Iran Today: Rafsanjani Continues Rouhani’s Call For Engagement
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LATEST: As New Sanctions Come Into Effect, US Treasury Secretary Threatens — “The Alternative Is Worse”
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Amid chatter over whether President-elect Hassan Rouhani will “engage” with the West, fuelled by Rouhani’s nationally-televised speech this weekend, Monday morning brings another interesting smoke signal.
Former President Hashemi Rafsanjani — Rouhani’s most powerful backer — used his Twitter account to assert that the new government and its officials should make efforts to improve Iran’s status in the world:
Rafsanjani framed his call for engagement with the “healthy space of the elections” — backing of the Supreme Leader’s exaltation of the “political epic” — overcoming the “negative space” of Iran’s enemies
Rafsanjani then explained that he has known Rouhani for 35 years as a person who has always acted according to principles:
The former President concluded that Iran is in a good position, with the special privilege of “having its children in many parts of the world, such that if there were a space for investment, they would serve Iran lovingly”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Latest Updates, From Top to Bottom
Imports Fall Sharply
Customs data show that imports fell by 26.11% between March and June.
As New Sanctions Come Into Effect, US Treasury Secretary Threatens — “The Alternative Is Worse”
While analysts in the West and Iran continue to ponder how far President-elect Hassan Rouhani will go in engaging with the US and Europe over Iran’s nuclear program, US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew has a different message for Iranians on Monday, one that does not offer the new President any room at all for maneuver in negotiations:
“It would be the best thing for Iran and the best thing for the world if economic sanctions worked because the alternatives are worse for Iran and for the world,” Lew said.
Lew made his comments as far-reaching new sanctions came into effect on Monday.
The sanctions, enforced by Lew’s Treasury Department, were signed into law in January as part of Washington’s annual national defense authorization act, and expanded via an executive order in early June, before the Presidential election.
The embargoes target the Iranian energy, shipping and shipbuilding sectors. They prohibit the sale, supply or transfer of “significant” goods or services by non-U.S. companies.The Treasury Department has published a full list of what is included in the sanctions.
The sanctions, Lew said, were the “toughest sanctions in history” — and they are working, in the sense that they are crippling Iran’s economy:
“We are seeing it in Iran’s GDP, we are seeing it in the value of the rial, in the employment rate, in the inflation rate. It’s not a pretty picture from an economic perspective.”
Lew ends with this reassuring message for ordinary Iranians:
“The goal is not to hurt the Iranian people. The goal is to change their decision,” the Obama administration official said.
Rouhani’s Foreign Policy: Engage the Gulf States
In President-elect Rouhani’s engagement strategy, one of the key strands will be improving relations with the Arab States of the Gulf.
Rouhani has emphasised a better diplomatic position with Iran’s neighbours, and this weekened there were at least three messages from different outlets backiing the approach.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi met the new Emir of Qatar, with both men calling for the expansion of ties and use of influence to help settle regional problems and promote stability and security.
Mehr News English backs up the diplomatic message with a headline story on a statement by the foreign ministers of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, highlighting “the importance of maintaining peaceful relations with Iran”.
And Seyed Hossein Mousavian, former member of Iran’s nuclear negotiating team and a Rafsanjani-Rouhani ally, writes in the Arab publication Asharq al-Awsat, “It is Time for Security Cooperation between the Gulf states and Iran”.
inShare.
LATEST: As New Sanctions Come Into Effect, US Treasury Secretary Threatens — “The Alternative Is Worse”
Jump to Latest Update
Amid chatter over whether President-elect Hassan Rouhani will “engage” with the West, fuelled by Rouhani’s nationally-televised speech this weekend, Monday morning brings another interesting smoke signal.
Former President Hashemi Rafsanjani — Rouhani’s most powerful backer — used his Twitter account to assert that the new government and its officials should make efforts to improve Iran’s status in the world:
Rafsanjani framed his call for engagement with the “healthy space of the elections” — backing of the Supreme Leader’s exaltation of the “political epic” — overcoming the “negative space” of Iran’s enemies
Rafsanjani then explained that he has known Rouhani for 35 years as a person who has always acted according to principles:
The former President concluded that Iran is in a good position, with the special privilege of “having its children in many parts of the world, such that if there were a space for investment, they would serve Iran lovingly”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Latest Updates, From Top to Bottom
Imports Fall Sharply
Customs data show that imports fell by 26.11% between March and June.
