Iran Opinion: The Plot — What the US Got Wrong

In the past 24 hours, there have been a few new facts about the alleged Iran plot to kill the Saudi Ambassador to the US and many more opinions and conjectures. The baseline, however, is still the way the US Government presented its case.

Iran Terror Special: What We Know, What We Don’t Know

Manssor Arbabsiar’s Home in TexasTwo days later, and the alleged Iranian plot to assassinate a senior Saudi diplomat is still the wildest story told in years. But is it true?

After yesterday’s consideration of the different theories that have been floated, my assessment that only two hold any water: this was either planned by the Iranian regime from the highest levels, or it was planned by rogue elements within or associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, albeit without the knowledge of the political and religious leadership.

Iran 6-Point Analysis: Obama and the Regime Walk Tightropes Over the Plot

I have just watched the video of President Obama’s statement, given yesterday after his meeting with the South Korean President, on Iran and the alleged plot to kill the Saudi Ambassador.

Iran:“My Father Was Charged With Helping The Baha’i University”

In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Naim Sobhani, son of Riaz Sobhani, an Iranian Baha’i imprisoned at Evin Prison for the past four months on the charge of providing financial assistance to the Baha’i University in Iran, spoke about his father’s case. Naim Sobhani told the Campaign that following his father’s arrest, his bank accounts have been blocked. According to his son, at his 1 October trial, Riaz Sobhani accepted the charge of providing financial assistance to the Baha’i University. “I did not commit a crime. I just helped the young students who are not permitted to get an education by the government,” Riaz Sobhani told the court.

UANI:Calls on Daelim to End Its Irresponsible Business in Iran as Part of GAO Campaign

Campaign Highlights Firms Active in Iran’s Energy Sector

New York, NY - On Thursday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on South Korea’s Daelim Industrial Co. to end its ongoing business activities in Iran. UANI also called on the Obama administration to sanction Daelim, given that Daelim is doing work in Iran’s energy sector while also receiving U.S. Defense contracts in apparent violation of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (CISADA).

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Offices (GAO), Daelim is one of 16 firms currently active in Iran’s oil, gas, or petrochemical sectors and one of only two companies operating in sanctioned sectors in Iran while also benefiting from U.S. government contracts. As part of its GAO Campaign, UANI is calling on these firms to end their business in Iran.

Daelim maintains an active and robust presence in Iran. It lists a Tehran office on its website, and the CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company, Seyfollah Jashnsaz, has praised Daelim for having“played a significant part in the country’s industrial development.”

Daelim’s 2010 Annual Report cites projects in sectors dominated by the Iranian government, specifically the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a well-known terrorist entity.

Amnesty: In Iran, jailed for insulting the president

Did you know you could be arrested in Iran for “insulting the president?”

That is what happened to Behareh Hedayat, a student leader, in 2009 — and she is still in prison.

Since Iran’s 2009 election, thousands of students and other peaceful protesters have been arrested by a repressive government with little tolerance for dissent. Individuals demanding political reform and human rights protections have been jailed and sometimes even tortured for their beliefs.

Amnesty International is taking action. Our report, From Protest to Prison, documents these arrests and the shameful treatment of prisoners. We are advocating for the human rights of the individuals who remain in jail, some of whom continue to face inhumane prison conditions.

Mothers of Killed Protesters Seek UN Support to Find Their Children’s Murderers

Only two weeks before the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran is to present his report, two mothers of the post-election 2009 victims told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that their search for the murderers of their children has not produced any results. Parvin Fahimi, mother of 19-year-old victim Sohrab Aarabi told the Campaign that if the United Nations cannot do anything in this area, “everything is over then and it’s all pointless.” “From the day Sohrab died, I said that if I cannot find answers in my own country and [if I find that] the official sources in my country are unaccountable, I would have to use international sources,” Fahimi told the Campaign.

