH SMALL MAJORITYWednesday, July 14, 2004 In its first major act, the new Iranian Parliament, or Majles, dominated by the ruling conservatives approved with a small majority Mr. Mohammad Hoseyn Sharifzadegan, 51, as minister for the newly created Social Welfare Ministry.
AFGHAN POLITICIANS WANT ELECTIONS DELAYED TWO YEARSMonday, July 12, 2004 As the Afghan electoral Commission separated the presidential elections from the legislative races, Afghan analysts and politicians expressed resentment, saying time is not yet ready for any kind of elections before at least two years time. By Safa Haeri.
YOUNG IRANIANS WANT FREEDOM AND SUCCESS IN LIFESaturday, July 10, 2004 Younger Iranians, including the students, fed up with 25 years of constant religious propaganda by the regime, are looking to new ways to succeed in life, far away from the official ideology. By Delphine Minoui.
"WE SHALL NEVER FORGET 18 TIR" (8 JULY)Thursday, July 8, 2004 As the Iranian government firmly stopped the students commemorating the anniversary of 8 July 1999 revolt against the Islamic Republic, stating that the event has "no meaning" to be commemorated, students warned they would take their complaints against the regime to the United Nations.
IRAN AND IRAQ, FUTURE LEADERS OF THE MIDDLE EAST OR BITTER ENEMIESMonday, July 5, 2004 The surprise hand over of powers from the Americans to the Washington-installed Iraqi government on 28 of June, 48 hours before the official date surprised the Iranians as well. By Safa Haeri.
HASHEM AQAJARI ESCAPES DEATH PENALTYSaturday, July 3, 2004 Mr. Hashem Aqajari, an Iranian scholar and islamist thinker that had warned Iranians not to follow the clerics “blindfold” was saved from death after a court that was trying him on Saturday dropped charges of blasphemy and heretic.
MAKE THE MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA "FREE NUCLEAR ZONES"Friday, July 2, 2004 “To help a lasting peace in the Middle East and the world, it is better to start from declaring the region and Asia free military nuclear zones”, reiterated former Iranian Foreign Affairs minister Ardeshir Zahedi. By Safa Haeri.
AMERICANS HAVE RESUMED TALKS WITH TALEBAN IN AFGHANISTANThursday, July 1, 2004 American and Afghan officials are in “constant contact and negotiations” with senior Taleban leaders, including some ministers of the ousted fundamentalist islamist regime, according to Mr. Latif Pedram, the spokesman and co-founder of Afghanistan National Congress. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN VERY SERIOUS ABOUT RESUMING NUCLEAR ACTIVITIESTuesday, June 29, 2004 PARIS, 29 June (IPS) As Iran’s top negotiators start a new round of negotiations with the European Union and international inspectors visited one of Iran’s sites said it was a nuclear lab, Iranian analysts said Tehran is "very serious" about resuming its enriching uranium programs. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONSSunday, June 27, 2004 In the view of Mr. Ardeshir Zahedi, a former Iranian Foreign Affaires Minister, the Islamic Republic needs a nuclear capacity to raise the stakes if and when anyone -- the U.S. or Israel for example -- decides to take punitive military action to check its ambitions. By Ardeshir Zahedi.
THE IRANIAN MILITARY GHOUL IS OUT OF BOTTLEFriday, June 25, 2004 The release of the three British river patrol boats and their crew of eight servicemen on Thursday, 24 hours after the Army’s high command and the Government had announced their freedom is seen by Iranian observers and political analysts as another sign to the military’s mounting power in the one hand and the chaos that characterises the Iranian political scene in the aftermath of the conservatives victory in the last Legislative elections. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN RELEASED BRITISH BOATS AND CREWWednesday, June 23, 2004 In a sign of appeasement with London, Iranian Armed Forces announced early Wednesday the release of two British officers and six soldiers that have been arrested on 21 of June after having entered Iranian waters of the Arvand Roud (Iranian name of the Shatl el Arab border river), the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.
BACK TO OLD DEMONS, THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC BID FAREWLL TO DÉTENTETuesday, June 22, 2004 “By giving free arena to new hard line voices connected to the ruling conservatives, the regime is returning to its former demons of the beginning of the Islamic Revolution, saying goodbye to the era of détente initiated by President Mohammad Khatami”, according to Dr. Qasem Sho’leh Sa’di, a former Member of the Majles now leading the movement of Iranian neo-reformists. By Safa Haeri.
