Five Iranians Kidnaped in Homs, Syria

The Iranian embassy in Damascus announced today that five Iranians have been kidnapped in the Syrian city of Homs, the epicenter of the uprising in the country. The embassy has demanded their immediate release.

“The five were kidnapped on Wednesday at 0630 a.m. while heading to their work place .We demand their immediate release,” said the statement issued by the embassy in Damascus [Mehr News Agency, 21 December].

Syria’s state news agency SANA earlier today had identified the kidnapped Iranian as engineers who along with three other foreign technicians disappeared while heading to their work at a power plant in Homs province.

Iran is the closest regional ally of the faltering Syrian government. It was not clear, however, if the relations between the two countries were a factor in today's kidnappings.

Growing Tensions in Iran-UAE Relations

UAE Restricts Trade with Iran; Iran Retaliates But Later Backtracks

The Iranian Industry, Mines and Commerce Ministry's trade registration website deleted the entry for United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, effectively cutting trade ties with the UAE [Tabnak, 21 December]. The action caused panic among the Iranian traders who depend heavily on trans-shipments from Dubai and caused the Iranian currency rial to sharply lose its value against the US dollar.

The plummeting value of rial forced the officials to backtrack on a previous statement by the minister of Industry, Mines and Commerce that Iran had cut trade relations with the UAE. Iran’s First Vice President Reza Rahimi today issued a statement denying that Iran had cut its trade relations. The foreign ministry spokesman also told reporters in Tehran today that the elimination of UAE entry in the ministry of commerce’s website was caused by a “technical glitch” and the error has been fixed [IRNA, 21 December].

The confused actions by the Iranian officials regarding trade with the UAE came after reports surfaced that the Emirates were putting toughest measures yet on trans-shipments of goods to Iran, slowing down trade transactions significantly. Vice President Rahimi in his statement today also confirmed the restrictions put into effect by the UAE:

“The UAE has adopted some anti-Iran measures which would not harm the Islamic Republic,” Rahimi said. “And these measures are not in the interests of the UAE either.” [IRNA, 21 December].

Iran Oil Embargo Discussed in Rome

A Decision Expected in January

Diplomats from the US, the EU and other countries like Australia, Japan and South Korea, the so-called “like-minded nations,” gathered in Rome today to discuss further sanctions against Iran, Reuters reported. The Italian foreign ministry is hosting the gathering.

The major topic of discussion is a possible oil embargo against Iran. Diplomats told Reuters that a decision could be made when the EU foreign ministers next meet in January.

Iran could still sell its crude after the embargo to customers in countries like China and India, which are among Iran’s major importers. But if the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) is added to the sanctions list, as already voted through by the US Congress, then those customers will have serious difficulties to pay for the crude. And a combination of EU embargo and sanctions on CBI could seriously disrupt Iran’s oil exports.

UPDATE: The Wall Street Journal, citing unidentified US, European and Arab diplomats, reported that Iran's oil exports and global energy prices were key issues on the table. An Italian foreign ministry official said the participants stressed the urgent need for Iran to satisfy world concerns about its nuclear program [AP, 20 December].

The Tehran Spring

By Paul Iddon

A broad historical comparison that bares consideration.

Anti-regime demonstration in Tehran.

The recent passing of the former Czech President, playwright and dissident Václav Havel gives one a rather timely occasion to reflect upon the history of former Czechoslovakia and the substantial role he played in it.

Today as political dissidents and women are struggling for their human rights and right to practice freedom of speech are languishing in the likes of Evin Prison the informal civic initiative dubbed Charter 77 which Havel helped to draw up during Czechoslovakia's oppression bares uncanny relevance to the present situation in Iran. In particular its description of its signatories as: "loose, informal, and open association of people . . . united by the will to strive individually and collectively for respect for human and civil rights in our country and throughout the world" aptly describes how the struggles of various different Iranians for the most basic reforms and rights inevitably binds and inextricably ties them in the same struggle against the oppression which the regime inflicts upon them.

The title of this column isn't meant as an allusion to this years protests in Iran - that were an offshoot from the Arab Spring - but instead is an allusion to the Prague Spring of 1968. This is more of a broad comparison, as I don't want to convey the impression that I am the sort of person who stated that Mir- Hossein Mousavi was Iran's Lech Wałęsa. But I think there are several factors that bare a comparison of the Tehran of present and the Prague of the Soviet era.