As New Sanctions Come Into Effect, US Treasury Secretary Threatens — “The Alternative Is Worse”
While analysts in the West and Iran continue to ponder how far President-elect Hassan Rouhani will go in engaging with the US and Europe over Iran’s nuclear program, US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew has a different message for Iranians on Monday, one that does not offer the new President any room at all for maneuver in negotiations:
“It would be the best thing for Iran and the best thing for the world if economic sanctions worked because the alternatives are worse for Iran and for the world,” Lew said.
Lew made his comments as far-reaching new sanctions came into effect on Monday.
The sanctions, enforced by Lew’s Treasury Department, were signed into law in January as part of Washington’s annual national defense authorization act, and expanded via an executive order in early June, before the Presidential election.
The embargoes target the Iranian energy, shipping and shipbuilding sectors. They prohibit the sale, supply or transfer of “significant” goods or services by non-U.S. companies.The Treasury Department has published a full list of what is included in the sanctions.
The sanctions, Lew said, were the “toughest sanctions in history” — and they are working, in the sense that they are crippling Iran’s economy:
“We are seeing it in Iran’s GDP, we are seeing it in the value of the rial, in the employment rate, in the inflation rate. It’s not a pretty picture from an economic perspective.”
Lew ends with this reassuring message for ordinary Iranians:
“The goal is not to hurt the Iranian people. The goal is to change their decision,” the Obama administration official said.
Rouhani’s Foreign Policy: Engage the Gulf States
In President-elect Rouhani’s engagement strategy, one of the key strands will be improving relations with the Arab States of the Gulf.
Rouhani has emphasised a better diplomatic position with Iran’s neighbours, and this weekened there were at least three messages from different outlets backiing the approach.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi met the new Emir of Qatar, with both men calling for the expansion of ties and use of influence to help settle regional problems and promote stability and security.
Mehr News English backs up the diplomatic message with a headline story on a statement by the foreign ministers of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, highlighting “the importance of maintaining peaceful relations with Iran”.
And Seyed Hossein Mousavian, former member of Iran’s nuclear negotiating team and a Rafsanjani-Rouhani ally, writes in the Arab publication Asharq al-Awsat, “It is Time for Security Cooperation between the Gulf states and Iran”.
July 1, 2013
Half of Iranians Lack Adequate Money for Food, Shelter
Majorities say they feel worry, sadness, anger during much of the day
by Steve Crabtree
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Iranian residents' election of moderate cleric Hassan Rouhani to the presidency has been widely interpreted as evidence of their desire for meaningful change in the country. Rouhani will preside over an increasingly distressed population: Half of Iranians say there have been times in the past year when they have had trouble paying for adequate shelter and for food their families needed. In each case, the 50% figure is the highest among 19 populations in the Middle East and North Africa region that Gallup surveyed in 2012 and 2013.
ho4kebunrukkifokd-vohw.jpg
Many Iranians have felt the effects of international sanctions targeting Iran's nuclear program, which have expanded considerably over the past two years. For instance, in 2011, the European Union imposed an oil embargo that has cost the Iranian government billions of dollars in oil revenue each month. Most recently, U.S. President Barack Obama authorized his administration's ninth round of sanctions on June 3 targeting the use of Iran's currency by foreign financial institutions. The cumulative result has been to destabilize the Iranian economy, producing rampant inflation and spiraling unemployment. Gallup's data indicate that 27% of Iranians in the workforce are currently unemployed, and an additional 34% are underemployed.
Half of Iranian adults now say sanctions have personally hurt their livelihoods a great deal, while an additional 35% say their livelihoods have been hurt somewhat. This view reflects Iranians' declining optimism about their living standards. The 34% of Iranians who in 2012 said their standard of living is getting worse is up from 20% in 2011.
2ggh_nhueucgyuqw8fxqkg.png
Gallup trends also reveal that Iranians' emotional wellbeing has deteriorated over the past two years. Currently, more than half say they felt a lot of worry (58%), sadness (54%), and anger (54%) during much of the day prior to the interview. All these figures have risen substantially since 2011 and are now among the highest in the region.
vkqjgvdcnu2pzm9aq5nqig.jpg
Implications
Widespread economic hardship among the Iranian people carries mixed implications for the future of relations between Washington and Tehran under President Rouhani. Some Western leaders may take it as a sign that international sanctions are working and should be maintained. However, as U.S. officials, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have claimed, the Iranian people themselves are not the target of sanctions. What's more, Gallup finds that most Iranians -- currently 68% -- still support the country's efforts to develop its nuclear capabilities. Additionally, the head of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency recently reported no signs that sanctions have slowed down Iran's nuclear program.
