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Iranian President: Israel Should be 'Wiped Off the Map'
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Oppenheimer



Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 1166
Location: SantaFe, New Mexico

PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 12:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4204


U.S. freezes Iran state TV’s account in New York Sat. 29 Oct 2005



Iran Focus

Washington, Oct. 29 – Authorities in the United States froze on Saturday the bank account of the office of Iran’s state broadcasting corporation in New York on terrorism charges.

The account of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB)’s New York office was suspended after authorities determined that the organisation was an official organ of the Iranian government.

In a written order to Chase Bank in New York, authorities said that Iran was a state sponsor of terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction, and they demanded that its assets be completely and indefinitely frozen.

In the past, IRIB correspondents in a number of countries have been detained on suspicion of spying for Tehran while working under the pretext of news production. Iraq recently arrested IRIB’s chief correspondent in Baghdad on espionage charges.
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Oppenheimer



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PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 2:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://memri.org/jihad.html

Special Dispatch Series - No. 958
August 16, 2005 No.958

‘The Seekers of Martyrdom Command’: Another State-Inspired Organization of Suicide Attackers in Iran (Official Website Based in U.S. and Germany)

The new Iranian regime, headed by President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, is promoting martyrdom (Shehada). In his second TV appearance following his election, Ahmadi-Nejad praised "the art of martyrdom." [1] (To view this clip, visit http://memritv.org/search.asp?ACT=S9&P1=782.)

The call to enlist and carry out suicide attacks was sounded also by Ayatollah Mohammad-Taqi Misbah-e Yazdi (who is Ahmadi-Nejad's religious mentor and one of the most prominent religious figures in conservative circles, especially among Iran's security forces) in his weekly Partow-e Sokhan. [2]

Mohammad-Reza Ja'afari, commander of the "Seekers of Martyrdom Command," stressed the origins of Shehada in Shi'ite tradition and what he called its vital role today in the confrontation with Iran's enemies, in a speech cited in Partow-e Sokhan in early August. [3] Following Ayatollah Misbah-e Yazdi's recruiting call for martyrs – a call that aroused criticism in Iran and beyond its borders – Partow-e Sokhan published an extensive interview with Ja'afari, titled "Establishing Quick Response [Martyrdom] Forces to Deal with the American and Israeli Threat." [4]

Ja'afari stressed that "the yearning for martyrdom has been and will remain part of our tactics… In order to cope with [the Israeli] danger, there is a need for a culture, and an epic [of martyrdom]." He undertook to "cooperate with anyone who helps us create and strengthen this culture, and to use all the potential of the Islamic world to implement this spirit [of martyrdom]." He quoted Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei saying that, "Martyrdom operations are the pinnacle of a people's strength and the pinnacle of an epic' and wanted Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini saying that "Israel – that suppurating tumor – must be eradicated from the pages of history." Ja'afari added that "to deal with [American and Israeli] threats, we have created quick response forces, in order to use them against every possible enemy threat. Forces like these are established in other countries, and even in America, and in NATO [countries]. What will put this potential into action is the spirit of martyrdom. The enemy fears this culture turning into a world culture…. So far, forces have been formed in several provinces…nearly 50,000 people have been registered and organized… The first blow we strike at the enemy will be the final blow, that will obliterate it."

Partow-e Sokhan is published in the city of Qom, which is a religious center, and is registered in the name of the "Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute," which is headed by Ayatollah Misbah-e Yazdi. It is noteworthy that the weekly's internet site is hosted in the U.S. and Germany. [5]

The following are excerpts from Ja'afari's August 3, 2005 speech, delivered on the anniversary of a 1988 Iranian military operation against the Mojahedin-e Khalq forces, [6] and excerpts from Ja'afari's interview with Partow-e Sokhan: [7]










Ja'afari's Speech (August 3, 2005)

"The yearning for martyrdom has been and will remain part of our tactics. The Islamic school of thought has taught us to use the power of faith, of authority, and of our worldview against oppression and the oppressor. Any threat against the Muslims will entail our response, in a confrontation between unequal [forces] by means of martyrdom operations...

"Those who wish to destroy the Muslims' honored status, independence, and honor by means of their advanced weaponry must know this important point: In defending the Islamic region, our weapon and technology against them is the weapon of martyrdom, and today we are equipped with this tactic...

"The martyrdom operations began with … the initiative of the Imam 'Ali, and reached their apex with the Imam Hossein, on the day of the 'Ashura. In our times, such operations were supported by the Imam Khomeini and by the honorable Leader [Ali Khamenei]... When Imam [Khomeini] says 'Israel must be eradicated from the pages of history,' or the honorable Leader [Khamenei] says 'Everyone must help the Palestinian cause in every way and by every means at his disposal,' a duty is [thereby] formed, and we are religiously obligated to perform this duty, and there is no other way to accomplish this important matter except martyrdom operations...