EU ACCUSES IRAN OF GROSS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTSSunday, June 20, 2004 Relations between Iran and the European Union continue its downward trend after the 25-members organisation issued Sunday a statement criticising strongly the Islamic Republic for its appalling human rights situation.
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC AGENCY URGES IRAN STOP SUSPICIOUS NUCLEAR ACTIVITIESFriday, June 18, 2004 The Islamic Republic of Iran termed as “positive” a Resolution from the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which “deplores” that "Iran's cooperation has not been as full, timely and proactive as it should have been".
IAEA OUT TO PASS HARSH RESOLUTION ON IRAN AND FOUNDS NEW NUCLEAR COVER UPSThursday, June 17, 2004 Officials at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) acknowledged Thursday a “mistake” with Iranian reporting the purchase of a certain number of magnets, but at the same time said it would not change the gross shortcomings they face with Iran’s controversial nuclear activities.
AN ISLAMIC STATE IS INCAPABLE OF RESPONDING TO IRANIANS DEMANDSWednesday, June 16, 2004 “The greatest lesson I got from my years as a parliamentarian is that an Islamic State is not capable to respond to Iranian expectations”, she told the French centrist newspaper Le Figaro, adding, “ to see our nation go forward, one has to separate religion from politics”. By Delphine Minoui.
IRAN’S THREATS AGAINST IAEA IS FOR THE DOMESTIC MARKETTuesday, June 15, 2004 Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has warned Britain, France and Germany that Iran cooperation with United Nations nuclear watchdog may be at risk if their criticism of Tehran's nuclear programs persists, newspapers said on Tuesday. By Safa Haeri.
REJECTING BIG 3 DEMANDS, IRAN SAYS IT WANTS BE IN THE "A CLUB"Sunday, June 13, 2004 As the Islamic Republic ruling conservatives adopted for a new stand off with both the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European “Big 3” powers ahead of the Monday meeting of the IAEA Board of Directors, an informed Iranian journalist covering the meetings said “it is going to be business as usual”.
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC'S SEX SCANDALFriday, June 11, 2004 A measure of Islamic fundamentalists' success in controlling society is the depth and totality with which they suppress the freedom and rights of women. In Iran for 25 years, the ruling mullahs have enforced humiliating and sadistic rules and punishments on women and girls, enslaving them in a gender apartheid system of segregation, forced veiling, second-class status, lashing and stoning to death. By Donna M. Hughes (with additional report from IPS).
IAEA WILL NOT DROP IRAN’S CASE, AS EXPECTED BY THE IRANIANSWednesday, June 9, 2004 As Britain, France and Germany presented a new draft resolution to the United Nations nuclear watchdog criticizing Iran for failing to answer questions about alleged nuclear weapons activities, the Islamic Republic reiterated menaces of reviewing its cooperation with the Europe’s Big 3 in case they do not help closing Iran’s dossier with the Agency.
RELATIONS DETERIORATE BETWEEN IRANIAN AND IRAQI SHI’A LEADERSMonday, June 7, 2004 Under God’s skies, clouds are gathering over relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq, as seen from the latest statements by leaders from the two major Shi’a Muslim nations. By Safa Haeri.
“Like the Dead in Their Coffins: Torture, Detention, and the Crushing of Dissent in Iran”Monday, June 7, 2004 In one of its strongest condemnation of the Islamic Republic on the human rights situation, an international rights watchdog said Monday that the ruling theocracy has stepped up its crackdowns on political prisoners and suppression of press freedoms.
CHALABI PAYS FOR AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE BLUNDERSFriday, June 4, 2004 As the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI is examining whether Pentagon officials who had frequent contacts with Mr. Ahmad Chalabi, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress (INC) may have told Iran that American intelligence had broken its secret communications codes, reliable Iranian sources said if the information is correct, Tehran might have swarmed American intelligence agencies with faked information, mostly on its nuclear activities. By Safa Haeri.
IAEA ACCUSES IRAN OF HIDING ITS REAL NUCLEAR AIMSWednesday, June 2, 2004 Officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran remain ed silent 24 hours after the international atomic watchdog accused bluntly the regime of “repeatedly” holding up details about its controversial nuclear program. Officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran remain ed silent 24 hours after the international atomic watchdog accused bluntly the regime of “repeatedly” holding up details about its controversial nuclear program.