Why Iranian regime is taking hard pressure against documentary filmmakers? Fariba Davoodi

Recently, documentary movie makers Nasser Saffarian, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, Hadi Afarideh, Mohsen Shahrnazdar and Katayoun Shahabi were arrested and charged with cooperating with BBC Persian TV. Among them, so far only Mohsen Shahrnazdar and Naser Saffarian have been released.
In a statement on September 20th, The Iranian Documentary Association expressed worries regarding the arrest of these directors. The association expressed its sorrow concerning the charges brought against these filmmakers and stated that such charges violate their rights, echoing the worries already stated by their colleagues and the Iranian Cinema community. In response to the news of these arrests, Sadra Abdollahi, a documentary filmmaker based in Iran, said to Deutsche Welle, “It needs to be clarified if cooperation with a media corporation is criminal in itself.” This documentary maker stressed that arresting an artist with the excuse that his work has been broadcast on television, can stifle the atmosphere for artists and move them to further self-censorship.

Eye on Iran: Clinton Calls Iran Plot ‘Dangerous Escalation’

Top Stories

AFP: ”US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday denounced an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador on American soil as a ‘dangerous escalation’ by Tehran. As the United States began individual consultations with UN Security Council ambassadors — a possible precursor to international condemnation or some other action — Clinton reiterated that Iran must be ‘held accountable.’ The plot is ‘a flagrant violation of international and US law and a dangerous escalation of the Iranian government’s long-standing use of political violence and sponsorship of terrorism,’ Clinton said. ‘We call upon other nations to join us in condemning this threat to international peace and security,’ the top US diplomat told journalists at a think-tank in Washington. ‘Iran must be held accountable for its actions.’ Clinton said the plot was ‘directed by elements of the Iranian government,’ and said this ‘kind of reckless act undermines international norms and the international system.’ The ‘US has increased our sanctions on individuals within the Iranian government who are associated with this plot and Iran’s support for terrorism,’ she said.” http://t.uani.com/nJNXHk

Radio free Europe: IRAN REPORT

 

The Alleged Murder Plot Viewed From Tehran  Iranian officials and media were quick to reject the charges even though the news about the plot broke in the middle of the night in Tehran. More  Rejecting Plot Allegations, Iran Asks UN Chief To Take Its Side  In a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Iran’s Ambassador to the UN Mohammad Khazaee vehemently rejects the U.S. allegations that Tehran orchestrated a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington. More  Iran Assassination Plot Raises Questions  Do allegations that Iranian officials plotted to murder Saudi Arabia’s ambassador on U.S. soil fits the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps mold? More  U.S. Threat Over Alleged Iran Plot  The United States is threatening to increase measures against Iran, which it alleges is behind a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington. While Tehran dismissed the accusation as a “comedy,” the United States issued a worldwide alert, warning of possible anti-U.S. actions. More

Iran News Round Up (Oct. 13)

Ahmadinejad says revolutionary spirit in Iran weakened; lawmaker Mottahari resigns from parliament over right to question president; IRGC dismisses U.S. allegations of terror plot against Saudi envoy; Iran’s foreign minister warns U.S. against confrontation over assassination plot; Iranian general warns Ankara to rethink decision on hosting NATO missile shield; Supreme Leader downplays effects of sanctions on Iran’s economy

Roundup of Today’s International News 13/10/11

FOILED IRANIAN TERROR PLOT

Intel chair: “Chain” of Iran plots possible
The alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to the United States was comically amateurish, but the U.S. government believes not only that it was approved at high levels in Tehran but also that it was not the only plot, CBS News correspondent Bill Plante reports. “There may be a chain of these things,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the California Democrat who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday.

U.S. Moves to Isolate Iran, Push Stronger International Action
The U.S. launched a full-court press portraying Iran as an outlaw state that threatens global security. In doing so, the Obama administration laid the groundwork yesterday for efforts to ratchet up multilateral sanctions, isolate the regime diplomatically and perhaps take other actions.