The rising prevalence of anger in Iran may be particularly troubling to U.S. leaders. Almost half of Iranians (46%) say they hold the U.S. responsible for the international sanctions on their country, while 13% blame their own government. These opinions raise the question of the extent to which increasing hardship may be bolstering anti-U.S. sentiment in a country that, despite its economic troubles, has been an increasingly assertive power in the region. Currently, 15% of Iranians say they approve of U.S. leadership; though this represents a slight improvement from 9% in 2011, it remains one of the lowest figures in the Middle East and North Africa region.
For complete data sets or custom research from the more than 150 countries Gallup continually surveys, please contact us.
Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone surveys of Iranian adults, aged 15 and older, conducted in February-March 2011 (1,003 interviews); January 2012 (1,000 interviews); December 2012-January 2013 (2,507 interviews), and May-June 2013 (1,000 interviews) in Iran. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3.8 percentage points. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
For more complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details.
Half of Iranians Lack Adequate Money for Food, Shelter
Majorities say they feel worry, sadness, anger during much of the day
by Steve Crabtree
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Iranian residents' election of moderate cleric Hassan Rouhani to the presidency has been widely interpreted as evidence of their desire for meaningful change in the country. Rouhani will preside over an increasingly distressed population: Half of Iranians say there have been times in the past year when they have had trouble paying for adequate shelter and for food their families needed. In each case, the 50% figure is the highest among 19 populations in the Middle East and North Africa region that Gallup surveyed in 2012 and 2013.
ho4kebunrukkifokd-vohw.jpg
Many Iranians have felt the effects of international sanctions targeting Iran's nuclear program, which have expanded considerably over the past two years. For instance, in 2011, the European Union imposed an oil embargo that has cost the Iranian government billions of dollars in oil revenue each month. Most recently, U.S. President Barack Obama authorized his administration's ninth round of sanctions on June 3 targeting the use of Iran's currency by foreign financial institutions. The cumulative result has been to destabilize the Iranian economy, producing rampant inflation and spiraling unemployment. Gallup's data indicate that 27% of Iranians in the workforce are currently unemployed, and an additional 34% are underemployed.
Half of Iranian adults now say sanctions have personally hurt their livelihoods a great deal, while an additional 35% say their livelihoods have been hurt somewhat. This view reflects Iranians' declining optimism about their living standards. The 34% of Iranians who in 2012 said their standard of living is getting worse is up from 20% in 2011.
2ggh_nhueucgyuqw8fxqkg.png
Gallup trends also reveal that Iranians' emotional wellbeing has deteriorated over the past two years. Currently, more than half say they felt a lot of worry (58%), sadness (54%), and anger (54%) during much of the day prior to the interview. All these figures have risen substantially since 2011 and are now among the highest in the region.
vkqjgvdcnu2pzm9aq5nqig.jpg
Implications
Widespread economic hardship among the Iranian people carries mixed implications for the future of relations between Washington and Tehran under President Rouhani. Some Western leaders may take it as a sign that international sanctions are working and should be maintained. However, as U.S. officials, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have claimed, the Iranian people themselves are not the target of sanctions. What's more, Gallup finds that most Iranians -- currently 68% -- still support the country's efforts to develop its nuclear capabilities. Additionally, the head of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency recently reported no signs that sanctions have slowed down Iran's nuclear program.
The rising prevalence of anger in Iran may be particularly troubling to U.S. leaders. Almost half of Iranians (46%) say they hold the U.S. responsible for the international sanctions on their country, while 13% blame their own government. These opinions raise the question of the extent to which increasing hardship may be bolstering anti-U.S. sentiment in a country that, despite its economic troubles, has been an increasingly assertive power in the region. Currently, 15% of Iranians say they approve of U.S. leadership; though this represents a slight improvement from 9% in 2011, it remains one of the lowest figures in the Middle East and North Africa region.
For complete data sets or custom research from the more than 150 countries Gallup continually surveys, please contact us.
Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone surveys of Iranian adults, aged 15 and older, conducted in February-March 2011 (1,003 interviews); January 2012 (1,000 interviews); December 2012-January 2013 (2,507 interviews), and May-June 2013 (1,000 interviews) in Iran. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3.8 percentage points. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
For more complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details.