"The honorable Leader [Khamenei] made his renowned statement, 'Martyrdom operations are the pinnacle of a people's strength and the pinnacle of an epic.' By this, he supports these kinds of operations… It is certain that the Imam 'Ali, the Imam Hossein, the Imam Khomeini, and the honorable Leader [Khamenei] based their above statements on verses from the Koran. In addition, the greatest man of science in the Islamic world, the honorable Ayatollah Misbah-e Yazdi, sees this approach [of martyrdom]as sacred, stresses the need for willingness to defend Islam, and sees it as the prelude to the appearance of the Hidden Imam [the Shi'ite messiah]. This can constitute an expert opinion on the issue … and also on the issue of society's current need [for martyrdom]. Therefore, there remains no room at all for doubting it…

"In the matter of nuclear technology, our senior officials are making do with the bare minimum – yet the superpowers deny us even this. This indicates that we have not yet managed to properly implement the policy of the Imam [Khomeini]… If this lack of initiative continues, and the useless traditional approach does not make way for bold and strong diplomacy that yearns for martyrdom, we will in the future encounter harsher measures by the Americans, the Europeans, and potential enemies."

Ja'afari's Interview (August 10, 2005)

"Following the publication of [Ayatollah Misbah-e Yazdi's] call for martyrdom in the Partow-e Sokhan weekly, a great uproar broke out against this magazine. Some of the people did this out of a sense of empathy, and claimed that under current conditions, now is not the time to raise these kinds of issues. Others responded to the call out of rebelliousness and ignorance, because they are, as a rule, against these issues, and see them as violence. In their view, instead of making such statements, we must smile at the enemy.

"In light of this, we deem it vital to talk with Mr. Mohammed Reza-Ja'afari, commander of the 'Seekers of Martyrdom Command' organization, in order to better understand the goals and the practical methods of martyrdom:…"

Question: "Following the publication of the call for martyrs in the Partow weekly, how many foreign news agencies and Iranian [news] websites took a coordinated stance against Partow and expressed their opinion? How do you explain these reactions?"

Ja'afari: […] "The publication of the call to recruit martyrdom-seeking forces in the [ideological] weekly Partow-e Sokhan was at the request of the 'Seekers of Martyrdom Command' organization, and it was published several times in this magazine. This announcement also appeared in other publications, and, according to the Majlis National Security Committee Director ['Ala A-Din Boroujerdi], this is a routine matter, and publications are free to publish announcements.

"The very fact that foreign news agencies and some of the Iranian [news] websites have taken a stand against this publication has proven beyond all doubt the honor, the identity, and the influence of the Partow-e Sokhan magazine – which acts comprehensively for Islamic values and for spreading the spirit of martyrdom, which are dear to the Koran, the Prophet [Muhammad], the Infallible Imams, the Imam [Khomeini], and the honorable Leader [Khamenei]. It has become clear that Partow-e Sokhan is a values-oriented revolutionary magazine, and is committed to the principles of Islam, and acts according to the laws of Islam. Therefore, the righteous employees of this magazine are to be congratulated for presenting this matter.

"[The opposition to this call stems from] the lack of knowledge about the wishes,the goals, and the strategies of the Islamic Republic [of Iran]. The Koran, the Prophet, the Infallible Imams, the Imam [Khomeini], the honorable Leader [Khamenei], the precious and great martyrs, and the constitution have clarified our role very well. How is it possible to accept that Israel can drown thousands of children, men, and women in their own blood in occupied Palestine, and make them refugees, but the Muslims do not have the right to publish even a single announcement of recruitment for expressing willingness for all-out defense of their country? This is the height of cowardice."

Question: "Please explain in detail the goal of the founding of this command, and how it complies with the laws of the Islamic Republic [of Iran]:"

Ja'afari: "First of all, I must say clearly that the martyrdom forces are authorized organizations. These apparatuses were formed by the dear public that promotes martyrs. The army, the Revolutionary Guards, the Basij, the various bodies and organizations, and the executive and judicial [leaders] can support [the 'Seekers of Martyrdom' Command], but we are not obligated at all to accept their support. The mere fact that the honorable Leader [Khamenei] made the statement, 'When the senior officials in the country make a decision, show courage, or undertake important measures, it is all done with the backing of the people,' means, or has meant, spiritual backing…

"Only in recent days the base and negative stances of Israel and of the president of America have shown that the strength of our belief has, more than anything else, caused them to become gripped by fear. This has reached the point where the president of America officially responded to the establishment of the martyrdom forces [by saying]: 'I am shocked at the establishment of the martyrdom forces.'

"The Americans and the Israelis are today in a position of total weakness. On the other hand, we must not, for even a moment, ignore the danger of Israel. We cannot remain indifferent with regard to the Palestinian cause. The honorable Leader [Khamenei] has said: 'Everyone must act by all means and in all ways for the cause of Palestine, and this is a duty.' He also said: 'Martyrdom operations are the pinnacle of a people's strength and the pinnacle of an epic.' Also, the Imam [Khomeini] said: 'Israel – that suppurating tumor – must be eradicated from the pages of history.'

"In order to cope with this danger, there is a need for a culture, and an epic. We planned and carried out [the founding] of a movement of seekers of martyrdom out of reliance on Allah, for Allah, and for the sake of implementing the wishes and goals of the Islamic Revolution. So far, this step has brought us great blessing. We will maintain contacts and cooperate with anyone who helps us create and strengthen this culture, and we will use all the potential of the Islamic world to implement this spirit.

