Via: IRAN FOCUSIranians on Sunday took to the streets of the capital Tehran once again, protesting against their theocratic rulers.Several thousand Tehranis rallied in Shariati Street in northern Tehran late in the day.There were chants of "God is great".State security forces attacked the protestors using batons and water cannons. There was also considerable use of tear gas by authorities hoping to break up the rally.A separate protest was also held at Tehran's Laleh Park, eye-witnesses said, claiming that authorities there also used force to break up the protest.Since the 12 June presidential election, up to a million people have taken part in anti-government rallies in Tehran and other major cities, protesting the re-appointment of Ahmadinejad following the election which they believe was rigged. Iran does not allow UN staff to monitor its elections.The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) warned last week it would unleash its wrath on anyone breaking a government ban on demonstrations. It ordered demonstrators to "end the sabotage and rioting activities" and said their resistance is a "conspiracy" against Iran.Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 19 June rallied behind Ahmadinejad and demanded protestors stop their action. Despite his stern warning, protests erupted in Tehran and other major cities throughout last week, leading to hit and run clashes between protestors and security forces. Since Khamenei’s announcement, demonstrators have markedly directed their protests at the entirety of the clerical establishment, with chants of “death to Khamenei”. The opposition group People’s Mujahedin says that some 200 people have been killed by security forces in Iran during the violence. Official figures say 20 people have died in the unrest, and state television says the Mujahedin have had a hand in the street violence.Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a ranking cleric, on Friday said, "Anyone who takes up arms to fight with the people is worthy of execution."Those who disturbed the peace and destroyed public property were "at war with God" and should be "mercilessly dealt with", Khatami said in a nationally televised sermon.

Via: IRANIAN.COMHonoring martyrsPhoto essay: Iranians in San Francisco mourn those killed in Iran protestsby Nazy KavianiI stayed up until I passed out last night, waiting to hear news about Iran. When I woke up at six a.m., I ran to see the news. That’s when I realized what had started to happen in Iran. A confrontation between armed men and unarmed citizens in quest for their already limited civil rights. Child citizens, really, to my mind—for each and every one of them could be my son or daughter. If we lived in Iran, my sons would be out there with them, I know. When I saw the first video clip of how serious and scary the battle was, I started getting dizzy and feeling sick. By the time I made it to the image of the dying girl, Neda, obviously suffering and bleeding of an invisible wound, and taking her very last breaths, I had lost it. I sat at my computer wailing, like an old lady, like a baby, like a desperate mourner. That could be the daughter I never had, that could be my niece, that could be my best friend’s daughter. She was beautiful and lithe, with that gorgeous clean face, and the perplexed look on her face, seemingly conveying a message lost on the bystanders, including me. I wailed and cried as if she were my own daughter. It was only 10:28 a.m. I watched more and I read more and I chatted with others online some more, but nothing could help me snap out of the state of desperation and sadness I had acquired all of a sudden. I felt angry and inconsolable. My son came to ask me whether I wanted to join him at the peace rally in San Francisco Saturday evening. For the fourth time in one week, I got dressed to go and be with other Iranians. This time, however, I had to go and find appropriate attire for the occasion, my black clothes. Unlike the other three rallies I had attended this past week, this one had no air of protest for the election results. It was no longer about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. This was for the Iranian youth, the fallen victims of a horrific confrontation of ruthless power with people’s will. The group stood closer to one another this time. They held hands and hugged. I let go of my sobs in the arms of my friends, hearing theirs. There were no longer any slogans about where people’s votes went, as though over the past 24 hours, with the lost hope so much prior ambiguity and criticism was all of a sudden clarified and people knew who did this, all of this. I write to tell you that it helped to get out and be with other Iranians during this time of uncertainty, rage, and utter sadness. It helped to hear others, men and women, sob in sorrow. It helped to be together and to do the only thing we could do standing thousands of miles away from the brave hearts of Iran. They have whispered something in our ears and now we know it, too. It is upon us to tell it to others. This is for Neda -- the girl who at 10:28 a.m. this morning, told me to go tell her story to the world.

