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News round-up & update for July 13th & 14th »

Posted by Zand-Bon on Jul 13th, 2010 and filed under News, PLANET IRAN NEWS FOCUS, Photos, Video, video gallery. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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Shahram Amiri

* * Today, the Iranian Central News Agency announced that the run-away nuclear scietist, Shahram Amiri, who went missing last June three days after arriving in on a pilgrimage, is now in the Iranian Interests section of Pakistani Embassy in Washington’s Wisconsin Avenue, where the Iranian regime rents administrative offices.

Amiri who has been posting a series of odd videos on the internet during recent weeks, now claiming to have “escaped” the clutches of US security forces who held him by force is demanding to be swiftly returned to Iran.  In the meantime however, the Iranian regime-run Fars News Agency claimed that the US has delivered Amiri to the Swiss Embassy.

Besides the two conflicting reports from the Iranian regime media, Abdul Basit, a spokesman for the Government of Pakistan, told the Reuters correspondent in Islamabad that Amiri is indeed at the Iranian interests section of the Pakistan embassy. Basit added: “Our embassy has contacted the head of the Iranian section and they have confirmed that they are making arrangements for Amiri’s repatriation to Iran.”

While some international media outlets have reported that he defected to the US, the Islamic Republic has insisted that Amiri was kidnapped through a joint operation by Saudi Arabian and US forces. Both Saudi Arabia and the U.S. deny the allegations.

* * And the Bazar strike in Tehran goes on. On Tuesday all of the various guilds continue to remain on strike; from the copper sellers, to terry cloth, textile and haberdashery manufacturers, gold and jewelry merchants, watch makers, all clothing stores, tailors and carpet dealers…every form of mercantile outlet within  the bazar remains closed. Not a single shop has been opened since last Tuesday when the strike began.

Now too the strike that began in Tehran a week ago, has spilled over into the grand bazars throughout Iran. In Esfahan and Tabriz as well, bazar merchants who have come to a collective guild agreement have notified the tax division of the Ministry of Commerce. And though the Iranian regime rescinded the 70% tax hike, agreeing to a 15% increase, all businesses remain closed. Though this is said to ultimately be agreeable to the merchants, the fact that now the Esfahan and Tabriz bazar have joined the strike, is a sign that the regime has reaped what it has sewn.

Received reports indicate that the intense security atmosphere within the bazars also continues, as the regimes guards roam each section of the Tehran bazar.

The Iranian regime then announced a “general holiday” throughout Iran on Sunday and Monday (July 11th & 12th), claiming that the excessive heat and unusual summer temperatures to be the cause.

A member of the Industries and Mines division of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce who on condition of anonymity spoke to the German media outlet, Deutsche Welle that in his estimation the two day holiday was in order for the regime to prevent any further spread of the news of the strike, minimizing it’s effect and spread throughout the country.

On Wednesday Avaz Heydarpour, representative of Mash’har-Reza and member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament (Majles) and  admitted that the government suffered $4 billion (USD) loss due to the irregular two day general holiday. Heydarpour said: “Unfortunately this financial loss that we have suffered due to this unscheduled holiday could have paid for health and human services issues. The fact is that excessive heat and unusually high temperatures should be dealt with through energy conservation and not declaring holidays or days off throughout the country. The government is accountable for these two days. We representatives who owe it to the people who we represent cannot justify not showing up to work in a building that is air-conditioned and they are working in places where the temperatures are nearly 50 degrees (Celsius).”

There are now also reports that several employees of the bazar have gone missing and there are serious suspicions about their arrest and detention by the regime’s security forces.

* * Below is a clip from an to counter the . Identified shooter and member of the Basij militia, Abbass Kargar-Javid (above drivers license) seen here in this clip complains that after having been “falsely accused” of shooting Neda Agha-Soltan, his life was turned upside down. He asks the individuals who are seated around the table: “Were you forced to leave his house?” Turning to the woman with the blond hair who is seated next to him and the man with the long white hair (Banaie), he says: “You were also accused as well but tell me were you forced to leave your house? Were you forced to leave your place of employment? Because you Mr. Banaei were there and were also accused.”

The white haired man replies: “No but for a while there my family had to leave.”

Kargar-Javid: “I’m not asking about your family; I’m talking about you…did you have to leave your house? If there are accusations to be made and charges leveled against a person, where do my rights go?”

The white haired man asks: “Why has your life changed?”

Kargar-Javid: “Because of all the accusations. My home address and phone number were found through a site; I got a phone call from America at 3 in the morning where I was cussed out with the filthiest words you can imagine. So I was forced to leave my house. I was forced to close the door behind me and leave.  I now live in a 6 meter square room.”

* * On Wednesday, July 14th, the Canadian Charge d’affaire was summoned to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs ‘Human Rights Division’ in order to respond to the Iranian regime’s accusation against Canadian police ‘brutalization’ of protesters and the condition of the arrested citizens during the G20 summit held in Toronto on June 26th and 27th. The representative of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that Canada observe international commitments and to respect people’s rights for holding peaceful protests, as well as other civil rights and stated that the Iranian regime is concerned about the unclear outcome of those who were arrested during the Toronto protests. The spokesman also gave the Canadian government an ultimatum to respond immediately and said that the police must be forced to act legally!


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