Iran arrests paragliding Slovaks, alleges they were spying
By Alexandra Sandels
June 30, 2013, 9:57 a.m.
BEIRUT-- Iranian authorities confirmed Sunday the arrests of several Slovakian nationals who were taken into custody on espionage-related charges while on a paragliding trip to Iran.
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said the group had been acting suspiciously.
“Some Slovakian nationals were taking photos of our country's military sites by glider when arrested by security forces," he was quoted as saying in a report by Iranian Students News Agency.
A report by Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency quoting Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi said seven Slovaks had been arrested, all of whom entered the country as tourists. An investigation has been launched and the Slovakian ambassador in Tehran has been notified of the arrests, the spokesman added.
It was not immediately clear where or when the arrests took place. Boroujerdi said only that the paragliders had been present in “sensitive areas” and that they had been in possession of unspecified "equipment,” according to local media reports.
On Friday, the Slovakian Foreign Ministry confirmed that an unspecified number of Slovakian citizens had been detained in Iran.
"Our diplomats in Tehran are in touch with the arrested citizens and the Iranian authorities,” Slovakian Foreign Ministry spokesman Boris Gandel told Agence France-Presse.
This is not the first espionage case in Iran involving a Slovak national. In February, a Slovak was reportedly held for 40 days in solitary confinement on accusations of being a CIA spy before being released.
Other alleged spying cases involving foreigners have also made headlines from Iran.
In 2011, Iran freed U.S. citizens Joshua Fattal and Shane Bauer, who had been convicted of spying and had been sentenced to eight years in prison. The two and a third U.S. citizen, Sarah Shourd, were arrested in 2009 while hiking along the Iraq-Iran border area. All denied being spies and said they were on a recreational hike. Shourd was released in 2010.
In 2010, Clotilde Reiss, a French teaching assistant, was freed after being arrested at Tehran's airport in July 2009 and held on spying charges. She had worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Isfahan and was accused of taking part in a Western plot to destabilize the Iranian government after 2009's disputed presidential election. She denied the spying charges.
ALSO:
By Alexandra Sandels
June 30, 2013, 9:57 a.m.
BEIRUT-- Iranian authorities confirmed Sunday the arrests of several Slovakian nationals who were taken into custody on espionage-related charges while on a paragliding trip to Iran.
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said the group had been acting suspiciously.
“Some Slovakian nationals were taking photos of our country's military sites by glider when arrested by security forces," he was quoted as saying in a report by Iranian Students News Agency.
A report by Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency quoting Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi said seven Slovaks had been arrested, all of whom entered the country as tourists. An investigation has been launched and the Slovakian ambassador in Tehran has been notified of the arrests, the spokesman added.
It was not immediately clear where or when the arrests took place. Boroujerdi said only that the paragliders had been present in “sensitive areas” and that they had been in possession of unspecified "equipment,” according to local media reports.
On Friday, the Slovakian Foreign Ministry confirmed that an unspecified number of Slovakian citizens had been detained in Iran.
"Our diplomats in Tehran are in touch with the arrested citizens and the Iranian authorities,” Slovakian Foreign Ministry spokesman Boris Gandel told Agence France-Presse.
This is not the first espionage case in Iran involving a Slovak national. In February, a Slovak was reportedly held for 40 days in solitary confinement on accusations of being a CIA spy before being released.
Other alleged spying cases involving foreigners have also made headlines from Iran.
In 2011, Iran freed U.S. citizens Joshua Fattal and Shane Bauer, who had been convicted of spying and had been sentenced to eight years in prison. The two and a third U.S. citizen, Sarah Shourd, were arrested in 2009 while hiking along the Iraq-Iran border area. All denied being spies and said they were on a recreational hike. Shourd was released in 2010.
In 2010, Clotilde Reiss, a French teaching assistant, was freed after being arrested at Tehran's airport in July 2009 and held on spying charges. She had worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Isfahan and was accused of taking part in a Western plot to destabilize the Iranian government after 2009's disputed presidential election. She denied the spying charges.
ALSO:
Zamaneh Editor-in-Chief on Outcome of Iranian Elections
Mon, 07/01/2013 - 14:56
Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version
A portion of the Akhbar Rooz interview with Zamaneh Editor-in-Chief Mohammadreza Nikfar about the outcome of 2013 presidential election in Iran and its significance.