The infamous intervention by the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact satrap satellite states into Czechoslovakia in 1968 when Alexander Dubček attempted to reform the countries socialistic system – under his policy of 'socialism with a human face' – was one of the first signs that showed the Soviet system was resorting using brute force as a means of prolonging its lifespan, clearly fearing reform would inevitably bring it down. In the intervening period (post Prague Spring 1968 to 1989) Havel and his various Czech dissident friends helped disseminate information and played an important role in the peaceful 1989 Velvet Revolution, which saw a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

The manner in which Dubček simply waited following his removal by force from his position as Prime Minister in 1968 until a completely new generation of Czechoslovakians grew up under a regime that simply repressed them and tried to suppress their desire to voice certain discontentment's they had bares a striking resemblance between the aged senile totalitarian regime in Tehran today – which is becoming clearly senile and has shown itself to be readily prepared to utilize brute means to upkeep a status quo favourable to their survival and dominance – and the young and upcoming generation – which is more enthusiastic and strives to implement basic liberal values such as the emancipation of women, a free press and the right to free speech and an accountable government - whom like their Czechoslovakian counterparts of the day are gradually working in earnest to metamorphose Iran into a more pluralistic and secular democracy.

The Islamic theocracy in Iran attempted to reform itself in the mid to late 1990's under President Khatami in an attempt to curb the growing discontent among the growing future generation. Whilst these reforms did see to young Iranian's participating in politics and having a genuine interest in ensuring they had a stake in their future it proved to be only a superficial exercise. This was made painstakingly clear when a group of young Iranian students in 1999 mounted a peaceful demonstration in response to the closure of a reformist newspaper. The Basij responded with sheer and brute violence, raiding student dormitories, harassing women and even throwing students off third storey balconies breaking their bones and fatally paralyzing them. President Khatami “disowned” these protesters and went so far as to state in light of the violence exercised by authorities against a peaceful demonstration that such a defiance on the ban of a public gathering was "an attack on the foundations of the regime."

A friend of mine who lives in Tehran lamented to me a while back how he doesn't understand why so many young people strive to come to Tehran and added that if it weren't for family and friends he would like to move to another city stating that Tehran no longer encapsulates Persia's unique traditional feel and character as much as other cities such as Isfahan do. Furthermore long term inhabitants like him feel as if they are becoming “strangers” in their own town. The past year has seen – among other things – the importation from rural areas by the regime of boys aged no older than 14 to join the Basij to violently suppress gatherings and demonstrations. This is just another reminder of how petty the regime really is, and like the Soviet Union of the Prague Spring era is devoid of social cohesion and is being facilitated in a brutal manner to maintain the theocracies hold on power – in a manner similar to how the senile Brezhnev leaderships ineptness and self interest led to economic stagnation that eventually culminated in the collapse and dissolution of the Soviet Union.

One of the most foul and deplorable thing about this regime is that it actually has the gall in light of such a contemptible record to continually act as if it is a beacon of emulation and morality that all Iranians should look up to for guidance when looking for moral standards to set for themselves. When it has clearly shown time and again that it possesses no moral qualms over using murder and rape as a means of enforcing its self-centred solipsistic status quo.

The numerous and various aspiring Iranian liberal democratic secularists who want to move Iran and its people from the clutches of this dangerous, ruthless and whimsical theocracy have to face the fundamental reality in their struggle, that is that the leadership sees them as expendable and dispensable subjects of its rule. Once they recognize this stark reality and dispense with this unreasonable unsavoury regime and see it the way it sees them they will have reached the defining moment in their long, harsh and courageous struggle, and will therefore inevitably and ultimately prevail.

Panetta’s Remarks on Iran

The US Secretary of Defense said that the US will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. In an interview with CBS’s Scott Kelly on Monday night, Leon Panetta said the Iranians have reached a point where they can assemble a bomb in a year or potentially less.

Due to the importance of the secretary’s remarks, we reprint the text of the interview published on CBS website:

Pelley: So are you saying that Iran can have a nuclear weapon in 2012?

Panetta: It would probably be about a year before they can do it. Perhaps a little less. But one proviso, Scott, is if they have a hidden facility somewhere in Iran that may be enriching fuel.

Pelley: So that they can develop a weapon even more quickly...

Panetta: On a faster track....

Pelley: Than we believe....

Panetta: That's correct.

Pelley: If the Israelis decide to launch a military strike to prevent that weapon from being built, what sort of complications does that raise for you?

