RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
_________________________________________ ____________________
RFE/RL Iran Report
Vol. 9, No. 46, 12 December 2006

A Review of Developments in Iran Prepared by the Regional Specialists
of RFE/RL’s Newsline Team

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HEADLINES
* MIXED RECEPTION FOR IDEA OF SIMULTANEOUS PARLIAMENTARY, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
* UNITY ELUDES FUNDAMENTALISTS IN TEHRAN
* AMERICAN VISITORS TO BE FINGERPRINTED
* MEDIA, WATCHDOG SPOTLIGHT INTERNET CENSORSHIP IN IRAN
* STUDENT ACTIVISTS CALL FOR SUPPORT
* UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DOWN WITH FOOD POISONING
* TURKISH MEAT EXPORTS HEADED FOR IRAN
* IRAN WANTS TURKEY TO CONTROL FEMALE IRANIAN VISITORS
* SHRINE CITY TO GET IRAQI CONSULATE
* IRAN REACTS TO IRAQ SURVEY GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS
* IRAN WORKS ON INDEPENDENT NAVAL-ROCKETRY CAPABILITY
* CONCERNS IN LEVANT ABOUT IRAN’S INTENTIONS
* MOSCOW AND CAPITOL HILL UNHAPPY WITH AFGHAN NARCOTICS
* A DEFIANT TEHRAN WATCHES CONSENSUS ELUDE 5+1 GROUP
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MIXED RECEPTION FOR IDEA OF SIMULTANEOUS PARLIAMENTARY, PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS. Lawmakers voted on December 3 to hasten a decision on a
bill for holding Iran’s next presidential and legislative
elections simultaneously, Fars News Agency, the Iranian Labor News
Agency (ILNA), and Radio Farda reported. Out of 206 parliamentarians
who were present at the session, 156 of the 184 who voted expressed
backing for the bill. The stated reason for holding simultaneous
elections is reducing public expenditures and contributing to
political stability. "Iran" newspaper reported on November 20 that
legislators’ signatures were being collected for a bill requiring
the holding of simultaneous presidential and municipal council
elections, also as a way to reduce expenses.
Speaker of parliament Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel said on December
6 that he opposes the proposal that presidential and parliamentary
elections be held simultaneously, Mehr News Agency reported.
Haddad-Adel said he favors holding simultaneous elections, but it
should be a major poll and a minor one, such as the presidential and
Assembly of Experts polls, or the parliamentary and municipal council
polls.
Haddad-Adel also encouraged voters to turn out for the
elections on December 15, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA)
reported. (Bill Samii)

UNITY ELUDES FUNDAMENTALISTS IN TEHRAN. Deputy parliament speaker
Mohammad Reza Bahonar said on December 3 that "fundamentalists"
(osulgarayan) — a term referring to the younger generation of
conservatives — have not achieved unity on which candidates to back
in the upcoming municipal-council election for Tehran, "Farhang-i
Ashti" reported on December 4. He added that there are two or even
three candidate lists, and there is the possibility of all three
being published in the coming days. Bahonar said that if several
lists appear, his Islamic Society of Engineers will not declare a
specific choice but will confine itself to encouraging members to
vote. (Bill Samii)

AMERICAN VISITORS TO BE FINGERPRINTED. The Guardians Council, which
must confirm all legislation’s compatibility with Islamic law and
with the constitution, approved a law on December 2 that requires the
fingerprinting of all U.S. nationals when they enter Iran or when
they apply for an Iranian visa, IRNA reported.
Seyyed Ahmad Musavi, the vice president for legal and
parliamentary affairs, said the executive branch opposes this
legislation, "Iran" reported on November 20. "The United States
government does not like the Iranian nation," Musavi was quoted as
saying, "but we do honor all those that are invited to Iran." (Bill
Samii)