"Second, the goal of establishing the 'Seekers of Martyrdom Command' organization is to form a quick-response force, in order to create the willingness amongst these forces to defend the country and Islam. This goal stems from the verses of the Koran. In light of the explicit command [of the Koranic verse that is also part of the motto of the Revolutionary Guards], 'Make ready your strength against them, to the utmost of your power' [Koran, 8:60], we see it as our duty to maintain, in every situation, forces that are ready to deal with the enemy's threats. We are a living people, and a people that is living must be capable of defending itself. In this context, the Imam [Khomeini] said: 'The Islamic land must be completely military.'

"It should be noted that the establishment of this organization came after the American and Israeli threats against the Islamic Republic [of Iran]. To deal with these threats, we have created quick response forces, in order to use them against every possible enemy threat. Forces like these are established in other countries, and even in America, and in NATO [countries]. What will put this potential into action is the spirit of martyrdom. The enemy fears this culture turning into a world culture. They are unaware that this approach is considered a fundamental tool for all seekers of freedom in the world…"

Question: "Do you have a modus operandi for dealing with the terrorist movements [against the Iranian regime and Islam]?"

Ja'afari: "Yes. I must point out that the sharp eyes of the experienced and well-briefed forces of the 'Seekers of Martyrdom Command' are following threatening issues, both inside and outside Iran. Accordingly, we are completely ready to cooperate with other responsible and relevant centers [in Iran] in order to prevent any terrorist operation and in order to locate and identify these elements in the country. All these operations are in the interest of the dear regime, revolution, and Islam…"

Question: "How many have registered so far for the martyrdom-seekers program, and how many forces have been organized?"

Ja'afari: "We thought about a martyrdom force for every province [in Iran]. So far, forces have been formed in several provinces, in order to express full willingness to defend [the country]. Nearly 50,000 people have been registered and organized. Thanks to Allah's grace, and in light of the loving and good response, it can be said that we have succeeded up to this stage.

"Also, in the future we want to have better plans, so that the entire people will be ready to defend itself against every enemy threat. In our view, recruiting, organizing, and good instruction are the prelude to good defense. Our approach is to improve the quality of these forces, so that the first blow we strike at the enemy will be the final blow, that will obliterate it."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Ibid.

[2] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 945, "Iran's New President Glorifies Martyrdom":

http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP94505.

[3] Ja'afari was referred to by the weekly as "general."

[4] See also MEMRI Inquiry &Analysis No. 181, June 17, 2004,

http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=countries&Area=iran&ID=IA18104, and MEMRI SD No. 929, July 6, 2005,

http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP92905.

It should be pointed out that the Headquarters for Seekers of Martyrdom appears to be a different organization from the World Islamic Organization's Headquarters for Remembering the Shahids, which is referred to in these documents.

[5] hosted in Germany/US

Domain Name: partosokhan.ir
Legal Holder: partosokhan
Postal address:
The Imam Khomeini Education & Research Institute, Amin Blvd., Shahid Sani Khani St., I.R. Iran Tel:+98-0251-293-2328 Email: info@qabas.net
Qom, IR
37185
ISP: Schlund+Partner AG, United States, and Schlund+Partner AG, Brauerstrasse 48, D-76135, Karlsruhe, Germany.

IP address: 82.165.243.77


[6] Partow-e Sokhan (Iran), August 3, 2005.

[7] Partow-e Sokhan (Iran), August 10, 2005.
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Oppenheimer



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PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 2:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/10/30/iran.britain.reut/index.html


Iran: Britain calls for U.N. action

Sunday, October 30, 2005 Posted: 1516 GMT (2316 HKT)

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- The United Nations and wider world community must respond decisively to Iran after its president called for Israel to be destroyed, the British government says.

But it said there was no discussion about military action.

Jose Manuel Barroso, head of the European Union's executive, later said it was too early to talk about sanctions.

"The position that has been taken by the Iranians is so extreme," British Defence Secretary John Reid told BBC Television. "It is in contradiction to everything that the United Nations stands for. So this is a problem and a challenge for the world community.

"It is the United Nations which must face up to that, and (U.N. Secretary-General) Kofi Annan has made it plain that it intends to face up to that."

Conservative Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stunned the West last week by calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map".

Tehran partially backtracked on Saturday, its foreign ministry saying it stood by its U.N. commitments and would not use violence against another country.

Reid said there was no thought of military action.

"I don't think anybody is speaking about military involvement at any level," he said. "But it is certainly a challenge to the United Nations."

Britain is among those leading attempts to persuade Iran to renounce nuclear technology they suspect may be part of a weapons program. Iran insists its nuclear program is aimed purely at peaceful power generation.

London and Washington have threatened to try to have the U.N. Security Council impose sanctions, but European Commission President Barroso said on Sunday he not believe these were likely soon.

"I don't believe they are on the agenda now. At least, we are not considering them now," Barroso told ITV when asked about sanctions.

Barroso also all but ruled out military action.

