$19 Billion: Iran’s Annual Contraband Trade

Saeed Mortazavi, Iran’s head of anti-smuggling department and former prosecutor of Islamic Revolutionary Court, said today that the country’s contraband trade has reached 19 billion dollars a year.

"Some 16 billion dollars worth of goods have been smuggled into Iran, while three billion dollars worth have been exported illegally during the last Iranian year (ending March 2010)," Mortazavi said [Donya-e Eqtesad, 3 June].

Smuggled imports represents one third of all imports, estimated at 50 billion dollars last year.

“Only three percent of smuggled goods are identified and seized by the police,” Motazavi added.

Much of the illegal trafficking takes place between Iran and its biggest trade partner, the United Arab Emirates.

Ahmadinejad and Chavez to take action on Israel

During a telephone conversation today Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez have talked about measures that need to be taken against Israel over their violent attack on the aid flotilla that was in international waters heading for Gaza.

"All free people and governments of the world need to condemn the Israeli crimes and put an end to them

It is necessary for international communities to condemn the catastrophic incident and to send more aid convoys in order to break the siege and save the people of Gaza from the inhumane pressures."

"Today, the Zionist regime is approaching its end as a terrorist regime,"
- Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

President Chavez has backed increased pressure on Israel as a result of this and has also backed the sending of more aid flotillas to help the impoverished people of Gaza.

Today in History

Iran's spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, died on 3 June 1989. Marking the occasion of the 21st anniversary of his death, Iran’s current supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, will deliver the Friday’s Prayer sermon at Imam Khomeini Mausoleum in Tehran. Some two million pilgrims are expected to arrive for various commemoration ceremonies taking place on Friday.

Is Mesbah Challenging Khamenei?

By Nader Uskowi

Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi, the leader of the ultraconservative and fundamentalist faction in the Assembly of Experts, known as “Mesbahieh”, has been delivering major political speeches lately in which he seems to be challenging Ayatollah Khamenei’s position as the country’s supreme leader.

On 24 May, in a speech at Qum’s influential Faizieh Madressa, Iran’s premier Islamic theological seminary, Mesbah said if there were two people equally qualified to be the supreme leader (“Vali Faghih”), the Assembly of Expert must draw a coin to choose the country’s supreme leader [ILNA]. This blogger at first thought he was showing a humorous side, but Mesbah at the end of the speech said the following:

“A person who himself and whose family have stolen from the public treasury, loses his right to be the leader. A person governing on behalf of the [Hidden Imam] must be as innocent as the [Hidden Imam] himself.”

The use of such language, in a formal speech, delivered at Qum’s fabled Faizieh, cannot be underestimated. Islamic Republic’s supreme leader (“Vali Faghih”) is believed to be ruling the country on behalf of Shia’s twelfth imam, Hazrat Mahdi, the Lord of Time, hidden at present only surfacing to lead the global Resurrection.

A week later, Mesbah delivered another speech in the holy city of Mashhad criticizing the inability of the Islamic Republic to fight the growing secularism inside Iran and to demonstrate the necessity for having a supreme leader (“Vali Faghih”) governing the country.

“The reason our society, after thirty years under the Islamic Republic, has not accepted the necessity of Vali Faghih, is the dominant culture, the secularism dominating our society. Our leaders believe that the position of Vali Faghih is a payback given by the public to the clergy for their role during the Islamic revolution.”

More interestingly was a reference to Mesbah as “Imam Mesbah Yazdi” in Wednesday’s online edition of Ansawr News, a site close to the country’s ultraconservative faction. So far, only the late Ayatollah Khomeini has been given the title of an “Imam”, as in Imam Khomeini. Calling Mesbah an Imam could not have been a typo. Ansar News actually explained its use in its article.

“The use of the title of “Imam” for Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi has precedence. We have used the title in our history to designate the special position in society by scholars such as Fakhr Razi or Mohammad Qazali.”

Razi was a renowned Islamic legal scholar of the 12^th century who was born in Ray, Iran, and is buried in Herat, Afghanistan. Qazali was as renowned Islamic theologian, living in Tus, near Mashhad, in the 11^th century. Calling Mesbah an Imam and comparing him to Razi and Qazali have profound implications.

Today, Ansawr News site was taken offline, and when it reappeared later it did not have the article on “Imam Mesbah Yazdi.” Ayatollah Khamenei is reportedly very angry at Mesbah’s recent speeches and the references to him as an imam.

Making matters more complicated, is the public knowledge that Mesbah is the spiritual guide of the sitting president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Iran Converting Euros into Dollars

The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) is converting 45 billion euros of its foreign exchange reserves into dollars and some gold ingots [Press TV, 2 June].

CBI last year had replaced a substantial part of its dollar reserves into euros. Its latest move to migrate back to dollar comes against a background of growing euro-zone economic crisis and sharp drop in the value of euro against the dollar.

Iran Shelling Kurdish Border Towns

Iraq’s Kurdish Security Forces spokesman confirmed today that the border towns of Sanka Sar and Joman and surrounding villages have come under continued shelling by Iranian forces pursuing Iranian Kurdish rebels in the border region.