MEDIA, WATCHDOG SPOTLIGHT INTERNET CENSORSHIP IN IRAN. Media watchdog
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) noted on December 5 that the Iranian
government is blocking access to the youtube.com video-sharing
website and "The New York Times" website. RSF added that access to
wikipedia.org, an online encyclopedia, was blocked for several days
in early December, and access to the Kurdish version of "Wikipedia"
was blocked for several months.
"The Guardian" reported the same day that amazon.com and the
Internet Movie Database (imdb.com) were blocked, too. Saying the
blockages are not "airtight," "The Guardian" reported that skilled
operators can get around the government-imposed obstacles. The
British daily added that the government now requires bloggers and
website operators to register officially. (Bill Samii)

STUDENT ACTIVISTS CALL FOR SUPPORT. The Iranian student organization
known as the Office for Strengthening Unity called on Iranians to
demonstrate against what it terms a second Cultural Revolution on
Students Day, December 6, Radio Farda reported on December 4.
Cultural Revolution is a reference to the purging of
professors from the universities in the early 1980s, and those events
are being compared to more recent dismissals of professors and
administrators from the universities. The latter events coincide with
the reported blocking of admissions for activist students who refuse
to renounce political advocacy.
The Office for Strengthening Unity statement referred to the
death of students when hard-line forces attacked the Tehran
University dormitory in July 1999, and it called for the release from
prison of political activists, Mansur Osanlu of the Tehran bus
drivers syndicate, and equal rights for men and women.
University students who were barred from continuing their
studies due to their political activism held a protest in front of
the parliament building in Tehran on December 5, Advar website
reported. The student activists reportedly are asked to sign a pledge
that they will abstain from involvement in politics, and, if they
refuse, a star is placed next to their names. Historically, top
scholars had stars placed next to their names.
While several reformist members of parliament met with the
demonstrators, conservative legislator Mehdi Kuchakzadeh denounced
them. "The university is no place for American mercenaries," he said.
"You are sabotaging the university."
Hundreds of students demonstrated in Tehran on December 6,
Students Day, in an event called "The University Is Alive" that was
organized by the Office for Strengthening Unity, Radio Farda
reported. Demonstrators demanded independence from government-run
student organizations and criticized restrictions on the
matriculation of student activists.
Mohammad Hashemi, a spokesman for the Office for
Strengthening Unity, told Radio Farda on December 6 that
representatives from many student groups participated in the
demonstration, including Kurds and Turks. Security forces cordoned
off the Tehran University campus and restricted access to it, but
Hashemi said there were no clashes or arrests. (Bill Samii)

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DOWN WITH FOOD POISONING. Dozens of female
students at Yazd University have been hospitalized since November 27
with signs of poisoning, Radio Farda reported on December 3. The
symptoms include diarrhea, dizziness, fever, and vomiting. Student
activist Amir Eshaqi told Radio Farda that the women’s dining
hall at Yazd University is separate from the men’s dining hall,
and about 400 women got sick eating there. University authorities,
however, say that approximately 50 women have fallen ill. The
authorities also have questioned whether the illness is from eating
in the cafeteria, and they suggest dirty water could be the source of
the illness. (Bill Samii)

TURKISH MEAT EXPORTS HEADED FOR IRAN. Tehran and Yerevan signed a
memorandum of understanding on December 1 in which Armenia agreed to
export 6,000 tons of beef and 2,000 tons of lamb to Iran annually,
the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported. The memorandum was
signed during Agricultural Jihad Minister Mohammad-Reza
Eskandari’s visit to Armenia.
Almost two weeks earlier, 22 legislators asked the
agricultural jihad minister, as well as the commerce and economic
affairs ministers, to halt increases in the prices of foodstuffs,
"Iran" reported on November 20. Higher costs for red meat, chicken,
eggs, and fruit, are affecting vulnerable segments of society
adversely, the legislators said. (Bill Samii)

