Last Roundup for a while

Due to the greatly increased atmosphere of the Iranian crisis and the cyber war right now, I am taking a hiatus from blogging to help some great people with some great protest ideas, offline. Hit the invaluable links to the right for up to the minute news, analyisis and commentary. Tehran Bureau, EA and GB are particularly reliable English language roundups and analyses from Farsi sources.

Green Mail/Next Global Day of Action

Ruin Ahmadinejad's trip to NYC to speak to the UN! Green Mail the UN here, and check here for updates on the next Global Day of Action, a week of action this time, starting September 22.

Khamenei Says No Proof Iran Protest Leaders Linked With U.S. More here on how Khamenei appears to be "putting some distance between himself and Ahmadinejad."

Iran's factional disputes grow increasingly bitter.

Iran in Turmoil: Understanding Political Divisions and Advocating Human Rights.

Ramadan Karim

Quite a few night-time protests have been reported around Iran yesterday. A good roundup of the videos can be found here.

Here is the English translation of Rafsanjani's speech along with a very good analysis. It doesn't sound to me like he is calling for the people to unite behind Khamenei but quite the opposite, that the leaders should follow the people to find unity. Rafsanani is such a wily old operator.

What is Rafsanjani up to?

The political machinations of the Iranian leadership are so far beyond my understanding now.

More here and here.

Persepolis II

Story of the 2009 Election. Here.

Friday Update

Another Ayatollah condemns the government, reports of secret burials of protesters in government cemetery, and protests last night to honor slain protesters. Here.

The Story of the Iran Election

No English subs yet, but the pics tell their own story.

Mousavi backs Karoubi/A Trial Postponed

Summary of Mousavi's letter in support of Karroubi here.

"I praise your courage and hope the other clerics join and strengthen your efforts," Mousavi's letter said.

"It is the main duty of revolutionary clergy to reflect the realities, but some have closed their eyes and ignored this responsibility," it added.

More from Earthnews:

“Those who have committed these crimes are agents of the regime….Does the rulership have no interest in knowing what these agents are doing to the people?….
Your letter on ugly treatments of prisoners have made the pro-government dailies nervous. This indicates that there might even be more horrible abuses of which we are not yet aware…. Do you [in the regime] also want four witnesses to wash off the sin from your hands?…It is expected from the Islamic clergy to fulfil their spiritual duty and only to be afraid of God and not of liars and rapists.

[VIA]

One of the most evil men in the world, Tehran chief prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi, has postponed one trial because he has suddenly decided some defendants should be able to consult lawers and those lawyers should have a few days to prepare. Nobody buys it.

Yarom Bia by Kiosk & Mohsen Namjou

Tomorrow

Persian poetry in film (and in English) here.



Introduction to Iranian poetry here.

Monday Roundup

Via Mehdi. Join the Facebook group for his dad here.

The latest on maneuvers, protests, and Rafsanjani at the inauguration of the new Judiciary head here. (PressTV highlights Rafsanjani's speech and, remarkably, seems to be leaning towards the opposition these days.)

Mehdi Karroubi had called off today's protests at the Eternade Melli newspaper offices. But people came anyway.

Ayatollah Sanei blasts the regime.

Here, Persian Rap from Cyrus Mafia.

Sunday Roundup: A Puddle of Black Versus a Sea of Green

Is Ahmadinejad afraid to come to New York next month to speak to the United Nations? Same source provides this recent photo: Ahmadinejad not so popular at home either.



A puddle of black versus a Sea of Green.

"Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has 72 hours to get approval from Parliament of his choices for Cabinet ministers. Otherwise, under Iranian law, the way is [open] for dissolution of the Government and new elections."

Latest statement from Mousavi (which was reprinted in FULL on PressTV site:

“Our election campaign was conducted under the Constitution and the principles which the Iranian nation holds dear. We still remain committed to the same slogans.”

More here. Mir Hossein!

Same source reports more Russian rethinking of government's support of Ahmadinejad. Also, more moves against Khamenei by clerics and others and:

"An Iranian website is reporting a statement from the “conservative” Society of Teachers and Researchers of Qom, whose members include Mohammad Yazdi and Ahmed Khatami, calling on the Government to ensure detainees’ rights and to curb illegal actions committed during arrests and detentions."

Another chilling account of detention and torture here.

Tehran Bureau has a good roundup here. Shemiranat Friday Prayers Leader Hojjatoleslam Mohsen Doagou says:

“A velvet revolution is the revolt of the people to seize political power without bloodshed; a military coup is military men seizing power; a political coup is seizing political power by manipulating public opinion,” he continued. “This is while the candidates and their supporters before and after the election proved their devotion to the establishment and Imam Khomeini [by demanding] the governing of the country in line with the constitution.”

There is no confirmation of this info yet AFAIK but this post makes some interesting points so am passing it along. Via Anti-Mullah. (I am not anti-Mullah as I've met some great ones but am anti-theocracy.)

Have you Green Mailed yet today?

Karroubi

Mehdi Karroubi continues to tell it like it is. Didn't know much about him before the elections except that he ran in 2005 as a reformist and lost to Ahmadinejad, and am now getting up to speed on him in the wake of his courageous stand on the treatment of detainees. He is an impressive man.