LOSSES AND GAINS OF VOID IN IRAN-US RELATIONSTuesday, June 1, 2004 As the new Iranian Majles, dominated by the ruling conservatives starts working, a veteran Iranian journalist advises them to stay away of “sloganmania” and warns that the decision-makers should not “sacrifice national interests for the sake of foolish slogans that have lost their charisma”. By Masoud Behnoud.
IRAN’S NEW MAJLES STARTS WORK WITH SHOUTS OF DEATH TO THE USFriday, May 28, 2004 The new Iranian Majles, or Parliament, dominated by the conservatives and independent deputies was officially inaugurated on Thursday with shouts of “death to America”, making the usually austere ceremonies the first ever highly politicised one.
SETTING EXAMPLE OF ISLAMIC JUSTICE, A JUGE BEAT JOURNALISTWednesday, May 26, 2004 One of the Islamic Republic’s top Judge and Prosecutor bit the hand of a journalist and threw at him ashtrays during a meeting of the Judiciary with newspaper owners and editors on Tuesday, Iranian newspapers reported despite the authorities ban on the incident.One of the Islamic Republic’s top Judge and Prosecutor bit the hand of a journalist and threw at him ashtrays during a meeting of the Judiciary with newspaper owners and editors on Tuesday, Iranian newspapers reported despite the authorities ban on the incident. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN MIGHT HAVE LURED AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICESWednesday, May 26, 2004 As an urgent investigation has been launched in Washington into whether Iran played a role in manipulating the US into the Iraq war by passing on bogus intelligence through Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress, informed Iranian intelligence sources said emphatically that it was “likely” but cautioned against the seriousness of American allegations. By Safa Haeri.
ISLAM IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH DEMOCRACYFriday, May 21, 2004 In a passionate debate on Islam organised recently by the Benador Associates, Mr. Amir Taheri, a veteran Iranian journalist and writer claimed, presenting the audience with numerous and exciting examples, that Islam is “incompatible” with democracy. By Amir Taheri.
IRAN EXPELLED THE GUARDIAN'S CORRESPONDENTThursday, May 20, 2004 Iranian authorities on Thursday expelled the correspondent of the influential newspaper The Guardian because he reported on the aftermath of the Bam earthquake without permission, the paper announced.
IN MAJOR SHAKE UP AT THE VVIR, ALI LARIJANI BIDS FAREWELL, REPLACED BY EZZATOLLAH ZARQAMIThursday, May 20, 2004 In a major shake up at the head of the Voice and Visage of the Islamic Republic (VVIR, or the Iranian Radio and Television Organisation), Mr. Ali Larijani, a personal friend of Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i, is to leave the huge Organisation after ten years of controversial but iron fist rule over one of the most important bastions of the ruling conservatives. By Safa Haeri.
AS STUDENTS WARN OF LARGE DEMONSTRATIONS, AQAJARI REJECTS APPEALTuesday, May 18, 2004 One week after his death sentence confirmed by a court in the eastern city of Hamadan, a defiant Hashem Aqajari reiterated that he would not seek appeal, raising the menace of unleashing the wrath of the students and renewed condemnations of the Islamic Republic’s crackdown on the dissidents, human rights and freedom of expression. One week after his death sentence confirmed by a court in the eastern city of Hamadan, a defiant Hashem Aqajari reiterated that he would not seek appeal, raising the menace of unleashing the wrath of the students and renewed condemnations of the Islamic Republic’s crackdown on the dissidents, human rights and freedom of expression.
KHAMENEH’I CONDEMNS US "ATTACKS" ON IRAQ HOLY SHRINES, BUT SILENT ON IRANIAN TORTURESSunday, May 16, 2004 Iran’s top leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’ion Sunday strongly condemned what it denounced as American’s “imbecile, impudent and foolish” attack on the Muslim Shi'ites most sacred places, warning that such “shameless and insolent” acts would not go without proper response by the Muslims worldwide. By An IPS Correspondent.
EHSAFALI HEDAYAT GOES ON HUNGER STRIKEThursday, May 13, 2004 Ensafali Hedayat, the independent Iranian journalist who was jailed for 18 months after being convicted of insulting regime leaders and writing propaganda against the Islamic republic, has started a hunger strike, his family and lawyer, Mr. Mohammad Ali Daadkhaah announced. By Safa Haeri.