IRAN WANTS TURKEY TO CONTROL FEMALE IRANIAN VISITORS. Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan left Tehran on December 3, having
arrived the previous evening, international and local news agencies
reported. He met during his visit with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, Expediency Council Chairman
Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, and other officials,
reportedly to discuss regional affairs and bilateral relations.
Iran’s presidential press office reported on December 3
that the two sides agreed that the value of bilateral trade should
surpass $10 billion, and President Ahmadinejad said Iran could supply
energy to Europe via Turkey. Erdogan said that bilateral trade is in
excess of $6 billion and that Turkey is eager to purchase natural gas
from Iran, according to Fars News Agency.
An aspect of Erdogan’s trip that received little
publicity related to tourism. The Iranian government called on Turkey
to enforce rules for Islamic clothing for women — the hijab — at
hotels in Anatolia that are frequented by Iranians, Turkish
newspapers reported on December 7, according to Radio Farda. Should
Turkey fail to comply with this demand, the newspapers continued,
then Iran will no longer permit direct flights to Anatolia. The
Iranian request came during Erdogan’s meeting with First Vice
President Parviz Davudi, Radio Farda reported. Davudi told his guest
that one million Iranians visit Turkey every year, and he went on to
express concern that images of scantily clad Iranian beachgoers have
appeared in the Turkish media. (Bill Samii)

SHRINE CITY TO GET IRAQI CONSULATE. The Iranian cabinet has granted
permission for the opening of an Iraqi consulate in the northwestern
city of Mashhad, Fars News Agency reported. Mashhad is an important
pilgrimage site for Shi’a, because the tomb of the Eighth Imam,
Imam Reza, is located there. The custodian of the shrine, the Astaneh
Qods Razavi, is a wealthy conglomerate that in addition to earning
revenues from the pilgrimage traffic, owns agricultural lands,
factories, and real estate. The cabinet also approved the temporary
transfer of an Iraqi consulate from the southwestern city of
Khorramshahr to Ahvaz. (Bill Samii)