Akhbar Rooz: What do you think about the election; can the election of Mr. Rohani be regarded as a victory for the people of Iran?
Mohammadreza Nikfar: The election was “engineered.” However, as all engineers know, technology is fraught with risk and there are always unpredicted contingencies that can throw things out of order. Every structure has a weak point, and the atomic issue was what threw things out of the set framework and broke the big taboo.
Many groups of people validly saw uranium and destitution intertwined and wanted a president who claimed he was willing to take a path where the wheels of the country's economy will not be sacrificed at the altar of turning the wheels of the atomic centrifuges.
The election was engineered in the sense that a number of figures from the political system were brought forth, and the people were only allowed to choose from amongst them. These figures belong to different factions in the country.
From the atomic perspective, we can look at the issue in this manner: in the Islamic Republic, uranium is a codename. It can be regarded as the codename for a kind of Mafia group that makes money through secret dealings and smuggling. But those who are stockholders in the Islamic Republic see their interest in a competitive market with a capitalist rationale, with less tension in their relations with the outside world. These forces were able to win this election campaign.
Is this in the interest of the people? Yes. The people said no to Jalili, which can be seen as a direct no to Khamenei and the atomic military Mafia. Now they can peek from behind a “purple” screen, which is perhaps thinner than the former black screen, and this somewhat ties the hands of the authorities and to some degree protects against some of the recent oppressive and criminal methods.
Ali Khamenei and the Guardian Council probably expected that the people would vote for the one candidate that was the most distant from the views of the Leader. Why did they approve Rohani’s candidacy?
MN: We cannot be certain of what has passed through their heads and what debates have taken place in their closed doors. However, even these heavily controlled election debates, especially those concerning the atomic issue, revealed that the regime should not be regarded as a command centre with obedient forces, intricate plans and iron-clad discipline. The regime is a shareholding company. Individual and group shares rise and fall. The system is not solely based on coordination and adherence. It contains significant interaction and conflict in a pressure-filled arena prone to shake-ups.
Is Mr. Rohani a symbol of change in the government’s policies?
MN: One thing is certain. A large portion of the Islamic regime, one with significant economic, symbolic and networking capital, is fed up with the chaos and tensions created by the Ahmadinejad circle. They are looking for a calmer, more competitive environment and normalized relations with the outside world in order to exploit their capital. The reasoning of Hassan Rohani is their reasoning, and this will affect some change in government policies that will benefit those at the top with a capitalist rationale.
Will we see any change in terms of providing basic citizen rights such as freedom of the press, the release of political prisoners, less discrimination against women and ethnic and religious minorities, improved labour conditions…?
MN: We should not be too optimistic and begin fantasizing. It all depends on the extent to which people will remain organized and aware and make their presence felt.
What tools do the people have in order to push the president to realize their demands and affect change?
MN: Getting organized, getting informed and the media activity.
A group of people boycotted the election in protest. What can they do to make their protest visible and influence future developments?
MN: These are the true forces looking for a change. The person who says he or she is not willing to write the name of any of the candidates presented by the regime on the ballot is looking for a fundamental change. What has stopped change in Iran is the willingness of large groups of people to go along with the government as their various interests coincide with those of the government, be they ideological, biographical, the distribution of benefits, or the distribution of information.
The main axis for making an effective movement is based on an internal dialogue among the people. We can say the election, for reasons that have to be examined on their own, became the grounds for a widespread exchange among the people. Those who boycotted the election were also involved in this exchange. And they were perhaps more active than the ones who did in fact vote. Now it is essential to keep this exchange alive, by presenting powerful and mobilizing issues such as destitution, unemployment, social depression, international isolation and the connection of all these issues with the atomic question as well as repression. It is now time to bring forth the demands. Primarily, the liberation of political prisoners, including the release of Karroubi, Rahnavard and Mousavi, would have a symbolic effect.
Mon, 07/01/2013 - 14:56
Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version
A portion of the Akhbar Rooz interview with Zamaneh Editor-in-Chief Mohammadreza Nikfar about the outcome of 2013 presidential election in Iran and its significance.
Akhbar Rooz: What do you think about the election; can the election of Mr. Rohani be regarded as a victory for the people of Iran?
Mohammadreza Nikfar: The election was “engineered.” However, as all engineers know, technology is fraught with risk and there are always unpredicted contingencies that can throw things out of order. Every structure has a weak point, and the atomic issue was what threw things out of the set framework and broke the big taboo.