CLOSING THE EKIA PAVES THE WAY FOR MILITARISATION OF THE REGIMEMonday, May 10, 2004 With the new Tehran international airport remaining shut by the Armed Forces, sources said the military action translates the deepening rift between the ruling conservatives with the embattled reformists, led by the powerless and now unpopular Mohammad Khatami. By Safa Haeri.
TEHRAN'S NEW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SHUT BY THE ARMYSaturday, May 8, 2004 In a spectacular move that looks like a coup, Iran's Armed Forces closed on Saturday the Emam Khomeini International Airport, Tehran's newly built international airport hours after it was officially inaugurated
IRAN, IAEA RUN FOR NEW CONFRONTATIONFriday, May 7, 2004 Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani reiterated that the Islamic Republic would continue its sustained efforts to develop a full nuclear fuel cycle, despite pressures from the international nuclear watchdog on Tehran to come clear on its suspected programmes for developing atomic weapons.
MOQTADA SADR URGED BY SH'IA AUTHORITIES TO LEAVE NAJAF AND KARBALAThursday, May 6, 2004 As representatives of Iraq's most influential Shi’ite leaders met to decide on the fate of Hojjatoleslam Moqtada al-Sadr, the turbulent cleric who is fighting the Coalition forces in Shi’a-dominated centres, the Americans launched on Wednesday their first major assault against Mr. Sadr and his Army of Mahdi in the areas he controls, including the holy Shi’ite city of Karbala.
IRAN FAILS TO GET EU'S BACKINGTuesday, May 4, 2004 Failing to warm up the European Union to improving trade relations with the Islamic Republic by re-activating stalled talks on Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Kharrazi on Tuesday urged the expanded EU to “take initiative to change US policies in the Middle East and stop US human rights abuses in Iraq”. By Parviz Mardani.
IRANIAN WOMEN PROTESTING RTV'S ANTI-WOMEN PROGRAMMESSunday, May 2, 2004 For the second straight week, Iranian women, led by the Women Cultural Centre (WCC) and several other women organisations and groups expressed “disgust and dismay” against the way the Voice and Visage (Radio and Television) of the Islamic Republic (VVIR) represents women and their role in society in its programmes. By Safa Haeri with Sima Sayyah.
EUROPE MORE RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT TURKEY AS A FULL MEMBERSaturday, May 1, 2004 French President Jacques Chirac, in his address to the nation, departing from earlier position, virtually expressed his opposition to the entry of Turkey into the European Union that, as from today, has increased from 15 to 25 countries, including ten nations of Eastern Europe By Safa Haeri.
IRAQI CLERICS FEAR AMERICAN WITHDRAWAL OF FALLUJAFriday, April 30, 2004 PARIS 30 Apr. (IPS) The United States agreed to withdraw their forces from Falluja, the Iraqi Sunni-dominated city now becoming the symbol of Iraqi resistance to the “occupation” forces. As a result senior Iraqi clerics, including Ayatollah Kazem Ha’eri, have signalled their separation from the hard line positions taken by Hojjatoleslam Moqtada Sadr, the young Iraqi Shiá cleric who has declared war on American forces. By Safa Haeri.
SENIOR IRAQI CLERICS AND IRAN TAKING DISTANCES FROM SADRTuesday, April 27, 2004 PARIS, 27 Apr. (IPS) The unexpected, and somehow surprising return of hard line Ayatollah Kazem Ha’eri to Najaf might be the result of the fact finding mission an Iranian delegation that visited Baghdad recently, political analysts said Tuesday. By Safa Haeri.
DEMONSTRATORS URGE THE REGIME TO FREE POLITICAL PRISONERSMonday, April 26, 2004 TEHRAN 26 Apr. (IPS) Hundreds of Iranians, families of jailed journalists, intellectuals, scholars and political activists demonstrated Sunday in front of the office of the United Nations in Tehran, with slogans such as "free all political prisoners" or "referendum, referendum, this is the demand of the people". By Safa Haeri.