IRAN REACTS TO IRAQ SURVEY GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS. A noteworthy aspect
of the long-awaited report from the Iraq Survey Group, a bipartisan
panel headed by former Secretary of State James Baker, which came out
on December 6 is the prominence it gives to Iran, which is mentioned
dozens of times
( port/report/1206/index.ht
ml). But the White House showed little interest in this advice, and
Tehran indicated publicly that it would not be receptive to an
American opening.
"Iran has the most leverage in Iraq" of any neighboring
state, the report notes. It urges Washington to launch a "new
diplomatic offensive" that includes all the countries that are
interested in Iraq’s stability, "including all of Iraq’s
neighbors." The report advises engaging Iran and Syria, adding that
Iran should stop the influx of arms into Iraq, respect Iraq’s
sovereignty, and influence Iraqi Shiites positively. The Iranian
nuclear issue, the report continues, should be dealt with by the 5+1
group (China, France, Great Britain, Russia, and the United States,
plus Germany).
White House spokesman Tony Snow said on December 6 that the
executive branch has "ruled out" direct bilateral talks with the
Iranian government about Iraqi affairs, Reuters reported. There is no
chance of such talks taking place, he said, "Unless Iran verifiably
suspends its enrichment and reprocessing activities."
Rather than engaging Iran and Syria on Iraq, the "Financial
Times" reported on November 29, Washington would like to empower
Iraq’s Sunni Arab minority. The White House has called on
pro-Western Sunni regimes to support Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki and to end their backing for Iraqi insurgents. Egypt.
Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, are
encouraging the U.S. to weaken Iran and Syria by paying greater
attention to the Arab-Israeli peace process. The Arab states believe
Iran and Syria are exploiting this topic, as well as the Lebanese and
Iraqi affairs, to expand their influence.
Prior to the release of the Iraq Survey Group’s report,
Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani said
in Dubai that a withdrawal of "occupation forces" from Iraq would be
seen favorably, "The Washington Post" reported on December 6.
Subsequently, a "triumphalist" Larijani said, "Iran would definitely
extend the hand of assistance and would use its influence to help
solve the problem." Larijani said the U.S. should recognize Iran as
the primary regional power.
Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki said during a December 7
visit to the Netherlands that the United States does not need to
negotiate with Iran or any other country regarding Iraq, state
television reported. Mottaki said, "It appears that at least some
American officials have realized the errors in their policy in Iraq."
Mottaki described his solution: "The Iraqi issue will be resolved by
the withdrawal of the American military forces."
Iraqi Ambassador to the Netherlands Siamand Banaa took
exception to Mottaki’s comments, AP reported on December 6.
Mottaki reportedly said that "the U.S. administration so often refers
to Iran’s nuclear capability as a threat against regional and
international peace." It is the United States, however, that invaded
Iraq without the UN Security Council’s approval, Mottaki
continued, and "set off the most dangerous security challenge in the
Middle East." He also said the U.S. military presence in Iraq is
behind the violence there.
Banaa pointed out that Iran benefited greatly from the ouster
of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, and he encouraged Mottaki to
"avoid cynicism and hypocrisy." Banaa dismissed Mottaki’s
analysis and encouraged him to avoid joining "the ‘America is
always wrong’ brigade."
An anonymous Iranian government official and two anonymous
figures close to Iranian government policymakers believe
Mottaki’s comments reflect a real desire to engage with the U.S.,
Time.com reported on December 9. There is a consensus among Iranian
decision makers that it is in Iran’s interest to restore
relations with the U.S. and to discuss topics of mutual interest, as
long as the U.S. accepts the Islamic revolution and treats Iran
respectfully. Some of the officials, according to the American
publication’s anonymous sources, also believe Iran is in a strong
position because its regional influence is growing while the U.S. is
trapped in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In Shahr-i Rey, near Tehran, on December 7, Expediency
Council chairman Ayatollah Ali-Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani said that the
U.S. intended to encircle Iran by invading Afghanistan and Iraq, IRNA
reported. The unintended consequence of its actions,
Hashemi-Rafsanjani continued, is that the U.S. is besieged not only
in the Middle East but also in the White House. (Bill Samii)

IRAN WORKS ON INDEPENDENT NAVAL-ROCKETRY CAPABILITY. Seyyed Mohammad
Hussein Musavi, head of the Fajr industrial complex in Iran’s
southern city of Shiraz, announced on December 4 that his facility
builds three types of launchers for naval rockets, IRNA reported. He
described mass production of an 11-tube rocket launcher that can lock
onto a target in less than 10 seconds even in rough conditions. He
added that Iran produces RPG-7 rocket launchers and SPG9 rocket
launchers. Every stage of the process is domestic and supervised by
the Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Ministry, he added. (Bill
Samii)

CONCERNS IN LEVANT ABOUT IRAN’S INTENTIONS. "The Christian
Science Monitor" on December 4 cites the Lebanese newspaper
"Al-Mustaqbal" as reporting two days earlier that "the Syrian-Iranian
camp, led by Hizballah, has begun to implement a plot for a coup" in
Lebanon.
Some observers have suggested that Damascus is behind the
current political crisis in Lebanon in an effort to avert an
international tribunal’s investigation of the February 2005
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
Meanwhile, "The Jerusalem Post" reported on December 3 that
intelligence secured by the Israeli "defense establishment" asserts
that long-range missiles and advanced antitank missiles supplied by
Iran and Syria are being delivered to Hizballah. The missiles are
said to be replacing those used or destroyed during the summer
conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The information, combined with
concerns triggered by the possible collapse of the Lebanese
government, reportedly led Israel to raise its state of alert in the
northern region bordering Lebanon. The missiles and other supplies
are stored in parts of southern Lebanon that are designated as
off-limits to UNIFIL and the Lebanese armed forces, "The Jerusalem
Post" reported, adding that Hizballah personnel are continuing their
activities in the same area.
Lebanese parliamentarian Saad Hariri defined the political
crisis in his country as "a real coup against Lebanese legitimacy"
and a "Syrian scheme sponsored by Iran," "Al-Sharq al-Awsat" reported
on December 6. The Lebanese crisis is connected, in part, with UN
demands for the disarmament of the country’s militias. Hizballah
is the main organization that has yet to disarm, and the Hizballah
leadership has defended its actions on the grounds that it is
protecting Lebanon from Israel. Hariri said Hizballah’s weapons
were tolerated when the organization was resisting Israel, but he
warned against turning the weapons against internal opponents.
Hariri said the Syrian government seeks the downfall of
Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. Several days of street
demonstrations organized by Hizballah and its allies are meant to
gain the party a greater say in the country’s politics; the
confessional system gives Shi’a, now believed to be the majority,
a disproportionately small share of political offices. Hizballah
seeks more cabinet seats. (Bill Samii)