Many groups of people validly saw uranium and destitution intertwined and wanted a president who claimed he was willing to take a path where the wheels of the country's economy will not be sacrificed at the altar of turning the wheels of the atomic centrifuges.
The election was engineered in the sense that a number of figures from the political system were brought forth, and the people were only allowed to choose from amongst them. These figures belong to different factions in the country.
From the atomic perspective, we can look at the issue in this manner: in the Islamic Republic, uranium is a codename. It can be regarded as the codename for a kind of Mafia group that makes money through secret dealings and smuggling. But those who are stockholders in the Islamic Republic see their interest in a competitive market with a capitalist rationale, with less tension in their relations with the outside world. These forces were able to win this election campaign.
Is this in the interest of the people? Yes. The people said no to Jalili, which can be seen as a direct no to Khamenei and the atomic military Mafia. Now they can peek from behind a “purple” screen, which is perhaps thinner than the former black screen, and this somewhat ties the hands of the authorities and to some degree protects against some of the recent oppressive and criminal methods.
Ali Khamenei and the Guardian Council probably expected that the people would vote for the one candidate that was the most distant from the views of the Leader. Why did they approve Rohani’s candidacy?
MN: We cannot be certain of what has passed through their heads and what debates have taken place in their closed doors. However, even these heavily controlled election debates, especially those concerning the atomic issue, revealed that the regime should not be regarded as a command centre with obedient forces, intricate plans and iron-clad discipline. The regime is a shareholding company. Individual and group shares rise and fall. The system is not solely based on coordination and adherence. It contains significant interaction and conflict in a pressure-filled arena prone to shake-ups.
Is Mr. Rohani a symbol of change in the government’s policies?
MN: One thing is certain. A large portion of the Islamic regime, one with significant economic, symbolic and networking capital, is fed up with the chaos and tensions created by the Ahmadinejad circle. They are looking for a calmer, more competitive environment and normalized relations with the outside world in order to exploit their capital. The reasoning of Hassan Rohani is their reasoning, and this will affect some change in government policies that will benefit those at the top with a capitalist rationale.
Will we see any change in terms of providing basic citizen rights such as freedom of the press, the release of political prisoners, less discrimination against women and ethnic and religious minorities, improved labour conditions…?
MN: We should not be too optimistic and begin fantasizing. It all depends on the extent to which people will remain organized and aware and make their presence felt.
What tools do the people have in order to push the president to realize their demands and affect change?
MN: Getting organized, getting informed and the media activity.
A group of people boycotted the election in protest. What can they do to make their protest visible and influence future developments?
MN: These are the true forces looking for a change. The person who says he or she is not willing to write the name of any of the candidates presented by the regime on the ballot is looking for a fundamental change. What has stopped change in Iran is the willingness of large groups of people to go along with the government as their various interests coincide with those of the government, be they ideological, biographical, the distribution of benefits, or the distribution of information.
The main axis for making an effective movement is based on an internal dialogue among the people. We can say the election, for reasons that have to be examined on their own, became the grounds for a widespread exchange among the people. Those who boycotted the election were also involved in this exchange. And they were perhaps more active than the ones who did in fact vote. Now it is essential to keep this exchange alive, by presenting powerful and mobilizing issues such as destitution, unemployment, social depression, international isolation and the connection of all these issues with the atomic question as well as repression. It is now time to bring forth the demands. Primarily, the liberation of political prisoners, including the release of Karroubi, Rahnavard and Mousavi, would have a symbolic effect.
تا دیروز ناراحت بودم که جریمه کشتن پلنگ ایرانی فقط 5 میلیون تومنه، امروز دیدم که جریمه مرتضوی واسه کشتن آدمها 200 هزار تومنه . من دیگه حرفی ندارم ...
حاشیه امن عاملان جنایت کهریزک؛ سعید مرتضوی ۲۰۰ هزار تومان جریمه نقدی
http://sepidedam.com/14622
حاشیه امن عاملان جنایت کهریزک؛ سعید مرتضوی ۲۰۰ هزار تومان جریمه نقدی
http://sepidedam.com/14622
پناهندگی سردبیر روزنامه ورزشی به استرالیا
ندای انقلاب: یکی از سردبیران روزنامه های ورزشی با سابقه کشورمان اخیرا به استرالیا پناهنده شده است.