"As far as I know member states are not considering now that kind of option," he said. "We are considering ... very strong political and diplomatic pressure."
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Rasker



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PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bangkok Post editorial
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/31Oct2005_news18.php

Unacceptable words from Iran

It is difficult to say which is worse about Iran right now. The disturbing and unacceptable statement by new populist President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Israel should be ``wiped off the map'' deserves strong rejection and condemnation from every civilised country and leader. At the same time, however, Teheran under its new regime seems determined to isolate itself. The government is jerking back even the small steps of tolerance recently gained by Iranians, while simultaneously embarking on a foreign policy certain to raise tensions at a time the world suspects Iran is building nuclear weapons. The weekend statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry that the country has no intention of attacking Israel is welcome, but Mr Ahmadinejad must account for his inflammatory remarks. He was the first national leader of this generation to use such words. Even the most hysterical rhetoric by the most radical leaders during the Cold War years never proposed wiping out a country. Mr Ahmadinejad is a president now, not just another rabble-rousing politician. His statement that any country which recognises Israel supports the surrender of the Muslim world is hateful, unacceptable and dangerous.

The Thai Foreign Ministry has the duty to talk to, or even to summon the Iranian ambassador to this country and determine from him just what this new Teheran policy means. Thailand is a nation with long and rather friendly relations with Israel, even as it supports a homeland for the Palestinians with peace in the entire Middle East. Does the Iranian president consider that Thailand is somehow an enemy to Muslims? Thai people have the right to know, as do the citizens of the many countries which recognise Israel _ many of them strategic Muslim nations such as Egypt and Jordan.

Outrage against the call for the extinction of Israel rose quickly around the world because of the way the Iranian leader linked it to other countries. The new president must be called to explain what he means. Iran cannot be allowed to throw out cavalier insinuations about, say, Thai relations with Israel. These cover a wide range _ diplomatic, trade and cultural among others. If Mr Ahmadinejad repeats or defends his remarks, Thailand must consider its next step.

The remarks about Israel also raise strong questions about other Iranian policies. President Ahmadinejad, elected largely because of a protest vote against the establishment of political clerics, has radical views on many subjects. In the past couple of weeks, his government has banned all foreign films _ ironic, given the praise for Iranian films in many places including Bangkok film festivals. New and renewed censorship policies have begun new crackdowns on feminists, Western clothing, satellite TVs and many other societal niches.

All of these petty attempts to return Iran to the bad old 1980s of the Islamic revolution are doomed to partial, if not complete, failure. But placed against a menacing, hardline foreign policy, these and the call to exterminate Israel must worry the world. No country publicly believes Iranian statements that the country is developing peaceful nuclear energy, not weapons. On the United Nations watchdog (and Nobel Peace Prize winning) board of the International Atomic Energy Agency, only Venezuela has voted to support Iran for its excessive, unnecessary and illegal secrecy. A self-isolated, bellicose Iran with nuclear weapons is not a pleasant image to consider.

In a way, however, Mr Ahmadinejad has done everyone a favour by making his government's policies so stark and shocking. Iran's constant support for war over peace in the Mideast has been long overlooked. The Syrian support for assassination in Lebanon is more crucial because of Iranian backing for Lebanon's extremist Hizbollah group. The president has close ties to groups which maintain their so-called fatwa and death sentence on British author Salman Rushdie.

All of this, along with harassment of progressive Iranian citizens, is laid beside Iran's opaque nuclear policy, bellicose Mideast actions and, now, a call for the annihilation of a nation and its citizens. President Ahmadinejad should retract his statement, admit he made a terrible error of judgment and pledge to cooperate with the world community of nations.
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cyrus
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 12:53 pm    Post subject: 2005 Monkey Terror Award Goes To Ahmadinejad Reply with quote

2005 Monkey Terror Award & Top Monkey Policy Goes To
Ahmadinejad For 1000s Of Islamist Terror & Israel 'Wiped Off the Map' Statement


Islamist Mullah Khameni Great Gift's To Iranian People After 27 Years In Power, Evil President-Select Ahmadinejad With 1000s Of Terror By His Own Hand




ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ISLAMIST REGIME In Past 27 Yesrs




1. Execution, flogging, stoning and amputation of limbs in public
2. Mass killings of political prisoners
3. Assassination of political dissidents outside of Iran
4. Political serial killings in Iran
5. Construction of many new prisons holding thousands of political prisoners
6. Political oppression
7. Promotion of international and domestic terrorism
8. Violation of human rights in every category
9. Lack of civil liberties
10. Improvement and growth of Iran’s Cemeteries
11. Killing and imprisonment of journalists
12. Violation of women’s rights
13. Censorship and closure of publications
14. Forcing Iranian’s to flee the country resorting in five million refugees throughout the world and “brain drain”.
15. Oppression of religious minorities
16. Filtering the internet
17. Jamming out of country satellite TV and radio stations
18. Stealing Iran’s wealth by the Mullahs and transfer of funds to abroad.
19. Destruction of Iran’s Economy
20. Widespread poverty throughout Iran
21. Severe Inflation
22. Devaluation of Iranian Rial
23. Increase in unemployment
24. Increase in the crime rate
25. Promotion of corruption, prostitution and addiction
26. Housing crisis in Iran
27. Malnutrition, retarded growth and increased rate of depression among Iranian youth
28. Public health crisis in Iran
29. Making Iran an international “embarrassment”
30. 1979 Occupation of the US Embassy in Tehran and holding hostages for 444 days.
31. Conflict with neighboring countries
32. Iran-Iraq War resulting in millions dead, wounded, handicapped and homeless
33. Supporting Sadam Hussein in the US Iraq War
34. Destruction of Iran’s Airline Industry
35. Causing economic sanctions against Iran
36. Producing weapon’s of mass destruction
37. Inability to get Iran’s fair share of natural resources from Caspian Sea
38. Promoting regional conflicts in the Middle East
39. Destruction of Iran’s industries
40. Lack of technological advancements
41. Air and environmental pollution crisis in Iran
42. Destruction of Iran’s agriculture
43. Destructions of fine arts, theater, cinema and music in Iran
44. Promoting Islamic Fundamentalism
45. Closure of Iranian Universities under cultural revolution for three years
46. Attacking University campuses to kill and crack down on students
47. Violating the constitution of the “Islamic Republic”
48. Hiring hooligan’s for beating and crack down on Iranian citizens
49. Importing and selling contraband by regimes elements for additional income
50. Selling Iranian women as sex slaves in the United Arab Emarets