Via: IRAN FOCUSTEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Thousands of defiant protesters clashed with police in the streets of Tehran on Saturday in protest of last week's presidential elections, and opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi reportedly said he was ready for "martyrdom."The unrest left 19 people dead, hospital sources said. Unconfirmed reports put the death toll as high as 150 on the seventh day of post-election demontrations.Police were using tear gas, clubs and water cannon as they tried to disperse the demonstrators.A stream of videos posted on social networking Web sites appeared to show demonstrators who had been shot.One video showed a woman trying to protect a man being beaten and kicked by protesters. A motorcycle lies on its side nearby, and another is in flames.The protests were held in open defiance of warnings issued Friday by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the Islamic Republic Security Council. They had said protest organizers -- specifically Moussavi -- would be held accountable if the protests led to bloodshed.The message on Moussavi's page on Facebook urged Moussavi's supporters to "protest" and "not go to work." The social networking Web site has proved to be a key source of information in a country whose government has banned international journalists from newsgathering. The authenticity of the information could not immediately be established, but its posting coincided with growing unrest by demonstrators, who say President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's election victory was rigged.Witnesses in Tehran told CNN one crowd was chanting "Death to Khamenei!" and "I will kill whoever killed my brother!" -- a chant that dates to Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution that brought Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to power.In a story posted Saturday on the Web site of the government-run Press TV, Iran's deputy police commander said 400 police personnel had been wounded since the opposition rallies began last weekend."Families of those killed or injured in the events since June 12 have filed 2,000 complaints so far," acting Police Chief Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Radan told Iran's Fars news agency.Radan said 10,000 complaints had been filed by people asserting that their daily lives had been disrupted, adding, "They have called on the police to deal with rallies firmly.""The recent rallies destroyed 700 buildings, burst 300 banks into flame, damaged 300 cars and 300 public properties," Radan said.Meanwhile, the head of Tehran's Emergency Center, Reza Dehqanpour, said more than 50 ambulances had been reserved to help the wounded.Demonstrators gathered in major cities in France, the United States and Germany to condemn Iran's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tehran.In Washington, President Obama urged the Iranian government to stop the violence against its own citizens."The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching," Obama said in a written statement. "We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people."Obama received intelligence briefings throughout the day and discussed the situation with senior advisers, an administration official told CNN. On Saturday night, the Iranian state-run news agency IRINN said an attacker had been killed earlier in the day outside Tehran at the entrance to the Khomeini's mausoleum. The agency said the man "carrying the bomb" was killed, and there were no other casualties.Press TV had said earlier that three people, including the bomber, died at the shrine to Khomeini, the father of the Islamic Revolution that swept the shah of Iran from power in 1979. Khomeini is regarded as the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.In a related development, a witness reported a fire near the French Embassy, apparently caused by debris that had been set ablaze nearby. The location is near the intersection of Vali Asr Avenue and Noufle Chateau, named for where Khomeini lived when he was in exile in Paris, France.With international journalists restricted from covering events in the capital, Iranians were using cell phones and social networking sites to get news out. CNN was told that many protesters removed the SIM card, or memory chip, from their cell phones to prevent the government from tracing their calls. Witnesses reported that cell phone service was cut off in the area after 5:30 p.m.Saturday's protests began later than had been predicted. Rallies that were to have begun about 4 p.m. (7:30 a.m. ET) did not materialize.Many who said they planned to attend the rallies wrote early Saturday to one another on the social networking site Twitter. Some wondered whether there would be violence at the protests."Let the Qu'ran shield you. It's a mortal sin to kill anyone holding the Qu'ran. BRING your Qu'ran to protest!!!" one person wrote on Twitter. "We will try 2 keep this rally peaceful/silent as usual at every cost. Cant give them excuse 2 use force. Hope they wont," another said.CNN is not publishing the posters' names for safety reasons. Both said they were in Iran, but CNN could not verify that.Reliable information was hard to come by.The Ministry of Culture on Saturday banned international media from reporting on the demonstrations unless they receive permission from Iranian authorities. A freelance journalist said it was "very dangerous" to take pictures. Meanwhile, the Iranian government said Saturday it is ready to randomly recount up to 10 percent of "ballot boxes." The government agency that oversees elections, the Guardian Council, said it had received more than 600 complaints of irregularities from the three candidates.