KHAMENEH'I IS RESPONSIBLE OF UN-ELECTED EXACTIONS, PRESS ASSOCIATION SAYSSaturday, April 24, 2004 In an unprecedented move, the Iranian Association for the Defence of the Press (ADP), in a open letter, called on Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i, the leader of the Islamic Republic to “start from himself answering the people” about his action during the 15 years he is serving as the country’s highest authority. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN PROTEST TO GERMANY FOR MYKONOS COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUEThursday, April 22, 2004 Iran protested Wednesday to Germany for the official inauguration, on Monday, in Berlin’s Charlottenburg district of a commemorative plaque in the memory of four Iranian Kurdish leaders assassinated on 21 September 1992 in an Iranian restaurant on order from the Islamic Republic of Iran. By Parviz Mardani.
FRANCE WARNED IRAN TO FULLY COMPLY WITH IAEAThursday, April 22, 2004 France on Wednesday, speaking in the name of Europe but also Britain and Germany, told the Islamic Republic to cooperate "fully" with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and present a "crystal clear" report on its controversial atomic activities to the next meeting of the Agency's Board of Director, scheduled for mi-June, or "face loosing international confidence and possible consequences". By Safa Haeri.
THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC CONTINUES CRACKDOWN OF THE PRESS AND JOURNALISTSMonday, April 19, 2004 The Islamic Republic of Iran added insult to injury last week by awarding the prize of “Merit” and “Best Servant” to Mr. Sa’id Mortazavi, a judge responsible for the closure of more than one hundred newspapers, magazines and publications and the arrest of dozen of leading journalists on the orders of his boss, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i. By Safa Haeri.
MOQTADA SADR, THE CHAMPION OF LOSING OCCASIONSSunday, April 18, 2004 While fighting continue in Iraq between the American and Coalition forces in both north and south of Baghdad with Sunni and Shi’a militants and Iranian ended their aborted mediation, a senior Iranian journalist says that Moqtada al-Sadr, the young, turbulent cleric who has reached fame thanks to the free political atmosphere in Iraq prevailing after the fall of Saddam Hussein has lost all opportunities and “soon, no one would hear of him”. By Hasan Hashemian.
IRANIAN ATTACHE SHOT DEAD IN BAGHDADThursday, April 15, 2004 TEHRAN 15 Apr. Khalil Na'imi, the cultural and press attache at the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad was shot and killed on Tuesday, the official Iranian news agency IRNA confirmed. By Safa Haeri.
TEHRAN BLAMED ON THE AMERICANS THE KILLING OF ITS DIPLOMAT IN BAGHDADThursday, April 15, 2004 TEHRAN 15 Apr. (IPS) Iran condemned the assassination of one of its diplomat in Baghdad, attributing it indirectly to the Americans that, in the words of the official spokesman of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, "with their silly occupation of Iraq, they have plunged the nation, the region and the world into chaos". By Safa Haeri.
AFTER EXPECTED RESHUFFLING, KHATAMI WOULD BECOME A DOCILE PMTuesday, April 13, 2004 TEHRAN, 13 Apr. (IPS) With the life of the present Majles (Iranian Parliament) approaching fast, the most urgent question facing the embattled President Mohammad Khatami is the fate of his government, now that the conservatives have taken back the control of the Majles. By Safa Haeri.
NO OTHER WAY FOR IRAN BUT TO CHANGE THEOCRACY FOR DEMOCRACYMonday, April 12, 2004 LONDON, 12 Apr. (IPS) "There can be no change in Iran unless the present theocratic-based Constitution of the regime is radically changed into a real democracy", says Mr. Mohammad Mohsen Sazegara, a veteran Iranian political dissident, adding that, "however, no real reform could take place from within the system", referring to the failure of President Mohammad Khatami’s efforts to introduce some reforms, even limited. By Safa Haeri.
"IRAN DOES NOT WANT TO INTERVENE IN IRAQ", HASHEMI RAFSANJANIFriday, April 9, 2004 TEHRAN, 9 Apr. (IPS) Former Iranian President Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Friday said the United States had claimed to help establish a democratic system in Iraq but what they are doing now is massacring large crowds of people. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN ANNOUNCES SUSPENDING NUCLEAR ACTIVITIESTuesday, April 6, 2004 TEHRAN, 6 Apr. (IPS) Iran announced on Monday that it will stop building and assembling centrifuges for uranium enrichment this week, but at the same time expressed dissatisfaction with the attitude adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European countries "big 3".
By Safa Haeri.