“Iranian troops did not make any incursion into the Kurdistan region, but the villages near the border have faced artillery shelling for the past week, displacing some 120 families from Joman near the border," said Major General Jabbar Yawar, spokesman for the Kurdish Peshmerga [Reuters].

On Sunday, Kurdish officials said one woman was killed and another wounded in shelling.

Iranian forces frequently clash with rebels of the PJAK.

Israeli Raid Prompts Worldwide Protests

The Mavi marmara, the lead boat of the aid flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos on Monday. Nine passengers were killed in a botched raid the provoked international outrage.

Protesters in The Hague, the Netherlands

Protesters at Champs Elysees in Paris

A protester in front of Israeli consulate in Instanbul

Peace activist protesters in Jerusalem

Iranian protesters in front of UN office in Tehran

Photos: Reuters

UPDATE: UN Security Council unanimously condemned Israeli military operation against international aid flotilla (1 June).

IAEA Report on Iran

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in its latest report on Iran's nuclear program, said Iran has already produced at least 5.7 kg (12.5 pounds) of higher (20 percent) enriched uranium using its LEU produced in Natanz [AFP, 31 May].

“On April 7, 2010, Iran withdrew 5.7 kilograms of UF6 (uranium hexafluoride) from the first cascade” in Natanz, the report said. “According to Iran, this UF6 was enriched to 19.7 percent."

The real amount of higher-enriched uranium produced is expected to be more by now, as the 5.7 kg was produced in early April, with 100 grams per day produced on daily basis [AFP, 31 May].

IAEA’s report also raises concern that the Iranian program might have a military component.

"Based on an overall analysis of all the information available, the agency remains concerned about the possible existence in Iran of past or current undisclosed nuclear related activities, involving military related organizations,” the reports said. [Some of those activities] “were related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile. There are indications that certain of these activities may have continued beyond 2004."

IAEA will be referring its report to the UN Security Council for consideration. UNSC is expected to approve a fourth round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

Ahmadinejad criticises Israel over assault on aid convoy

"Supporting the people of Palestine is equal to supporting peace and freedom of every nation."

"[Israel is] fabricated not only with the aim of gaining control over the Middle East but also over the entire world."
- Ahmadinejad

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has seriously criticized Israel for its illegal attack on the Free Gaza Movement flotilla that was bringing basic food and medical supplies to the people of Gaza which left Cyprus for Gaza yesterday.

The Israeli Army raid on the flotilla took place 90 miles off the Gaza coast was in international waters and resulted in the deaths of 20 and wounding of 50 civilians mostly Turkish nationals.

The flotilla was made up of citizens and boats from Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Republic of Ireland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Norway, The Netherlands, Palestine, Poland, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.


MV Rachel Corrie
Irish owned vessel named after
Rachel Corrie, an American peace
activist killed by an Israeli Army
bulldozer in Gaza in 2003.

The flotilla has been seized by the Israeli Navy and those aboard have been detained.

China Offers Billion-Euro Loan for Iran

China has offered a loan of one billion euros (1.2 billion dollars) to fund projects in Tehran, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported today.

“The one-billion-euro Chinese funding is materializing,” said Hossein Mohammad Pourzarandi, a senior official at Tehran municipality. “The loan would be used for several construction projects in Tehran, including road networks,” he added [Fars News Agency, 30 May].

In recent years, China has emerged as Iran’s main trading partner, and has increasingly replaced Western firms leaving Iran.

Iran Arming Taliban- US Commander in Afghanistan

General Stanley McCrystal, the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan (ISAF), said today that Afghan insurgents are being trained inside Iran and given weapons to fight ISAF.

"The training that we have seen occurs inside Iran with fighters moving inside Iran," Gen. McCrystal said at a news conference in Kabul. "The weapons that we have received come from Iran into Afghanistan" [Reuters, 30 May].

In March, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said there had been a significant shipment of Iranian arms to fighters in Kandahar, where ISAF is preparing for an offensive against the Taliban this summer.

Kaman 99 tribute

A video tribute to the large scale air retaliatory strike carried out by the IRIAF on Iraq following their September 22nd 1980 invasion that sparked off the war that would only come to an end eight years later.

Made by this author from stock footage from Press TV and other sources.

Khamenei To Lead Friday’s Prayer

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will lead Friday’s Prayer in Tehran on 4 June to commemorate the 21th anniversary of the death of Islamic Republic’s founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

"This week's Friday prayer on 14th of Khordad [4 June] which marks the divine departure of the founder of the Islamic Republic will be led by the guardian of all Muslims [Khamenei] in the shrine of the late Imam Khomeini,” the official IRNA news agency reported.

The 4 June Friday sermon by Khamenei will be his first since his sermon last year, on 19 June 2009, in which he openly defended Ahmadinejad’s re-election a week earlier amid widespread and deadly post-election street unrest, later to be known as the Green Movement, questioning the fairness of the election and the legitimacy of an Ahmadinejad victory.