Last edited by cyrus on Mon Oct 31, 2005 4:01 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Oppenheimer



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4229


Iran’s Supreme Leader says Israel will be defeated Mon. 31 Oct 2005



Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Oct. 31 – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on the country’s officials to be united in one front against the “common enemy” as he reaffirmed that the state of Israel would eventually be toppled, state-run dailies reported on Monday.

Khamenei told a meeting of senior Iranian officials that they had a duty to avoid falling into the “traps and plans of the enemy”.

He said that the “enemy had put immense effort in recent years to create divisions and cracks” among the country’s rulers. “Fortunately, certain officials were vigilant and stood up against this plan”, the Supreme Leader said.

Khamenei highlighted the fact that the heads of Iran’s three power branches – the government, the Majlis (Parliament), and the judiciary - had become unified in their stances.

Iran’s Majlis is dominated by ultra-conservatives including some 90 former Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) officials. Hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – who has himself been a senior Revolutionary Guards commander – has a cabinet filled with former IRGC and Ministry of Intelligence officials. Iran’s judiciary frequently comes under scrutiny from international human rights organisations for handing down sentences hands contrary to basic human rights principles.

Khamenei called on officials to identify threats by “the enemies of the state”. “By recognising precisely these plans, we must tackle them wisely and astutely defend the nation and national interests and identity”.

He warned countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan that the United States was seeking to create a new world order in the region and would turn on them after dealing with Lebanon and Syria.

He said that “continuous commotion” over Iran by the United States was because of the Islamic Republic’s strategic location in the Middle East.

He defended the recent position taken against Israel by Ahmadinejad, who had called for the Jewish state’s destruction, and denounced the international community’s defence of Israel as “shameful”.

“It is the resistance in Palestine which will undoubtedly lead to the fall of the Zionist regime”, Khamenei said.
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Oppenheimer



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4227

Iran key player in Middle East – Revolutionary Guards Chief Mon. 31 Oct 2005



Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Oct. 31 – The Commandant of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) told a gathering of the organisation’s para-military Bassij force that the Islamic Republic was the region’s central power and wielded influence over political decisions in the Middle East.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is at the heart of the three strategic regions of the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. It can play a decisive role in the emergence of political, economic, cultural, and security entities in the region”, Major General Rahim Safavi said on Sunday.

Safavi said that presently both the region and the wider world were ripe for the taking and government officials and the Bassij had to be prepared to defend Iran’s national interests.

“With our joint borders with Iraq and Afghanistan, we cannot be indifferent to regional changes and developments”, he said.

Safavi warned the United States to take Iran’s influence in the region seriously. “America must know that it cannot ignore Iran’s cultural, political, and security role in the region”.

He said that the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea held 75 percent of the world’s precious oil reserves.

“Iran is at the centre of one of the world’s largest communications networks. It is like a bridge in the centre of the world’s communications that connects the East to the West and the North to the South”, Safavi said.

The IRGC Commandant, who was a long-time comrade of Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, vowed that Tehran would never succumb to U.S. pressure. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is fully aware of developments in the region and, as the heart of the Middle East region, will never budge to the influence of America’s singular policies”, he said, adding that Iran’s armed forces had reached a level of complete preparedness.

He also warned European nations not to tie their national interests to those of the U.S.
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Oppenheimer



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 3:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news.pl?l=en&y=2005&m=10&d=31&a=6


Monday, October 31, 2005

Iran Drops a Bomb

October 31, 2005
The Chicago Tribune
Editorials



Any delusions about Iran's intentions--nuclear or otherwise--were obliterated on Wednesday when its new president unleashed the verbal equivalent of a mushroom cloud against Israel.

Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left little doubt about his nation's intentions, declaring in a speech to thousands of students that Israel "must be wiped off the map." In remarks to a conference called "The World Without Zionism," he called the Jewish state "a disgraceful blot." He predicted a new wave of Palestinian attacks "will wipe this stigma from the face of the Islamic world."

Governments around the world reacted, rightly, with shock and scorn.

Ahmadinejad has now placed himself squarely in the malevolent ranks of terrorists on the order of Hamas, which routinely calls for Israel's eradication. Such threats coming from a head of state are doubly outrageous and disturbing. It's an unmistakable warning of Iran's intentions that cannot be dismissed as mere rhetoric.

