Iran News Round Up

A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by Ali Alfoneh, Ahmad Majidyar and Michael Rubin.  To subscribe to this daily newsletter, e-mail [email protected].

(E) = Article in English

Scores reportedly killed during clashes between demonstrators, riot police across Iran; Iranian authorities step up protest clampdown with arrests of hundreds of protesters, activists’ relatives; opposition leader Mousavi’s nephew shot death; Expediency Council slams protesters; hard-line clerics call for tougher action against protest movements; reformist website calls Ahmadinejad government ‘military junta’, Khamenei ‘Yazid of era’

Politics

• The Expediency Council issues a statement slamming "those who in an organized and coordinated manner engaged in unrest to the enchantment of world imperialism and media of the Zionist." The statement asks the authorities to "blind the eye of discord."

• Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi warns that "silence...emboldens those behind the discord."

• Raja News reports on the arrest of a British citizen during Sunday's demonstration and adds he was caught "attacking the mourners of Ashoura." Link upon request.

• Parliament’s National Security Committee Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi says if the authorities fail to deal with the "Anglo-American discord," the people themselves will rise to suppress it.

• Mehdi Karrubi extends his condolences to the Iranian nation, and addressing the authorities of the Islamic Republic says: "If you don't have a religion, at least try to be a free man."

• Agah-Sazi News' editorial ridicules Fars News Agency's claim that the protesters "burned the Quran" during Sunday’s demonstrations in Tehran.

• Jomhouri-ye Eslami's editorial hails the leaders of the protest movement as "individuals who firmly believe in the Islamic Republic," and launches an attack against "those who try to depict any resistance as a sign of discord."

• Raja News accuses Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani, daughter of the former president, of having organized her family members in participating in acts of hooliganism during yesterday's demonstration. Link upon request. 

• Rouydad reformist website calls the Ahmadinejad government a "military junta" and Supreme Leader Khamenei the "Yazid of the era," and asks him: "Mr. Khamenei, don't you hear the voice of the people?"

• The opposition to the Islamic Republic authorities releases a 370-page report documenting electoral irregularities and fraud at the June 12, 2009 presidential election.

• Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, temporary Friday Prayer Leader in Tehran:

  • "Those whose hearts beat for the Revolution and for the line of Imam [Khomeini] should clarify their boundaries with the foreigners. As the Leader of the Revolution has said, should the United States, Britain, France, the Monafeghin [Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization], the Monarchists or fugitive singers support a certain movement, that movement should come to its senses, because it is illogical to think that the enemies of the nation support such a movement..."

  • "The Leader of the Revolution [Montazeri] sent a wise and comprehensive message before his death, which shows his magnanimity. He even said to the caretakers of Her Holiness Ma'soumeh's shrine that he should be buried wherever his household want his body to be buried..."

  • "But there is a group that has for some time distanced itself from the nation. At this ceremony, they broke the rules and chanted slogans to the delight of the United States and Israel. One must ask them how they interpret such inappropriate behavior?..."

• Memorial services for the late Grand Ayatollah Montazeri:

  • Jonbesh-e Rah-e Sabz website reports about violent clashes between the security forces and the mourners in Zanjan.

    • Rah-e Sabz also reports considerable presence of the "war-era commanders" in the pro-Montazeri demonstrations.

  • The security forces attack a Quran recitation ceremony by the female members of Montazeri family and arrest the late leader’s granddaughter for an hour.

  • Ayatollah Taheri urges the public to participate in Moharram religious processions as part of the mourning of Montazeri.

  • An official announcement in Kashan reveals that it was the Supreme National Security Council which prohibited memorial services for the late Grand Ayatollah Montazeri across the country, with the exceptions of Qom and Najafabad.

• Mohammadmehdi Heydarian resigns from the Academy of the Arts in protest against the dismissal of Mir-Hossein Mousavi.

• Shi'a News releases the names of ayatollahs who did not send condolences on the occasion of the death of Montazeri.

Military and Security

• Arrests on Monday night:  

  • Mohammad Taheri, son of Ayatollah Jalaleddin Taheri, is arrested.

  • According to JORS News, between 400 and 500 people have been arrested in Isfahan.

  • Haleh Sahabi, daughter of Ezattollah Sahabi, is arrested in Tehran.

  • Mostafa Izadi, the late Grand Ayatollah Montazeri's biographer, is arrested in Tehran.

  • Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, former student activist, is arrested in Tehran.

• Law Enforcement Forces Deputy Commander Radan says "10 to 15 rogue elements who attempted to intervene in the post-election events have been arrested...There are some hands trying to harm the reputation of the Basij..."

• Attacked by protesters, Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces are unable to defend themselves. Video.

• Mehdi Karrubi's car was attacked by "rogue elements" when he was leaving the Ayatollah Ghaffari mosque at Tehran-Now Avenue.

• Aslani, lawyer, speaking on behalf of the Law Enforcement Forces, warns that there is death penalty for "engaging in a battle against the regime."