MOSCOW AND CAPITOL HILL UNHAPPY WITH AFGHAN NARCOTICS. Viktor
Cherkesov, head of the Russian Federal Drug Control Service, and a
delegation arrived in Tehran on December 4, IRNA reported.
Amir-Hussein Motahar, deputy chief of Iran’s Drug Control
Headquarters, expressed the hope that their meeting might result in
closer cooperation between the two countries, while Cherkesov noted
that Russia and Iran have a common interest in controlling the flow
of drugs. The discussions will focus on the growing of opium in
Afghanistan and the resulting export of narcotics, as well as
cooperation in multilateral forums.
Motahar also told reporters of a counternarcotics facility in
Iran that directs the efforts of 60,000 people, and the country’s
construction of canals, fences, and walls along the eastern border.
The same day, Brigadier General Behnam Shariatifar, the chief
of Iran’s Border Guards, said in the northwestern city of Gorgan
that difficulties with the porous eastern border are mostly resolved,
IRNA reported. He attributed the change to "appropriate and
comprehensive investments," including the construction of static
defenses. Shariatifar described the installation of "advanced radar
systems" in the future, saying this will give Iran total control over
the border.
Cherkesov said on December 5 that coalition forces in
Afghanistan have not acted to rein in the drug trade, ITAR-TASS
reported. Not only are their measures inefficient, Cherkesov charged
on the second day of a visit to Tehran, but "on the contrary, we
witness a rise in production and smuggling of heroin." Cherkesov said
both Moscow and Tehran believe the coalition armed forces should be
more proactive in countering illegal drugs.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) would like to
see the Pentagon do more, too, the "Los Angeles Times" reported on
December 5. The military tends to ignore drug bazaars and takes
little action against trafficking syndicates, and it tends to reject
DEA requests for transportation, the daily reported. The military
reportedly considers drug control a law-enforcement problem and fears
alienating the locals who earn a living from the trade, the "Los
Angeles Times" reported.
In a letter written one day after "The Los Angeles Times"
article about a lack of cooperation appeared, Undersecretary of
Defense Eric Edelman promised in a letter to Rep. Henry Hyde
(R-Illinois) that the situation would improve, the newspaper reported
on December 8. Edelman wrote to the chairman of the House
International Relations Committee, "We have taken your concerns
seriously and will work more closely with DEA to make use of this
important capability." (Bill Samii)