Amazingly, this diatribe comes from the leader of a country that has spent the last several years trying to convince the world that Iran has no belligerent intentions, that despite all appearances and evidence to the contrary, it's really not trying to develop nuclear weapons. But as Ahmadinejad has made clear, Iran is definitely not in the "live and let live" business. It's in the business of spreading terror, slaughtering innocents and brutally repressing freedoms at home.

For months, the EU-3--Germany, France and Britain--tried to negotiate with Iran over its nuclear programs. They failed. Now Iran has defiantly resumed some nuclear activity, in violation of an earlier agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Last month, just before the IAEA board was to decide whether to refer Iran to the UN for sanctions, Ahmadinejad launched a tirade in a speech to the General Assembly. He ranted about America and expressed doubt that the Sept. 11 attacks were carried out by terrorists. He brandished threats against any who would question Iran's nuclear ambitions. That may have helped convince some nations on the fence to support a move against Iran at the IAEA meeting. The resolution declared Iran guilty of "many failures and breaches of its obligations" but left open the timing of a report to the Security Council.

The board must vote again during a meeting that is scheduled to begin Nov. 24 to make the actual referral to the Security Council. Some nations apparently hoped that Iran would cave, or make significant concessions before then. But that's wishful thinking. This vote has been delayed too long by meandering negotiations and the reservations of countries such as Russia and China, which are loath to lose lucrative deals with Tehran by confronting its nuclear ambitions. Anything short of a resounding vote to send Iran to the Security Council for sanctions will be intolerable.

Ahmadinejad is doing a fine job of rallying the world against Iran and dispelling any lingering doubts about its intentions to build--and use--nuclear weapons. The only thing clearer would be a mushroom cloud.
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Oppenheimer



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news.pl?l=en&y=2005&m=10&d=30&a=3


Sunday, October 30, 2005

Israel Slams Annan's Plan to Go Ahead with Iran Visit

October 30, 2005
Ha'aretz
Shlomo Shamir and Aluf Benn



Israel on Sunday slammed plans by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to visit Iran, saying that the trip could grant legitimacy to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent call for Israel to be "wiped off the map."

"This sends a message of business-as-usual, and perhaps even grants legitimacy to a nation which demands the destruction of another state," said Danny Gillerman, Israeli ambassador to the United Nations.

"I said this to the Secretary-General, as well," Gillerman told Israel Radio. "I very much hope that he will reconsider."

Ambassadors from UN Security Council member states have recommended to Annan that he call off next week's trip, Haaretz has learned. In private conversations, the ambassadors told Annan that his presence in a country whose leader has called for the destruction of another UN member would be misleading, and could be interpreted as contradicting the secretary-general's public condemnation of the remarks.

Annan expressed "dismay" at the comments in a rare rebuke of a UN member state. Russia, a key ally of Iran, also summoned the Iranian ambassador seeking an explanation for Ahmadinejad's remarks.

In an apparent bid to calm the international fury ignited by Ahmadinejad's call for Israel's destruction, Tehran said on Saturday it stood by its UN commitments not to use violence against another country.

Bolton hopes Annan will 'consider' all factors

United States ambassador to the UN John Bolton has spoken publicly against Annan's planned visit to Iran at this time.

Speaking to Israel Radio, he stopped short of condemning the Annan visit, but said "We hope the secretary-general will take all the factors into account in considering whether he's going to undertake that trip."

Iran hit back Friday at the Security Council, after the body condemned Ahmadinejad's remarks. The Security Council issued a statement Friday reminding Iran that member states must refrain from threatening the use of force against each other.

"The statement by the president of the UN Security Council was proposed by the Zionist regime to close the eyes to its crimes and to change the facts, therefore it is not acceptable," Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Iran is loyal to its commitments based on the UN charter, and it has never used or threatened to use force against any country," the statement added.

After the Security Council denounced Ahmadinejad's comments, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said: "The international support in defense of Israel clearly indicates the great improvement in Israel's international standing. The UN, for years a hostile arena, is taking a new position, decisively against those who threaten Israel."

Shalom said the next step would be the Security Council addressing the Iranian nuclear program.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said the international community was treating Iran unfairly, accusing it of not coming to Tehran's defense any time it comes under attack from the United States or Israel over claims it is developing nuclear weapons or supporting Islamic militants.

"How many sessions were held by the Security Council over the U.S. and Israeli threats against Iran?" the Foreign Ministry statement read.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's supreme national security council, said the intense opposition from the West to Ahmadinejad's comments stem from the campaign against its nuclear program. "The reactions to Ahmadinejad's comment showed that the diplomatic machines of some Western countries are influenced by the hue and cry of propaganda," state-run Iran radio said.
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Bolton hopes Annan will 'consider' all factors

United States ambassador to the UN John Bolton has spoken publicly against Annan's planned visit to Iran at this time


Agree with Mr. Ambassador John Bolton against Annan's planned visit to Iran.
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Syria, Iran backed suicide bombing in Israel

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47110

JERUSALEM – The suicide bombing north of Tel Aviv that killed five Israelis and wounded more than 30 this week was directly backed by Syria and Iran, security sources said.
Meanwhile, a member of a terrorist groups reportedly involved in the blast told WND a Palestinian terror leader in Damascus demanded the suicide attack be carried out.