• Newly uploaded videos from Sunday's demonstrations:

  • People attack a motorcyclist riot police officer. Video.

  • Police car set ablaze in Tehran. Video.

• Beheshti, Mottahari and Haft-e Tir Metro Stations were closed by the police Monday afternoon to reduce transport into Tehran.

• Conflicting reports on death of Ali Mousavi, Mir-Hossein Mousavi's nephew:

  • Raja News accuses Mir-Hossein Mousavi's wife, Zahra Rahnavard, of masterminding murder of Mousavi's nephew during Sunday's Ashoura demonstration. Link upon request.

• Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Mousavi's spokesman outside Iran, writes that Ali Mousavi was murdered in front of his home and not at the demonstration. He was first hit by a car with five individuals. The five men left the car, shot Ali Mousavi in the heart and escaped. According to Makhmalbaf, Ali Mousavi had received many death threats since the presidential election.

• New wave of arrests on Sunday:

  • According to the Law Enforcement Forces, 300 protesters were arrested during the demonstrations, including Ebrahim Yazdi, Iran Freedom Movement General Secretary, Emadedin Baghi, head of the Foundation for Defense of the Rights of Prisoners, Ghorban Behzadiannezhad, Mir-Hossein Mousavi's Election Chief of Staff, Mohammad Bagherian, senior adviser to Mousavi, Forouzandeh, Mousavi's Chief of Staff, Morteza Haji, Executive Director of the Baran Foundation, Rasouli, Deputy at the Baran Foundation. The corpse of the late Ali Mousavi is stolen by the authorities from Ave Sina Hospital.

  • Veteran politician Behzad Nabavi, who was bailed out of prison a few days ago, is arrested again.

  • Abolfazl Ghadyani, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Central Committee Member, is arrested.

  • Brother of Hojjat al-Eslam Abdollah Nouri was severely beaten by the security forces and imprisoned at Roudaki Prison in Isfahan.

  • Alireza Beheshti, editor of Kalameh, Mir-Hossein Mousavi's communications network, is arrested.

  • Mohammadsadegh Rabbani, retired academic and member of the executive committee of the National Peace Council, was arrested by members of the Basij on his way home.

  • Seyyed Hossein Mousavi Tabrizi, head of the Association of the Professors and Scholars at the Theological Seminary of Qom and a number of theological students, was arrested by the security forces.

• Shahin Mahinfar, Islamic Republic television and radio anchor, is said to have lost her son during Monday’s unrest in Tehran.

• Mohammad Rasoul-Allah Revolutionary Guards Unit of Greater Tehran condemns Mehdi Karrubi's statements on the occasion of the Ashoura unrest.

• Protesters clash with the riot police during the religious processions of Ashoura (Sunday):

  • Greater Tehran Law Enforcement Forces in an official statement announce "suspicious death of five individuals," but thanks "mourners of Hossein and their children in the Law Enforcement Force whose presence neutralized this discord [fitna]..."

  • Tehran is experiencing unrest on Sunday night as the protesters use the Sham-e Ghariban mourning to protest against the killing of up to eight protesters by the riot police. Video, here.

  • Demonstrators attack a police car in Tehran and free protesters arrested by the police. Video.

  • A member of the Riot Police arrested by the protesters. Video.

  • Mohammad Moin, son of former Higher Education Minister Mostafa Moin, is beaten up and arrested by the riot police at Sunday’s demonstration in Tehran.

  • One hundred thousand people demonstrate in Najaf Abad Sunday to declare support for the path of the late Grand Ayatollah Montazeri along with Mir-Hossein Mousavi, and against the Ahmadinejad government. Video.

    • According to JORS, the police have declared curfew in Najaf Abad.

• Reports on Ashoura religious processions and clashes between the demonstrators and the riot police on Sunday:

  • Imam Hossein Square in Tehran is transformed into a battleground between the demonstrators and the riot police as the demonstrators shout "Ya Hossein, Mir-Hossein" [O Hussein (reference to the third Imam of the Shi'as), Mir-Hossein (Mousavi)]," and Iran Shodeh Karbala [Iran has become Karbala,] the site of martyrdom of the third Imam. The Riot police use teargas against the demonstrators, and kill three or four people. According to Rah-e Sabz News, the demonstrators in response to tear gas set ablaze several motorcycles of Basij members. And as helicopters try to intimidate the demonstrators, they shout "Don't fear, don't fear, we are all united!" According to Mowj-e Sabz, the demonstrators broke through the blockades of the Law Enforcement Forces at Vali-ye Asr and religious processions from the outskirts of Tehran, Nezam Abad and Damavand. Processions from Vali-ye Asr Hafez, Vesal Shirazi and Taleghani Avenues are uniting with the people at Enghelab Square. There is also news of clashes in Shiraz and Qom, especially near the homes of the late Grand Ayatollah Montazeri and Grand Ayatollah Sanei.