م.ش که حدود ۱۵ سال سابقه فعالیت در رسانه های ورزشی و همکاری با فدراسیون فوتبال و مسئولیت رسانه ای یکی از باشگاههای لیگ برتری تهران را برعهده دارد، حدود یک هفته پیش به استرالیا پناهنده شده است.
علت پناهندگی وی که از جمله خبرنگاران خوش نام حوزه ورزش است هنوز مشخص نیست
..
ندای انقلاب: یکی از سردبیران روزنامه های ورزشی با سابقه کشورمان اخیرا به استرالیا پناهنده شده است.
م.ش که حدود ۱۵ سال سابقه فعالیت در رسانه های ورزشی و همکاری با فدراسیون فوتبال و مسئولیت رسانه ای یکی از باشگاههای لیگ برتری تهران را برعهده دارد، حدود یک هفته پیش به استرالیا پناهنده شده است.
علت پناهندگی وی که از جمله خبرنگاران خوش نام حوزه ورزش است هنوز مشخص نیست
..
".گروه سیاسی صراط" - عباس سلیمی نمین درباره مسائل حاشیه ای انتخابات ریاست جمهوری یازدهم مطالب قابل تاملی را بیان کرده است که گاهی پذیرش آن دشوار به نظر می رسد.
به گزارش گروه سیاسی صراط، او گفته است که هدف احمدی نژاد در انتخابات «ناکامی اصولگرایان» بوده است تا جایی که او «سوگند خورده بود که نگذارد قالیباف رییس***جمهور شود».
سلیمی نمین معتقد است احمدی نژاد در راه نیل یه این هدف خود از هیچ تلاشی کوتاهی نکرد تا جایی که حتی «تحمیل سختی بر جامعه را انتخاب کرد تا مردم ناراضی شوند و به سمت کاندیدای اصلاح***طلب یا مستقل بروند».
مدیر دفتر مطالعات و تدوین تاریخ ایران گفته «در واقع رای به روحانی، «نه» به احمدی***نژاد بود» و اضافه کرده است که «احمدی***نژاد عامدانه اقتصاد را رها کرد تا جامعه را با مشکل و محدودیت***های زیادی مواجه کند، مردم به روحانی رای دادند تا از این مخمصه نجات پیدا کنند».
به گفته او، «جامعه به این تصور رسید که روحانی یک پدیده متفاوتی است که در نقطه مقابل دولت کنونی قرار گرفته است» و «بیش از حمایت هاشمی و خاتمی، عملکرد حساب***گرایانه احمدی***نژاد در رای بالای ۱۸***میلیونی حسن روحانی نقش داشت».
به گزارش گروه سیاسی صراط، او گفته است که هدف احمدی نژاد در انتخابات «ناکامی اصولگرایان» بوده است تا جایی که او «سوگند خورده بود که نگذارد قالیباف رییس***جمهور شود».
سلیمی نمین معتقد است احمدی نژاد در راه نیل یه این هدف خود از هیچ تلاشی کوتاهی نکرد تا جایی که حتی «تحمیل سختی بر جامعه را انتخاب کرد تا مردم ناراضی شوند و به سمت کاندیدای اصلاح***طلب یا مستقل بروند».
مدیر دفتر مطالعات و تدوین تاریخ ایران گفته «در واقع رای به روحانی، «نه» به احمدی***نژاد بود» و اضافه کرده است که «احمدی***نژاد عامدانه اقتصاد را رها کرد تا جامعه را با مشکل و محدودیت***های زیادی مواجه کند، مردم به روحانی رای دادند تا از این مخمصه نجات پیدا کنند».
به گفته او، «جامعه به این تصور رسید که روحانی یک پدیده متفاوتی است که در نقطه مقابل دولت کنونی قرار گرفته است» و «بیش از حمایت هاشمی و خاتمی، عملکرد حساب***گرایانه احمدی***نژاد در رای بالای ۱۸***میلیونی حسن روحانی نقش داشت».
تا دیروز ناراحت بودم که جریمه کشتن پلنگ ایرانی فقط 5 میلیون تومنه، امروز دیدم که جریمه مرتضوی واسه کشتن آدمها 200 هزار تومنه . من دیگه حرفی ندارم ...