"The reaction of [Islamic Jihad leader] Ramadan Abdullah Shallah from his base in Damascus [to Israel's killing earlier of a senior Jihad member] was a clear demand to the Palestinian resistance, especially to Islamic Jihad to take revenge," said Abu Carmel, a West Bank leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party.

Abu Carmel was speaking to WND after a suicide bomber exploded in an open-air market in the coastal city of Hadera Wednesday. The attack was carried out in front of a falafel stand at the entrance to the market. Hadera has been a frequent target of bombings during the past five years.

The Islamic Jihad terror group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, saying the bombing was retaliation for the death of one of its senior leaders in an Israel Defense Forces raid in the West Bank earlier this week. Sources close to the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades told WND the group was involved in the attack as well.

Israeli security sources say the Islamic Jihad terrorist infrastructure responsible for directing suicide bombings is largely located in Damascus, where the group would need to have the tacit approval of the Syrian leadership before carrying out suicide attacks against the Jewish state. Jihad chief Shallah operates openly from Syria, where he gives media interviews and makes public appearances.

"The Palestinian terror leadership, especially Islamic Jihad, has their main organizational infrastructure in Syria, where attacks are directed from," said a senior security official. "They know they have a safe haven there, where they think they are free from Israeli retaliation."

Security sources say the Islamic Jihad cell responsible for the bombing is also involved with Syrian-backed Hezbollah. Sources said Hezbollah forces at the direction of Syria have created a terror apparatus of Palestinian militants in the West Bank consisting mostly of Jihad members who receive full-time salaries from the Lebanese group.

Palestinian security previously had intercepted a series of communications, including phone calls and e-mails, between Hezbollah and West Bank terrorists indicating Hezbollah had been trying to recruit suicide bombers to carry out attacks, sources say.

One official said intercepted bank transactions previously suggested Hezbollah had raised its cash offers to Palestinian terrorists and now is willing to pay $100,000 for a suicide bombing operation. In the past, information indicated Hezbollah would pay $20,000 for such attacks.

The security officials say that while Syria allows Palestinian terrorists to operate from their country, Iran is largely behind the terror financing.

Major-General Yaacov Amidror, former head of Israel's military intelligence, told WND, "The money comes straight from Iran. At one point, we had information Iran once told Islamic Jihad if they didn't carry out a suicide attack within 60 days, they would cut back their funding. That just illustrates the kind of relationship Tehran has with them. Also with Hezbollah."

Said a senior security official, "Both Syria and Iran are under mounting international pressure. They need a distraction and they need a conflict somewhere else. They know suicide bombings force Israel to respond."




http://freethoughts.splinder.com
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Oppenheimer



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.fco.gov.uk/


IRAN: JACK STRAW PARLIAMENTARY STATEMENT (31/10/05)


Following the Iranian President's recent public comments about Israel, the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, placed the following written statement before Parliament on Monday 31 October:

On 26 October, President Mahmud Ahmadinejad of Iran addressed a conference in Tehran on 'A World Without Zionism'. In his speech, he is reported to have called for 'Israel to be wiped from the map', and said that 'the Islamic world will not let its historic enemy live in its heartland', 'the new wave of (attacks) in Palestine... will erase this stigma from the Islamic world' and that 'anybody who recognises Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury'.

As my Right Hon Friend the Prime Minister said in his press conference at the European Council at Hampton Court on 27 October, these sentiments are completely unacceptable. I welcome the clear condemnation by the United Nations Security Council on 28 October and the statement by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, expressing his dismay. They have spoken for the world. Israel is a long-standing member of the United Nations with the same rights and obligations as every other. Under the United Nations Charter, Iran, like other members of the organisation, has undertaken to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.

Mr Annan has also said he intends to place at the top of his agenda when he visits Iran in the next few weeks the Middle East Peace Process and the right of all states in the area to live in peace within secure and recognised boundaries free from threats or acts of force. I welcome that.

At the informal summit of European Union Heads of Government at Hampton Court on 27 October, the Presidency issued the following statement:

'EU leaders meeting at Hampton Court today condemned in the strongest terms the comments in respect of the State of Israel attributed to President Ahmedinejad of Iran. Calls for violence, and for the destruction of any state, are manifestly inconsistent with any claim to be a mature and responsible member of the international community.

'Such comments will cause concern about Iran's role in the region, and its future intentions. The fact that these comments were made on the same day as a horrific attack on Israeli civilians should reinforce the lesson that incitement to violence, and the terrorism that it breeds, are despicable and unacceptable acts. For its part, the EU remains committed to a solution to the Arab-Israeli dispute based on the principle of two states living side-by-side in peace and security. It urges all parties in the region to do their utmost to bring that vision to fulfilment.'

In addition, on 27 October, the Foreign Office summoned the Iranian Chargé d'Affaires in London on behalf of the European Union to protest at the remarks. Many of our European partners and other countries have done likewise.

We welcome too the international community's forthright condemnation, and their reaffirmation of the right of Israel to exist. We welcome particularly the statements by officials of the Palestinian Authority and other governments in the region.

We remain profoundly concerned at Iran's links to groups trying to undermine peace in the Middle East through violence, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad which claimed responsibility for the horrific attack at Hadera in Israel on 26 October. The EU has said that Iran's policies towards the Middle East Peace Process and terrorism are among the factors it will consider when formulating its policy towards Iran.