Via IRAN FOCUSBBC NewsMore than 100,000 people have attended a "day of mourning" rally in Tehran to remember eight people killed while opposing Iran's election result.The rally was called by presidential challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi. Iran's most influential body has said it is investigating 646 complaints from the three defeated candidates. They say there was widespread fraud in the 12 June poll which re-elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with almost two-thirds of the vote. The Guardian Council has invited the three challengers to talks on Saturday. 'Tinder-box'Mr Mousavi had called supporters to take to the streets wearing black in memory of those shot by members of the pro-government Basij volunteer militia on Monday. The protesters heeded the call, waving black banners and holding aloft placards asking, ''Why did you kill our brothers?'' Some banners carried pictures of the dead. The opposition leader attended the rally, wearing a black shirt and suit. He addressed the crowds through a loudspeaker, with loud chants of support breaking the general silence. Press TV, the English-language version of Iranian state television, reported that the address was brief and that Mr Mousavi called for calm and restraint. The BBC's Marcus George in Tehran says there was little sign of pro-government militia squads but supporters of Mr Mousavi have been telling each other to stick closely together for better protection. Reporter Marie Colvin of the UK's Sunday Times newspaper told the BBC from Tehran that both sides seemed to be trying to avoid major clashes but the situation was "a tinder-box, very edgy, so it's very hard to predict". She said a Wall Street Journal colleague had been "interviewing a young man on the street the other night, and one of the militiamen came up and put a bullet through his neck and killed him". The day of mourning was also observed outside Tehran. One protester, Ali, took part in a silent sit-in at a shrine in Shiraz, south-western Iran, to remember those killed. He told the BBC: "There are about two or three thousand people here, all sitting in silence in the big courtyard inside the shrine. Police won't do anything because we are in a holy site." Heavy restrictions have been placed on the BBC and other foreign news organisations. Reporters are not allowed to cover unauthorised gatherings or move around freely in Tehran - but there are no controls over what they can write or say. Counter-protestThe protests came as the powerful Guardian Council said it had invited Mr Mousavi and fellow defeated candidates Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezai to a meeting on Saturday to discuss their election complaints. It is not known if the three candidates have accepted the invitation. Guardian Council spokesman Abbasali Khadkhodai said a "careful examination" of the 646 complaints from the three candidates had begun.The council earlier this week said it would carry out a partial recount, but had ruled out a re-run of the poll demanded by Mr Mousavi. On Friday, Iranians will be listening closely to the address of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is due to deliver the sermon at Friday prayers. In other events on Thursday: • A counter-rally was held outside the prosecutor's office in Tehran in which hard-line students protested against the role of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and his family. The Fars news agency said his daughter, Faezeh, who addressed an opposition rally on Tuesday, and her brother Mehdi had been barred from leaving Iran over their alleged role in the unrest. • Ebrahim Yazdi, a foreign minister after the 1979 revolution and now leader of the Freedom Movement of Iran, was arrested while undergoing tests at a hospital in Tehran, a spokesman for his organisation said. • The Assembly of Experts - Iran's top clerical body responsible for appointing the supreme leader - welcomed the election turnout but made no mention of the result. It is headed by Mr Rafsanjani. • Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi called for the election result to be annulled, Reuters news agency reported.

Via: Washington TVWashington, 17 June (WashingtonTV)—Iranian authorities on Wednesday arrested more reformists and supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the latest in dozens of such arrests since last week’s disputed presidential election.Saeed Laylaz, political analyst and editor of the business daily Sarmayeh, was arrested this morning in Tehran. Laylaz, who is widely quoted by foreign media, has often been critical of the economic policies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, reports Reuters.Hamid Reza Jalaipour, a sociologist and Mousavi campaigner, was arrested today at his home but released hours later, he told AFP.Jalaipour said that his son, Mohammadreza, was detained by plainclothes security agents at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport. Mohammadreza, a leading member of Mousavi’s campaign, was arrested with his wife while on his way to London, where he studies at Oxford University.Human rights lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani, a member of Shirin Ebadi’s Center for the Defense of Human Rights, was also arrested yesterday in Tehran.Ebadi told the Washington-based National Public Radio [NPR] that security officials posing as clients entered the Tehran offices of the lawyers’ group, and confiscated Soltani’s compute and other documents.The Nobel Peace Prize laureate also said that others who have been arrested in the past few days include Abdolreza Tajik, a journalist and member of Ebadi’s group, Saeed Hajjarian, a prominent reformer, and Mohammad Ali Abtahi, another leading reformer.In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcast on Tuesday, Ebadi said that the Iranian authorities should hold a new election and allow monitoring by international observers.She also said that those arrested since Friday’s vote should be released “without any conditions.”“I believe that a recount of the votes under the current conditions won’t solve anything. A new election must be held and this time it should be under the monitoring of international organizations,” she said in the interview.Sources: Reuters, Agence France-Presse, National Public Radio website, RFE/RL website

Via: Iran Focus Tehran, Iran, Jun. 16 – At least seven people were killed in Tehran during a massive anti-government rally on Monday, state television reported on Tuesday. "Seven people killed near illegal Tehran rally", said a headline by the state-run English-language television channel Press TV. It based its report on an earlier announcement in Iranian state radio.It did not identify those who had been killed.The report said several people were wounded when "hooligans" attacked a compound believed to have belonged to the para-military Bassij force.The opposition group People’s Mujahedin says that at least 10 people have been killed by security forces in Iran since the election which it denounced as a “sham”.It said one student, one woman and one man were killed by security forces during clashes earlier this week in the southern city of Shiraz.Up to a million people took part in anti-government rallies in Tehran and other major cities on Monday, protesting the re-appointment of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad following a presidential election contest which they believe was rigged. Venting their anger at the clerical establishment, many young protestors in Tehran chanted “death to the dictator” and some held up banners calling for ‘democracy’. Iran does not allow UN-supervised elections.