حاشیه امن عاملان جنایت کهریزک؛ سعید مرتضوی ۲۰۰ هزار تومان جریمه نقدی
http://sepidedam.com/14622
حاشیه امن عاملان جنایت کهریزک؛ سعید مرتضوی ۲۰۰ هزار تومان جریمه نقدی
http://sepidedam.com/14622
تا دیروز ناراحت بودم که جریمه کشتن پلنگ ایرانی فقط 5 میلیون تومنه، امروز دیدم که جریمه مرتضوی واسه کشتن آدمها 200 هزار تومنه . من دیگه حرفی ندارم ...
حاشیه امن عاملان جنایت کهریزک؛ سعید مرتضوی ۲۰۰ هزار تومان جریمه نقدی
http://sepidedam.com/14622
حاشیه امن عاملان جنایت کهریزک؛ سعید مرتضوی ۲۰۰ هزار تومان جریمه نقدی
http://sepidedam.com/14622
این کشور ایران است . این قوانین ، قوانین اسلامی است . قوانینش را روحانیون از قران و سنت پیامبرش برداشت کرده اند. رییس جمهور این کشور روحانی است و قرار است همه چیز را خوب کند .
Straight out of the Khatami playbook, Rouhani's talking the talk, but will he be walking the walk?! Wishful thinking would suggest yes, learning from past experiences would suggest no...
Iran's president signals softer line on web censorship and Islamic dress code
Iran's president signals softer line on web censorship and Islamic dress code
آخوند روحانی: مردم به حاکمیت آخوندی رای دادند
رسانه های حکومتی: دیدار حسن روحانی با جمعی از روحانیون کشور صبح امروز در تالار وزارت کشور آغاز شد.
بخش***های از سخنان روحانی به این شرح است:
حضورم در این نشست از همه علما، اندیشمندان روحانی به خاطر تشکر و سپاس است؛ همه اقشار و همه مردم در این انتخابات شکوهمند تلاش و ایثار کردند و روحانیت نیز در این زمینه نقش بسیار ارزشمندی داشت. از مراجع، علما و بزرگان روحانیت گرفته تا خطبا و همه آنهایی که از تریبون***های مختلف و منابر مردم را برای تحقق حماسه مورد تاکید رهبر انقلاب دعوت کردند.
من خود یک طلبه هستم و به یافته***ها و داشته***های طلبگی خود افتخار می***کنم، اعتماد اکثریت مردم ایران به این طلبه آن هم در سایه و پرتو حماسه سیاسی سرنوشت سازی که مدنظر مقام معظم رهبری بود، برایم مایه مباهات و افتخار از یک سو و موجب سنگینی بار مسئولیت از سوی دیگر است.
از امتیازات ویژه نهاد روحانیت همواره در طول تاریخ مردمی بودن روحانیت است. این نهاد از دل ایمان و خواست مردم برآمده است و همواره مردم را تکیه گاه خود قرار داده است.
مردم در این انتخابات خواستند بگویند که ما روحانیت را ورای مسائل سیاسی می***بینیم و آنها را اُمنا الرُسل می***بینیم.
رسانه های حکومتی: دیدار حسن روحانی با جمعی از روحانیون کشور صبح امروز در تالار وزارت کشور آغاز شد.
بخش***های از سخنان روحانی به این شرح است:
حضورم در این نشست از همه علما، اندیشمندان روحانی به خاطر تشکر و سپاس است؛ همه اقشار و همه مردم در این انتخابات شکوهمند تلاش و ایثار کردند و روحانیت نیز در این زمینه نقش بسیار ارزشمندی داشت. از مراجع، علما و بزرگان روحانیت گرفته تا خطبا و همه آنهایی که از تریبون***های مختلف و منابر مردم را برای تحقق حماسه مورد تاکید رهبر انقلاب دعوت کردند.
من خود یک طلبه هستم و به یافته***ها و داشته***های طلبگی خود افتخار می***کنم، اعتماد اکثریت مردم ایران به این طلبه آن هم در سایه و پرتو حماسه سیاسی سرنوشت سازی که مدنظر مقام معظم رهبری بود، برایم مایه مباهات و افتخار از یک سو و موجب سنگینی بار مسئولیت از سوی دیگر است.
از امتیازات ویژه نهاد روحانیت همواره در طول تاریخ مردمی بودن روحانیت است. این نهاد از دل ایمان و خواست مردم برآمده است و همواره مردم را تکیه گاه خود قرار داده است.
مردم در این انتخابات خواستند بگویند که ما روحانیت را ورای مسائل سیاسی می***بینیم و آنها را اُمنا الرُسل می***بینیم.