Panetta: Well, we share the same common concern. The United States does not want Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. That's a red line for us and that's a red line, obviously, for the Israelis. If we have to do it we will deal with it.

Pelley: You just said if we have to do it we will come and do it. What is it?

Panetta: If they proceed and we get intelligence that they are proceeding with developing a nuclear weapon then we will take whatever steps necessary to stop it.

Pelley: Including military steps?

Panetta: There are no options off the table

Pelley: A nuclear weapon in Iran is...

Panetta: Unacceptable.

Panetta also told CBS News that while Iran needs a year or less to assemble a weapon, he has no indication yet that the Iranians have made the decision to go ahead.

Obama Criticizes Chavez on Iran Ties

President Barack Obama has sharply criticized Venezuela’s ties to Iran. The president told the Venezuelan newspaper El Universal that the Venezuelan government's ties to Iran have not served the interests of Venezuela or the Venezuelan people.

“Ultimately, it is up to the Venezuelan people to determine what they gain from a relationship with a country that violates universal human rights and is isolated from much of the world,” Obama said. “Here in the Americas, we take Iranian activities, including in Venezuela, very seriously and we will continue to monitor them closely.” [AP, 20 December].

Earlier this year the US State Department slapped sanctions on Venezuela's state oil company for selling components to Iran.

The Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez soon responded to President Obama on state television by saying that Obama needs to leave the Venezuelans alone.

Iran to Launch Spanish-language Hispan TV

IRIB, Iran’s state-owned broadcasting service will launch the Spanish language Hispan TV on Wednesday.

“This new Spanish network will have a major role in reflecting the ideological legitimacy of our system to the (Spanish-speaking) world,” said IRIB chief, Ezzatollah Zarghami [IRIB, 19 December].

The channel will be broadcast from the IRIB studios in Tehran. Hispan TV will be IRIB’s third foreign language channel after the Arabic language Al-Alam television network and the English language Press TV. Hispan TV programs will be broadcast through satellite and can be received by HD receivers.

Rial at Historic Low

The Iranian currency rial today continued its free fall and ended the day at 14,400 rials per dollar, a historic low. The rial has lost 7% of its value in the past 30 days alone (on 19 November, it was traded at 13,400 per dollar).

Kim Jong-il

The North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il (the “Dear Leader”) has died at the age of 69. Kim’s obsession with acquiring nuclear weapons at the expense of the country’s faltering economy and international isolation resulted in producing enough nuclear fuel at Yongbyon reactor for some six to eight weapons. His legacy of playing a weak hand well, dragging out negotiations to buy time to produce the weapons and threatening the region as the ultimate survival strategy became a model of behavior for many conservative politicians in Iran.

File photo: The New York Times

Ministry of Intelligence Identifies the Alleged US Spy; Airs His Confession

Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence (MoI) has identified the alleged US spy detained by the agency as an Iranian-American named Amir Mirzaie Hekmati. The official press agencies IRNA and Fars reported that Mr. Mirzaie Hekmati has confessed to spying for the US and his alleged confession has been aired by Iran’s state-owned broadcasting system.

Mr. Mirzaie Hekmati is alleged to have worked for the CIA, with previous experience as an analyst attached to a US military intelligence unit. The MOI claims that the suspect was tasked by the CIA with infiltrating the Iranian intelligence apparatus.

Mr. Mizaie Hekmati is reportedly born in Arizona to Iranian-American parents. Upon graduation from high school in 2001, he joined the US military and served in Iraq with the military intelligence. After leaving the military, he reportedly worked as an intelligence analyst for DARPA and private defense contractors identified as Kuma Games and BAE Systems. During the alleged confession, the suspect claims that he was recruited by the CIA as an analyst in 2009 after passing lie detector and psychological tests. In a meeting at a Washington hotel with a CIA operative, Mr. Mirzaie Hekmati is asked to travel to Iran on what was described to him as an important mission.

Mr. Mirzaie Hekmati said in his confession that upon arriving in Iran he was to act as a source for the MoI, feeding them intelligence that had been given to him by the CIA, and after a three-week stay and accepting money from the MoI he was to leave the country.

To get prepared for the mission, Mr. Mirzaie Hekmati is first sent to the US base in Bagram, Afghanistan. He then goes to Dubai and from there he flies to Tehran. The suspect said he was to provide the Iranians with correct intelligence to gain their trust so they would maintain long-term relations with him. He said that the MOI suspected that the intelligence he had provided them were non-critical and his mission was discovered.