Iran to Start Construction of Gas Pipeline to Pakistan

Iran and Pakistan on Friday signed a “sovereign guaranteed” Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) to begin the construction of a major gas pipeline linking Asalooyeh, a southern Iranian industrial town on the Persian Gulf and Iranshahr, near the border with Pakistan. The pipeline will carry natural gas from Iran’s huge South Pars field in the Gulf.

“I am extremely pleased that after 17 long years this project is finally starting. It would help us generate energy for our industrial growth,” Pakistani Petroleum Minister Syed Naveed Qamar told reporters after GSPA signing ceremony in Islamabad.

“Iran had assured us that they would complete the project between two-and-half to three years, ahead of schedule,” Qamar added. “As per current project implementation schedule, the first gas flow is targeted by end 2014.”

If India joins the project, as originally planned, the pipeline will carry natural gas to that country through Pakistan and the pipeline will be named Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline. India has not yet signed off on the deal.

IRGC Receives South Pars Gas Contract

Iran’s IRGC has been awarded the rights to develop the latest phases of the giant South Pars natural gas fields in the Persian Gulf. South Pars is Iran’s largest gas field. Together with the adjoining Qatar’s North Field, they are the world’s largest.

The Revolutionary Guards' business arm, Khatam al-Anbiya Base, received the lucrative contract after Royal Dutch Shell and Respol YPF decided not to move forward on South Pars development.

Khatam al-Anbiya is under UN sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program. Shell and Respol withdrawal from South Pars represent the hesitancy of global energy majors to doing business with Iran.

Iran and Russia Resume Diplomatic Contacts

After two days of public denunciation of each other, Iran and Russia have resumed high-level diplomatic contacts to manage the growing tensions in their relations. Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and National Security Advisor Saeed Jalili today had extensive phone conversations with their Russian counterparts [ISNA, 28 May]. Mottaki’s talk with Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minster, was particularly aimed at reducing the tensions between the two countries, which started with the remarks made by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad questioning Russia’s independence from US foreign policy over Iran.

Growing Tensions in Iran-Russia Relations

In unusually strong criticism of Russia, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today warned his Russian counterpart to be more cautious in dealing with Iran.

“If I were the Russian president, when making decisions about subjects related to the great nation (of Iran), I would act more cautiously, said Ahmadinejad during a live TV broadcast in Tehran [IRIB, 26 May].

Admadinejad added that Russian support for the US over Iran’s nuclear program was “unacceptable” and that Moscow should rethink its decision or face “being viewed as an enemy by Iran.”

Later in the day, Russia’s national security advisor Sergei Prikhodko issued a statement in Kremlin dismissing Ahmadinejad’s criticism, telling him to refrain from “political demagoguery.”

"No one has ever managed to preserve one's authority with political demagoguery. I am convinced, the thousand-year history of Iran itself is evidence of this," Sergei Prikhodko said in the statement issued by the Kremlin.

"The Russian Federation is governed by its own long-term state interests. Our position is Russian: it reflects the interests of all the peoples of greater Russia and so it can be neither pro-American nor pro-Iranian," Prikhodko said [Reuters, 26 May].

Prikhodko also criticized Iran for its failure to allay fears about its nuclear program.

“Any unpredictability, any political extremism, lack of transparency or inconsistency in taking decisions that affect and concern the entire world community is unacceptable to us,” he said.

“It would be good if those who are now speaking in the name of the wise people of Iran would remember this,” Prikhodko added.

Ahmadinejad’s tirade against the Russian president and Kremlin’s rapid and public rebuke of Ahmadinejad were unprecedented in modern Russo-Iranian relationship.

Reuters quoted Pyotr Goncharov, a Russian specialist on the region, as saying that Moscow has repeatedly saved Iran from tough sanctions, and Ahmadinejad’s defiance is “out of place.”

"It is simply the latest attempt by the Iranian president to lay the blame for his own problems at someone else's door," Goncharov added.

Today in History

On 26 May 1908, the first major oil strike in the Middle East occurred in Masjid-e Suleiman, Persia (Iran).

Photo: Iranian Historical Photographs Gallery www.fouman.com

Iranian film director Panahi released

Following two months of custody Jafar Panahi has been released from prison in Iran.

The acclaimed Iranian film-maker had been arrested for voicing his support for the opposition.

It has been reported that he was bailed out of prison for $200,000 which has also followed a week long hunger protest.

US Expands Special Operations in Iran – New York Times

A report published by The New York Times today indicates that the US military has expanded special operations in the Mideast region, including inside Iran. The Times reports that the Special Operations troops in Iran are to gather intelligence and conduct reconnaissance for possible future military strike if tensions over the country’s nuclear program escalate.

“The Defense Department can’t be caught flat-footed,” a Pentagon official told the Times, justifying the Special Ops inside Iran.

The directive authorizing specific operations in Iran, the Joint Unconventional Warfare Task Force Execute Order, was signed by CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus last September, the Times reports.

Graduation Day at Military Academy

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei participating in graduation day ceremonies at Imam Hossein Military Academy. Tehran. 24 May 2010

Photos: Khamenei.ir/Fars News Agency