CASPIAN SEA STATES TO DISCUSS THE SEA’S STATUSMonday, April 5, 2004 MOSCOW 5 Apr. (IPS) Kamal Kharrazi, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Iran called Monday for a "friendly and just" solution to the crippling problem of dividing the Caspian Sea waters. By Safa Haeri.
BUSH TO PUNISH COMPANIES SELLING NUCLEAR EQUIPMENT TO IRANSaturday, April 3, 2004 The Bush administration is imposing sanctions on 13 foreign companies and individuals in seven countries that it says have sold equipment or expertise that Iran could use in nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs, the New York Times quoted Friday officials from the George W. Bush administration. By Safa Haeri.
AFGHANISTAN SATISFIED WITH THE DONORSThursday, April 1, 2004 BERLIN First of April (IPS) International donors pledged a total of 8.2 billion US Dollars for the war-shattered Afghanistan against Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s request for $27.5 billions in funding over seven years to help stopping his country becoming "a haven for drugs and terrorism". By Safa Haeri.
OPEC CUTS PRODUCTION BY ONE MILLION BARRELSWednesday, March 31, 2004 VIENNA, Austria 31 Mar. (IPS) As decided last February in Algeria, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in its 130th meeting in the Austrian Capital on Wednesday lowered its production by four percent, or one million, down from its 24.5 millions barrels per day, beginning Thursday, in a move that kept crude oil prices near 13-year highs. By Safa Haeri.
FIGHTING CONTINUES IN TASHKENT, UZBEKISTANTuesday, March 30, 2004 TASHKENT, 30 Mr. (IPS, with Esmer Islamov of EurasiaNet) Gun battles and bombings continued for a third straight day in Tashkent, the Capital of Uzbekistan, the Central Asia's most populous nation of 24.500.000 inhabitants. The broad scope of the violence, the full extent of which is difficult to determine due to government press restrictions, suggests that the episode may be a homegrown insurgency, rather than a strike by international terrorists. By Safa Haeri.
WHO RULES IRAN?Monday, March 29, 2004 Westerners often meet with assorted officials who, they are led to believe, run Islamist Iran. They don't.
Chris Patten, the British politician who handles part of the European Union's foreign policy, complains that when talking to Iranian officials, he has the feeling that they are "messenger boys." Long before him, Roland Dumas, France's foreign minister in the 1980s, had reached a similar conclusion. By Amir Taheri.
ENSAFALI HEDAYAT’S OPEN LETTER TO THE IRANIAN NATION, OFFICIALSSunday, March 28, 2004 TEHRAN, 28 Mar. (IPS) In a new open letter to the Iranian nation and its leaders, detained journalist Ensafali Hedayat paints a gloomy picture of the conditions of his life in prison and harangues President Mohammad Khatami for his total indifference towards the fate of Iranians abused by the Judiciary and other organs of the Islamic Republic. By Safa Haeri.
IN AN UNPRECEDENTED MOVE, ARAB SUMMIT WAS POSTPONED SINE DIESunday, March 28, 2004 TUNIS, 28 Mar. (IPS) The Arab world suffered one of its most humiliating defeat after Tunisia, the country that had hosted the Summit of the Arab League, due to start on Monday, abruptly cancelled the meeting, after Arab foreign ministers preparing the meeting’s resolution disagreed to endorse some proposals aimed at reforming the political structures of most Arab governments and regimes. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN INAUGURATED NEW URANIUM PROCESSING FACILITYSaturday, March 27, 2004 TEHRAN, 27 Mar. (IPS, with Ali Akbar Dareini of The Associated Press) As international nuclear inspectors arrived in Tehran for inspecting Iran’s atomic facilities, Iran inaugurated a plant for processing uranium ore into gas, a step prior to enrichment of uranium, in the central city of Isfahan, Iranian nuclear officials said Saturday. By Safa Haeri.
DEMOCRACY OR ISLAMOCRACYFriday, March 26, 2004
By Dr. Mehdi Mozaffari*
PARIS 26, Mar. (IPS) "It is astonishing that each time claims on freedom of speech, free elections and gender equality strongly arises, Arab and Muslim leaders immediately resort to counter attacks, considering these claims to be in contradiction with their culture and identity. What they are saying is actually that despotism and repression is more conform to Islamic and Arab values than democracy and liberty", according to an Iranian scholar in Denmark. By Dr. Mehdi Mozaffari.