Vaclav Havel

Vaclav Havel, the dissident playwright and the leader of the Czech Velvet Revolution dies at 75. He peacefully brought down a communist regime he once called “Absurdistan.”

File photo: Chicago Tribune

Iran Currency Continues Losing Value Against Dollar, Gold - UPDATE

The value of the Iranian currency rial continued its decline and ended the day at 13,850 rials per US dollar, a historic low. The rial has lost 28% of its value against dollar in the past 12 months, and nearly 50% of its value during the six years of Ahmadinejad’s presidency.

In a related development, the price of the country’s official gold coin Bahar-e Azadi (“Spring of Liberty”), weighting 8.133 grams, rose to 5,980,000 rials, a historic high. Bahar-e Azadi was worth 3,120,000 rials a year ago, a 92% increase in value against rial in one year.

UPDATE: The rial sank to a new historic low of 14,000 rials per dollar on Sunday 18 December.

Iran Reports Arrest of Alleged US Spy

Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence announced today that it has arrested an Iranian, presumed to hold US citizenship, on espionage charges. The name of the individual has not been released. The intelligence ministry has accused him of working for the CIA and the US defense intelligence establishment [Fars, 17 December].

The semi-official news agency Fars reports that the detainee had received extensive intelligence training at the US military base in Bagram, Afghanistan, before entering Iran. The intelligence ministry claims that it had identified the alleged spy while he was still undergoing training at Bagram and had him under close surveillance since then, including a period of time after he entered Iran before his arrest. It is alleged that the individual had the mission of infiltrating the intelligence ministry ranks and feed the ministry with false intelligence reports from the US side and gather intelligence from Iran.

In May, Iran had announce the arrest of 30 people for spying for the US, and last week it had announced the indictment of 15 people charged with spying for the US and Israel.

Press TV: Israel’s Special Forces Command Created for Attack on Iran

Iran’s state-owned Press TV reported today that Israel is unifying its special forces under a single command for the purpose of attacking Iran. Press TV said the new unified command, headed by Maj. Gen. Shai Avital and dubbed as the ‘Depth Corps’, is also referred to in Israel as “Iran Special Operations Command.”

“The integration of special operations forces into the Depth Corps, known as Iran Special Operations Command within the Israeli military, means they will also play a role in ‘commando’ operations involving sabotage and assassinations in the Islamic Republic.” [Press TV, 17 December].

The Israeli military said the primary task of the Special Forces command will be to extend joint IDF operations into “the strategic depth.”

Iran to Hunt Down US Drones – Military Official

In a direct response to the comments made by the US Secretary of Defense last Wednesday, Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, Iran's former defense minister and the director of the Iranian military’s strategic studies center, said today that Iran will hunt down more US spy drones if they continue to violate the country’s air space.

“If U.S. spy planes continue their aggression, we won't be idle,” Adm. Shamkhani said. “We will continue to hunt down their spy planes.” [IRNA, 16 December].

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had said on Wednesday during a visit to Afghanistan — from where the drone flew out — that the US will continue to conduct intelligence operations such as the one that led to the loss of its RQ-170 Sentinel over Iran.

Iran has already demanded that Afghanistan stop allowing the US to use bases in the country to launch drone flights over Iran.

Droning On...

By Paul Iddon

Washington downplays, Tehran overplays.

Captured RQ-170 in Iran.

Last July a rumour suggested that Iran had shot down an unmanned US drone over the Fordo uranium enrichment facility near Qom. I quipped at the time that given the fact it may indeed have been an unmanned drone that the Iranians would be unable to produce 'a Gary Powers' so to speak which would in turn ultimately serve to refute the US claim that they were not violating Iranian air space with such drones.

However earlier this month the Iranians were able to produce such irrefutable evidence that a US drone had indeed violated Iranian air space. The recent capture of the RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drone has given the regime in Tehran a propaganda coup with their claim of having been able to 'electronically' bring down the drone with minimal damage over the embarrassing US claim of the drone having 'malfunctioned' and subsequently been lost whilst operating near Afghanistan's western frontier with the Islamic Republic.

Scorn was poured on the Obama Administration after they sent a formal request for the drones return. Secretary of State Clinton had previously stated that “given Iran's behaviour to date” – the regimes odious behaviour to its own citizens in recent weeks includes threatening actress Marzieh Vafamehr with 90 lashes for violating the countries brutally enforced dress code, the actual lashing of an Iranian student for merely “insulting” the President and on top of that offering death as the only alternative to conversion to Islam for the Iranian Evangelical pastor Youcef Nadarkhani – she didn't expect they would even reply and despite “provocations” asserted that the US would pursue a “diplomatic approach.”

Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi whom has stated that the drone is now Iran's property responded to the American request for its return by stating bluntly of the US has "instead of apologizing to the Iranian nation,” opted to “brazenly asking for the drone back.”

In a previous column entitled 'A Time to Apologize' which I wrote a few days after the 23rd anniversary of the horrific downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by the US Navy I argued that the US should make a formal heartfelt and thoroughly sincere apology to the people of Iran. As at the end of the day the attack was against them, as nearly any Iranian could have been on that plane on that fateful day. However I also added that such an apology could not given in an effective and meaningful manner with the present leadership as it forcibly imposes its will on the Iranian people and therefore cannot act as their legitimate representative on the international stage.

There is no doubt that the United States has violated Iranian sovereignty by traversing this piece of military hardware through Iran's air space. The regime however has undermined Iran's claim to its right of sovereignty. As it not only harbours but – as in the case of Vahidi – has actually given a ministerial position to a man who is wanted by the Argentinian authorities and Interpol for planning the bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires which killed 85 people and injured several hundred more. Not only was this incident a terrorist act executed on foreign soil it is also the most significant and heinous acts of violence on Argentinian soil since the homicide bombing of Israels Argentine embassy in 1992 of which Hezbollah is suspected of organizing and executing.

So in conclusion, whilst the United States has blatantly disregarded Iran's sovereign integrity the ruling regime in Tehran has consistently and self-consciously been degrading and undermining it

Iran Officials Meet with Saudi Crown Prince and UAE Ambassador

Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi on Monday met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz in Riyadh. Saudi intelligence chief Mogran bin Abdul Aziz also participated in the meeting.

Tensions between the two countries have been growing since the US Justice Department accused Iran of plotting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington. Moslehi was to explain Iran’s position during the meeting with the Saudi officials.

Meanwhile in Tehran, the Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi met with the UAE Ambassador Saif Mohammed Obaid al-Zaabi. Rahimi’s office said that during the meeting, the VP emphasized the significance of improving the relations between Iran and UAE and among other countries in the region.

The Moslehi and Rahimi meetings are the latest attempt by the Islamic Republic to defuse the growing tensions in its relations with the GCC countries.

Iran to Close Hormuz if Attacked – Member of Majlis

Member of Majlis Parviz Sarvari said today that the Iranian military will soon hold an exercise on closing the Strait of Hormuz. Sarvari is a member of the parliament’s National Security Committee.

“Soon we will hold a military maneuver on how to close the Strait of Hormuz. If the world wants to make the region insecure, we will make the world insecure," Sarvari said [ISNA, 12 December].

The comments were the first by an Iranian official with knowledge of the country's national security policies of a concrete plan to close the Strait of Hormuz in case of a hostility involving Iran.

Most of the crude exported from Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq - together with nearly all the liquefied natural gas from Qatar - pass through the Strait, a 4-mile wide shipping channel between Oman and Iran.

New Gas Field to Change Region Energy Balance - Ahmadinejad

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in Tehran today that a newly discovered natural gas field in the Caspian Sea will change the “energy and political balance” of the region.

“The reserves of new gas field discovered in the Caspian Sea are about 50 trillion cubic feet and can meet domestic consumption demand for 10 years,” Ahmadinejad said [IRNA, 12 December].

Iran announced on Sunday that it has discovered the gas field in its territorial waters of the Caspian Sea. The Ministry of Oil said that Iranian companies will carry out the drilling work on the field. Iran produced 138 billion cubic meters of gas last year. The country has the world’s second largest natural gas reserves after Russia.

EU Sanctions Against Iran Oil Unlikely – Oil Minister

Iran’s Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said today that the EU will not impose sanctions on the country’s oil exports. Qasemi’s comments came in response to the calls by the EU leaders for more sanctions against Iran by the end of January.

“Our policy is sustainable supply of oil to Europe. Iran is a major oil producer and any sanctions on our oil export will definitely harm the global market,” Qasemi said [IRNA, 11 December].

But Qasemi conceded that the EU could actually impose sanctions against Iran oil.

“We have no problem to find a replacement for the EU oil market and we can easily replace the European market,” Qasemi said.

Iran Inflation at 20%

The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) reported today that the country’s annual inflation rate for the period ending 20 November has reached 19.8 percent [IRNA, 11 December].