Um dos melhores sítios para seguir o que se passa no Irão:IRANIAN.COM

Via: IRAN FOCUSTehran, Iran, Jun. 14 – Iranians took to the streets on Saturday in the largest anti-government protest since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Massive demonstrations erupted in Tehran and other major cities and turned into hit-an-run clashes with State Security Forces throughout the day following the announcement that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won re-election. The demonstrators believe the elections were rigged.

Via IRAN FOCUSFour Iranian students have been arrested on charges of offending the Islamic republic's authorities in the southern city of Shiraz, local press reported on Monday."These students had insulted the system and authorities on December 6 and 7 on the pretext of Student Day," Shiraz public and revolutionary prosecutor, Jaber Banshi, was quoted as saying by the Kayhan newspaper."After this was reported a judicial warrant was immediately issued and they were arrested," he said, adding that the four will be bailed out after the completion of investigations.Some students of Shiraz University had held an "illegal gathering" on Student Day, Kayhan said.The Etemad Melli newspaper identified the students as Saeed Khalatbari, Enayat Taghavi, Abbas Rahmati and Ahmad Kohansal.The web-based newsletter of Tehran's Amir Kabir University, also speaking of events at Shiraz, said that the gathering was to protest against "seizing the (occasion of) Student Day by governmental institutions and using it in their own interest, and creation of suppression and suffocation in society and university."Student Day marks the anniversary of the killing of three Iranian students, by the government of the deposed shah in the 1950s, in a protest against the visit by then US vice president Richard Nixon.The newsletter said that the number of the arrested students, "held in the custody of intelligence ministry", was six.The arrests followed an incident during the visit of parliament speaker Ali Larijani to the prestigious Shiraz university, it said giving an Internet link that shows footages of a student's speech.In the speech held before Larijani, a male student lashed out at the speaker as well as at President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.Tree Iranian students were released in August after spending more than a year in jail on charges that included allegedly insulting Islam.Reformist students have complained of increasing political pressure on universities under Ahmadinejad and the exclusion of liberal-minded professors from teaching.

Via: IRAN FOCUSTEHRAN (AFP) — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday that Iran has boosted the number of uranium-enriching centrifuges to up to 6,000, in an expansion of its nuclear drive that defies international calls for a freeze."Today they (the West) have agreed that the existing 5,000 to 6,000 centrifuges do not increase and that there is no problem if this number of centrifuges work," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by state radio.Ahmadinejad said in April that Iran was working to install 6,000 more centrifuges at an underground hall in a plant at its nuclear facility in Natanz, where it already had 3,000 running.It is a major expansion of Iran's nuclear programme, which the West fears could be aimed at making atomic weapons.Iran is already under three sets of UN Security Council sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, which makes nuclear fuel as well as the fissile core of an atomic bomb.World powers, seeking to resolve the standoff, have offered to start pre-negotiations during which Tehran would add no more uranium-enriching centrifuges and in return face no further sanctions.Iran was given a two-week deadline to give a final answer to world powers seeking a breakthrough in the crisis after talks a week ago in Geneva with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana ended in stalemate.The United States, which took the unprecedented step of sending a top diplomat to meet Iran's chief negotiator at the Geneva talks, has warned Tehran of "punitive measures" if it spurns the offer and presses on with enrichment.Ahmadinejad said the US presence in at the Geneva talks was a "success" for Iran regardless of its outcome, state radio reported."They said a few years ago that talks without a US participation has no results and the US condition is suspending enrichment but it has happened today without satisfying the US condition."Ahmadinejad had vowed on Wednesday that Iran would make no concessions and that further sanctions would not force it to back down.Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, insisting that its programme is designed to provide energy for its growing population when the leading OPEC member's reserves of fossil fuels run out.Permanent Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany have made Iran an offer, which includes trade incentives and help with a civilian nuclear programme in return for suspending enrichment.The New York Times on Tuesday released what it said was a two-page informal document that outlined Tehran's approach to talks in Geneva and was distributed by Iranian negotiators.The paper called for seven more rounds of talks, stressed the need for an end to sanctions, and made no mention of an incentives package.Iranian officials have repeatedly said they have no intention of freezing enrichment and that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has the right to make its own nuclear fuel.Vice President Reza Aghazadeh said on Thursday that the negotiations with the world powers could be used to resolve wider Middle East problems from the conflict in Iraq to surging oil prices.The standoff has stirred fears of Israeli or US military strikes against Iran, as US President George W. Bush has insisted Washington would keep all options on the table. It has also sent oil prices spiralling upward.Iran has repeatedly vowed a crushing response to any aggression against its soil, with Iranian officials warning that the military would target Israel and dozens of US bases in the region in retaliation.