A DEFIANT TEHRAN WATCHES CONSENSUS ELUDE 5+1 GROUP. Officials from
the so-called 5+1 Group (China, France, Great Britain, Russia, and
the United States, plus Germany) met in Paris on the evening of
December 5 to discuss the possible imposition of sanctions against
Iran over its nuclear program, which they suspect has military
objectives. By the end of the week, it became clear that the effort
to achieve consensus necessitated serious compromises, and according
to a British newspaper — the "Financial Times" on December 9 —
European diplomats believe a decision will be reached before
Christmas (December 25). The Iranian government, meanwhile, continues
to assert that the nuclear program will be used only for civilian
purposes, such as electrical power generation. Tehran maintains,
furthermore, that these international measures are illegal and they
will be ineffective.
Moscow appears to be the main obstacle to the adoption of a
wide-ranging sanctions regime. Indeed, Russia is building the $800
million nuclear reactor at Bushehr, in southern Iran, and Iran is an
important market for Russian armaments. Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov, possibly fearing the adverse impact of sanctions on his
country’s Iranian business interests, said in Brussels on
December 5 that "broad sanctions" would not be "proportionate" and
would "harm the situation," Radio Farda reported.
Washington is taking a more robust approach to the sanctions
issue. "I think the reason to pass a resolution in the Security
Council is to increase the cost to Iran of its illegitimate behavior
— the political and economic cost," Radio Farda quoted Under
Secretary of State Nicholas Burns as saying in Brussels, "and to take
away any possible technical, or scientific, or political, or
financial support that they might get from private companies, from
private research institutions for what they’re trying to do."
The French government appeared to be pushing for the
imposition of sanctions against Iran, Reuters reported on December 6.
The gathering failed to decide on the draft resolution, apparently
because of Russian foot-dragging. An anonymous European diplomat told
Reuters, "The gap between Russian and U.S. positions is still huge."
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy acknowledged
the difficult task facing the six countries, RFE/RL reported. He said
in Paris on December 6, "we have to propose sanctions that all the
international community agrees on but, at the same time, they have to
be proportionate and reversible." He added that the objective is to
tell Iran to "come back to its senses, come back to the international
community" rather than being isolated, and to offer the possibility
of developing its civilian nuclear program. Douste-Blazy also said,
according to Reuters, that there is an urgent need to decide on a
course of action because "the credibility of the United Nations
Security Council is at stake."
By the end of the week, it was being reported that a
compromise draft resolution was distributed among ambassadors from
the six powers, and it will be introduced formally on December 11.
The document’s new wording focuses on activities directly
connected with making nuclear weapons. As a sop to Russia,
restrictions relating to the Bushehr nuclear facility were removed.
Not surprisingly, the Iranian government is advising against
the imposition of sanctions, and top officials are maintaining a
defiant stance.
President Mahmud Ahmadinejad led the way. "If you continue
making efforts to halt the progress of the Iranian nuclear program
and if you take any step against the Iranian nation’s rights,
either in propaganda or international bodies," he said during a
December 5 speech in Mazandaran Province, which borders the Caspian
Sea, "the Iranian nation will consider this an act of hostility,"
Radio Farda reported.
Speaking to an audience of young people on December 9,
Ahmadinejad dismissed the pending sanctions. "They have backed down
from military sanctions to empty sanctions; they must know that the
nation of Iran will not withdraw from its inalienable right and is
persistent towards its nuclear rights," ISNA reported. He added, "we
have scored great successes and are only one step away from nuclear
climax," IRNA reported.
In Manama on December 8, Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki
said there is no legal basis for referring the Iranian case to the UN
Security Council, and the imposition of sanctions would not affect
Iran’s determination, Fars News Agency reported.
Conservative Iranian dailies adopted a similar tone. "5 + 1
0: The Seventh Collapse of the Group of Six" was the front page
headline of "Kayhan" on December 7. It said the five permanent
members of the Security Council, plus Germany, have failed to achieve
consensus on Iran’s "peaceful" nuclear program.
Columnist Ali Yusefpur wrote in the pro-government "Siyasat-i
Ruz" on December 9 that Iran is "the final winner in the nuclear
energy field." Yusefpur wrote that the Iranian officials have
countered American plots. (Bill Samii)

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Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.

The "RFE/RL Iran Report" is a weekly prepared by A. William Samii on
the basis of materials from RFE/RL broadcast services, RFE/RL
Newsline, and other news services. It is distributed every Monday.

Direct comments to A. William Samii at samiia@rferl.org.
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