President Ahmadinejad's remarks also underline the imperative for Iran to take steps to address international concerns about the intentions of its nuclear programme, and to provide objective guarantees that that programme is for solely peaceful purposes. We call on Iran to meet urgently and in full the requests of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors, to suspend fully all of its uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, and return to talks with the E3/EU on the basis of the Paris Agreement.
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Oppenheimer



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4237


Iran exiles in U.S. urge firm policy against Ahmadinejad’s threats Mon. 31 Oct 2005



Iran Focus

London, Oct. 31 – Iranian exiles from nearly 40 states in the United States condemned threats last week by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - who called for the destruction of the state of Israel - and demanded that that West end its “policy of appeasement” and formulate a decisive policy against Iran’s theocratic regime.

The Iranian-American National Convention for a Democratic, Secular Republic in Iran said that Ahmadinejad's “nefarious position” and its reaffirmation by other government officials must “serve as a wake up call to all Western capitals”.

The Convention called on the United States and the European Union to “abandon the policy of engaging Iran's outlaw regime and to adopt a firm policy in support of democratic change in Iran”.

It supported efforts by the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate to expel the Iranian regime from the United Nations.

“Ahmadinejad's pernicious speech was a clear manifestation of Tehran's sinister goal of exporting of terrorism and fundamentalism to Iraq, the region, and beyond”, the statement said, adding that his speech signaled the resurgence of a “rogue regime which is banking on the lack of resolve in Washington and the EU capitals to confront its nuclear weapons ambitions and its wicked campaign to derail Iraq's fragile democratic process”.

It also called for Tehran’s nuclear dossier to be hauled before the UN Security Council.

The Iranian-Americans National Convention, whose members are based in some 40 U.S. states, came into existence in April 2005.

Separately, a Washington-based Iran policy group also condemned the Iranian president’s threatening remarks.

The Iran Policy Committee said that the UN must follow up on a resolution on October 28 by the Security Council if Ahmadinejad continued his threats. “The Security Council should consider adopting measures under Chapter Seven of the Charter, which would make it obligatory on all Member States to comply”, Raymond Tanter, co-chair of the IPC said.

The group added, “One theme from the Arab press is that Ahmadinejad has simply restated the doctrine of revolutionary Iran under Ayatollah [Ruhollah] Khomeini. But Ahmadinejad's threats go well beyond those of Khomeini's empty threats of the 1980s; with Iran's military buildup and nuclear weapons programs, Ahmadinejad's threats have a credibility Khomeini's lacked 25 years ago”.
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 10:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4241

Council of Muslims condemns Iranian threats Mon. 31 Oct 2005



DPA

BERLIN - The Central Council of Muslims in Germany has condemned the call by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the destruction of Israel.

The central council's chairman, Nadeem Elyas told Germany's weekly Bild on Sonntag, that Ahmadinejad's statement was unacceptable and harmed the search for a solution to the Middle East conflict.

Elyas' interview was released ahead of its publication on Sunday.

Ahmadinejad's call for Israel's destruction has been met with condemnation from leaders from around the world.

Speaking at a conference this week, Ahmadinejad said: "God willing the eradication of Israel would soon be realized through the continued wisdom of the Palestinian nation."

But Elyas told Bild: "We expect each state to respect international law and to respect the rights of other states.

"This applies both to Israel regarding the Palestinian people, and to Iran regarding Israel," he said.

Along with Germany's Islamic Council, the Central Council of Muslims is one of the biggest organizations representing the around 3.2 million Muslims living in Germany.

In a separate interview with Berlin newspaper B.Z. am Sonntag, Germany's designated Minister of the Interior Wolfgang Schaeuble warned Ahmadinejad's threat had to be taken seriously.

"These remarks must make everyone tremendously anxious in particular about Iran pursuing further an atomic energy policy", said Schaeuble in the B.Z. interview, which was also released ahead of its Sunday publication.

Schaeuble said it was the task of all countries to make it clear to Iran that it is taking a completely wrong path, adding that it would be dangerous to have illusions about Iran.
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Oppenheimer



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 10:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4240


Italian political leaders to demonstrate outside Iran embassy Mon. 31 Oct 2005



ROME, Oct 31 (AFP) - Italian political leaders from both left and right will take part in a rally outside Tehran's embassy in Rome on Thursday to protest against calls by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for Israel to be "wiped off the map."

Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini of the right-wing National Alliance party said Monday he will join leaders of the two biggest opposition parties, Piero Fassino and Francesco Rutelli, as well as Rome's left-wing mayor Walter Veltroni, for the torchlight rally.

Veltroni described Ahmadinejad's comments as "an intolerable insult not only to the Jewish state but to all the international community."

The appeal was launched at the weekend by the right wing daily Il Foglio, whose editor Giuliano Ferrara is a former spokesman for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Berlusconi described Ahmadinejad's comments as "completely crazy and unacceptable," in a television interview to be screened Monday.

"This behaviour leads nowhere. We have reached the absurd and I hope that wisdom returns to the minds which gave voice to such sentiments," he said in extracts of the interview released at the weekend.

Amos Luzzatto, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, said he and members of his organisation would attend Thursday's rally.
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