IRANIANS ASPIRE FOR SECULARITYThursday, March 25, 2004 PARIS, 25 Mar. (IPS) According an Iranian scholar, the last elections proves that the present clerical regime of Iran, being not reformable, has reached its end. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN CONDEMNS THE KILLING OF SHEYKH YASINETuesday, March 23, 2004 TEHRAN, 23 Mar. (IPS) Like all other governments in the world except the United States, Iran condemned strongly Israel for the assassination, on Monday, of Sheykh Ahmad Yasine, the spiritual leader of the Palestinian movement HAMAS, describing it as a "state terrorism" and calling on the Palestinian resistance organisations to continue their struggle against the Jewish State and its "brutal policies". By Safa Haeri.
IRANIANS CELEBRATED NEW YEAR IN RELATIVE FREEDOMSunday, March 21, 2004 TEHRAN, 21 Mar. (IPS) For the first time in more than 25 years, Iranians were able to celebrate their age-old, traditional and cherished New Year ceremonies in almost total freedom, as the ruling clerics, most of them opposed to any pre-Islamic symbols of Iranians, had ordered the security and police forces not to prevent people commemorating No Rooz, meaning new day and starting on 20 of March, the beginning of spring time. By Safa Haeri.
Timeline: Iran (BBC NEWS Article)Friday, March 19, 2004
A chronology of key events
By BBC NEWS.
FREE ENSAFALI HEDAYAT, PRESS ORGANISATIONS URGES IRANIAN AUTHORITIESThursday, March 18, 2004 PARIS, 18 Mar. (IPS) Iranian and international press and human rights organizations urged Iranian clerical authorities to free Mr. Ensafali Hedayat, an Iranian independent journalist jailed more than two months ago on unspecific charges. By Safa Haeri.
FIGHTING CONTINUE IS SYRIA BETWEEN KURDS AND SECURITY FORCESWednesday, March 17, 2004 DAMASCUS, 17 Mar (IPS) Bloody clashes between the Kurds and Arab population in the Syrian Kurdish city of Qameshli continued unabated on Wednesday, increasing the number of Kurds killed at the hands of the Arabs, backed by security forces and armed militia of the ruling Ba’th Party to more than 40, according to reliable Kurdish sources. By Safa Haeri.
FIGHTING CONTINUE IS SYRIA BETWEEN KURDS AND SECURITY FORCESWednesday, March 17, 2004 DAMASCUS, 17 Mar (IPS) Bloody clashes between the Kurds and Arab population in the Syrian Kurdish city of Qameshli continued unabated on Wednesday, increasing the number of Kurds killed at the hands of the Arabs, backed by security forces and armed militia of the ruling Ba’th Party to more than 40, according to reliable Kurdish sources. By Safa Haeri.
AFTER MORE THAN FIVE YEARS IN OFFICE, KHATAMI CONCEDED DEFEATWednesday, March 17, 2004 TEHRAN, 17 Mar. (IPS) Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Wednesday conceded "defeat" to the ruling conservatives and announced that he will withdraw the bills he had submitted a year ago to the Majles aimed at curtailing some powers of the Council of the Guardians in the one hand and giving the president some of its withheld powers on the other. By Safa Haeri.
UNRESTS AND VIOLENCE CONTINUE IN SEVERAL IRANIAN CITIESMonday, March 15, 2004 TEHRAN, 15 Mar. (IPS) Violence and unrest continued in the small Caspian Sea resort town of Fereydoon Kenar for the third strait day with the local population fighting against Law Enforcement Forces and Basij volunteers backed by plainclothes men of Islamic vigilantes. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN WARNED OF RECIPROCITY COUNTRIES THAT ACT AGAINST ITSunday, March 14, 2004 TEHRAN, 14 Mar. (IPS) Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the Iranian regime’s number two man reiterated Sunday that his country was determined to acquire advanced nuclear technologies and no force in the world can stop it on this way. By Safa Haeri.
IAEA RESOLUTION IS "AN UGLY OGRE WITH SHARP TEETH AND BIG HORNS"Saturday, March 13, 2004 VIENNA-TEHRAN, 13 Mar. (IPS) Iran expressed satisfaction on Saturday of what it termed "a defeat" for the United States at the International Atomic Energy Agency, saying that Washington had not been able to impose a resolution of its liking to the Agency’s Board of Directors. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN AND IAEA ADOPT FOR SHOW DOWNThursday, March 11, 2004 VIENNA, 11 Mar. (IPS) As Directors at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were putting last touches on a compromise draft of a resolution on Iranian controversial atomic programs, both Tehran and Agency adopted a more aggressive and attitude towards each other, with Iran for the first time criticising the Agency’s boss Mohammad ElBradeh’i and accusing the European Union of breach of agreements passed with Iran last October. By Safa Haeri.