  • JORS (The Green Path's Network) reports that the riot police did not obey their superior commanders' orders to kill the demonstrators.

  • Ali Habibi Mousavi, a 35-year old son of Mir-Hossein Mousavi's sister and father of two children, is shot dead by the anti-riot police at Ashoura demonstrations in Tehran.

  • Ali Habibi Mousavi is killed. Video.

  • Mourners move towards Ave Sina Hospital to be close to Ali Habibi Mousavi.

  • Raja News Agency calls the killing of Ali Habibi Mousavi "suspicious" and an act by terrorists who try to provoke the public. Link upon request.

  • Greater Tehran Law Enforcement Forces Chief Commander Rajabzadeh says there is no news yet about the death of demonstrators, and that his forces were not armed.

  • Fars News Agency backs up Rajabzadeh's claim.

  • A Tehran demonstrator is shot, dying. Video.

  • Another Tehran demonstrator shot. Video.

  • Clashes between demonstrators and the riot police. Video.

  • Demonstrators attack the police station at Vali-ye Asr Square. Video.

  • A member of the riot police is arrested by the demonstrators. Video.

• Reports on Tasoua religious processions on Saturday, and clashes between the demonstrators and the riot police:

  • Law Enforcement Forces Chief Esmail Ahmadimoghaddam, speaking in Kermanshah, says the policy of the police is to "use minimum force," but adds: "We will deal decisively against anarchy."

  • The Islamic Republic authorities close Grand Ayatollah Khomeini's mausoleum near Tehran to the public due to "repairs." The mausoleum has been shut since the June 12, 2009 presidential election.

  • Rah-e Sabz News reports clashes between mourners in Tasoua Shi'a processions and the riot police. According to Rah-e Sabz the riot police have prevented some parts of the procession, which was trying to move from Imam Hossein Square towards Enghelab Square. Rah-e Sabz also reports clashes at Ferdowsi Square, and Vali-ye Asr. The demonstrators chanted slogans in favor of opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karrubi.

  • Rah-e Sabz reports severe beating of demonstrators who had fled from the riot police and taken refuge at the office of ISNA.

  • Former President Mohammad Khatami's speech at the mosque of Jamaran in which he says "movement towards freedom is more effective from the path of religion, especially if religion is the excuse for suppression and injustice."

    • Khatami's speech. Audio.

    • Moment of attack of the "pressure groups" against the mosque. Video.

    • Fifty so-called members of "pressure groups" [Nirou-ha-ye Feshar] attack a mosque and force Khatami and the mourners of Moharram religious days of passion to leave in the middle of Khatami's speech.

Nuclear Issue

• Hojjat al-Eslam Hossein Ebrahimi, Parliament’s National Security Committee member, says the Iranian parliament "would not have any objection to an exchange of nuclear fuel in Turkey..."

Trade

• Ali Vakili, South Pars Oil and Gas Field Executive Director, commenting on the uncertainty about French Total's participation, says that "Iran will not wait for anyone when it comes to the development of... the oil and gas field."

Religion, Society and Culture

• Ayatollah Sane'i issues areligious edict [fatwa]allowing self-mutilation by machetes during the Moharram days of mourning. Ayatollah Sanei's fatwa runs contrary that of Supreme Leader Khamenei.

Media

• Internet services, including Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk and the SMS network, are significantly slow across Iran.  

• Security forces attack Irandokht weekly's office and confiscate their computers.

• Reza Al-Basha, Syrian born journalist of a Dubai television has "disappeared" since the Ashoura demonstrations.

• Parleman News is filtered inside Iran.

• The Revolutionary Guards filters the late Grand Ayatollah Montazeri's website.

Diplomacy

• Governor of Karbala Province in Iraq says, "Thirty thousand Iranians are visiting Karbala" during the Ashoura Shi'a days of mourning.

• Foreign Minister Mottakki says Parliament Speaker Larijani did not carry any special message to Egyptian President Mubarak.

• Supreme National Security Council Secretary Said Jalili during his visit to Hiroshima says that the remains of the World War II nuclear bombing of the city "shows the necessity of disarming the United States."

• Iran’s Foreign Minister Mottaki says he does not know how bin Laden’s daughter, who is now seeking asylum at the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, entered the country.

Human Rights

• Rah-e Sabz releases a report on political prisoners in Iran, who have been arrested since the June 12 elections.

Photos of the Day

• Mir-Hossein Mousavi's late nephew as a war veteran during the Iran/Iraq war.

• Mousavi and his nephew who was killed by the security forces yesterday.

• The mourning ceremony of Sham-e Gharibanat the residence of the Supreme Leader.

• Khameneh, birthplace of Supreme Leader Khamenei and Mir-Hossein Mousavi, inaugurates "Engineer Mir-Hossein Mousavi Boulevard."

• Tehran after the Ashoura unrest.