GEORGIAN PRESIDENT CALLS FOR EXPANDED RELATIONS WITH IRANWednesday, March 10, 2004 PARIS, 10 Mar. (IPS) "Georgia has excellent relations with the Iran, an important nation and partner and look forward to expand them into all fields, developing particularly exports and imports", President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia said here in Paris, where is ending an official visit. By Safa Haeri.
IAEA TO PASS A STRONG RESOLUTION ON IRANTuesday, March 9, 2004 TEHRAN-VIENNA, 9 Mar. (IPS) Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Kharrazi on Tuesday dismissed as "wrong" the allegations made by the UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohammad ElBarade’i that Iran had breached its commitments and warned it will "not accept" being declared as having violated nuclear safeguards agreements or being compared to Libya". By Safa Haeri.
HARD LINERS WANTS THE HEAD OF ALI AKBAR MOUSAVI-KHO’EINIAMonday, March 8, 2004 TEHRAN, 8 Mar. (IPS) Mr. Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’einiha, a reformist lawmaker came under strong attacks from the conservatives-controlled media on Monday for his remarks in the Majles on Sunday, criticising the Assembly of Experts for not doing its job properly in controlling the actions and performances of the leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i. By Safa Haeri.
AUTHORITIES REFUSED IRANIAN WOMEN DEMONSTRATIONSMonday, March 8, 2004 TEHRAN, 8 Mar. (IPS) Iranian Police and security forces, acting on orders from the government of President Mohammad Khatami, prevented Monday violently a meeting of Iranian women that was to celebrate the International Women’s Day. By Safa Haeri.
IRAN KNOCKS AT THE WORLD’S ATOMIC CLUBSunday, March 7, 2004 TEHERAN, 7 Mar. (IPS) Iran on Sunday surprised the international community and above all the United Nations nuclear watchdog that the world must recognised the country as a nuclear power and be admitted into the growing atomic club. By Safa Haeri.
IRANIAN TEACHERS START A ONE-WEEK PROTEST STRIKESaturday, March 6, 2004 TEHRAN 6 Mar. (IPS) Iran’s huge community of teachers went on a week-long nation-wide strike to protest officials "indifference" towards their most basic and urgent demands, starting with payment of unpaid salaries and adjustment of their status with other government employees. By Safa Haeri.
MOBARAK VOICES OPPOSITION TO THE AMERICAN GREATER MIDDLE EASTFriday, March 5, 2004 PARIS, 5 Mar. (IPS) French President Jacques Chirac and his Egyptian guest, Hosni Mobarak agreed on Friday that any initiative aimed at improving life in the Middle East by implementing modern changes must be carried out with the active participation of the concerned people. By Safa Haeri.
SIGNING OF IRAQI INTERIM CONSTITUTION DELAYED ON SH’ITE OBJECTIONSFriday, March 5, 2004 BAGHDAD, 5 Mar. (IPS) Opposition by the five Shi'ite members of the American-installed Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) led to a sine die postponement of the signing of a provisory Constitution that was approved last week. By Safa Haeri.
IRANIAN NGO FILES LABEL AGAINST THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC WITH THE ICCThursday, March 4, 2004 THE HAGUE 4 Feb. (IPS) For the first time, the International Criminal Court accepted a formal accusation against the Islamic Republic filed by an Iranian Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), according to a member of the US-based NGO. By Safa Haeri.
TERRORIST ATTACKS ON SHI’ITES KILLED ALMOST 200 PEOPLE IN IRAQTuesday, March 2, 2004 BAGHDAD, 2 Mar. (IPS) At least between 140 and 200 people, some of them Iranians, were killed and many more wounded after presumed suicide terrorists exploded bombs on Tuesday at a time that million of Sh’ite Muslims were mourning the martyr of imam Hoseyn, their most revered saints killed 680 AD and in Karbala, 120 kilometres southeast of Baghdad and in Kazemeyn, near the capital. By Safa Haeri.
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