اردوان نيكنام، مصاحبه با پيروز مجتهد زاده
Summary of Today's BroadcastRFE/RL Persian ServiceFriday, September 20, 2002 - Iran's position on the possible US attack on Iraq - IMF report on Iran's economy - Russia wants the return of spent atomic fuel - New round of factional conflict - Bar association group supports Zarafshan - International PEN supports Zarafshan - School year begins - Elementary school academic evaluation - Paris funeral for journalist Purvali - RFE/RL Roundtable - Iran and the Prospect of a US Attack on Iraq On the 22nd anniversary of the Iran-Iraq war, the prospect of the establishment of a pro-western regime in Iraq worries Tehran's rulers, who officially oppose any "unilateral" US move against the Iraqi regime. * Head of the London-based Eurosevic Institute and an expert on the Middle East affairs Pirouz Mojtahedzadeh tells RFE/RL that Iraq continues to pose a great risk to its neighbors, particularly to Iran and Kuwait, which it has attacked before and would not hesitate to attack again, given the opportunity, since it has not given up its territorial claims against them. He adds that it is in Iran's interest to support the regime change in Iraq by any means and Tehran's statement that it would only support US action against Iraq if the UN ratifies it does not serve the national interest of Iran. He says: "The UN is not under the Iraqi threat, but Iran is." (Ardavan Niknam) IMF Issues Report on Iran's Economy * Washington-based economist and former member of the IMF Executive Board Jahangir Amuzegar tells RFE/RL that in its latest report on Iran's economy, the IMF points to three positive developments: unification of the foreign exchange rate, a decline in the rate of inflation, and the plan to privatize banking and insurance. He adds that the government has managed to keep the growth rate at 4 percent. (Fereydoun Zarnegar) Russia Seeks Agreement with Iran on the Return of Nuclear Waste * The Russian government said it would not send any nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr plant before signing a treaty guaranteeing the return of nuclear waste. Also, the secretary of the Russian communist party suggested establishing a new organization for oil cooperation between Russia, Kuwait and Iran. (Mani Kasravi, Moscow) New Round of Factional Conflict in Iran: Khatami's "Empty" Resignation Threat * In an article titled "Last Chance," London's weekly Economist writes that losing patience with his conservative opponents, President Khatami began a new challenge against those opponents by introducing bills to reform election laws and expand presidential powers, but the conservatives believe that Khatami's resignation threat is a bluff. (Fariba Mavedat, London) Meeting at the Bar Association in Support of Jailed Lawyer * Lawyer Mohammad Seifzadeh tells RFE/RL that following a meeting at offices of the Tehran bar association, lawyers opposed to recent moves by the Judiciary against attorneys who defended political activists and journalists decided to suggest definitions for political crimes. The group also decided to provide material support for the families of lawyers who have received jail sentences. (Golnaz Esfandiari) International PEN Meets in Macedonia * Germany-based writer and freedom-of-press advocate Faraj Sarkui, who attended the international gathering of PEN members, tells RFE/RL that a resolution in support of Iranian writers and lawyers in jail would be adopted by Sunday. He added that the international PEN extended honorary membership to jailed lawyer Naser Zarafshan. (Shireen Famili) School Year Begins * First-grade elementary school students will begin the school year a day ahead of others in order to become acclimated to the schools' environment, according to education ministry officials. A parent tells RFE/RL that public schools demand payments from parents as "aid" and "donations," defying the free schooling laws. Another parent says private schools, where children of the regime's officials study, have adopted restrictive admission policies that include written and verbal interviews with students and background checks of and interviews with their parents. (Fereydoun Zarnegar) Elementary School Exam Reforms * New regulations enacted in elementary schools introduce continuous evaluation of the students performance instead of final exams. (Said Peyvandi) Paris Funeral for Writer Esmail Purvali * Sirus Amuzegar and Azar Pazhouhesh delivered eulogies during the funeral of veteran journalist and magazine publisher Esmail Purvali in Paris' Perre Lachaise cemetery. (Jean Khakzad, Paris) RFE/RL Roundtable: Reformists New Campaign * Tehran University political science professor Sadq Zibakalam, American University in Paris economics professor Shahin Fatemi, and UCLA Women's Studies professor Nayereh Touhidi discuss the campaign by the regime's reformist faction to expand presidential powers and limit the power of the conservative Guardians Council in vetting applicants for candidacy in parliamentary elections. (Amir-Mosaddegh Katouzian) ARTS AND IDEAS Daily Internet Report * Internet and technology website itiran.com prints a legal opinion by Piruz Zahedi, who says the Judiciary can already press subversion charges against creators of Persian websites and internet chat rooms. (Behnam Nateghi) Daily medical advice (Dr. Mansur Moslehi, Los Angeles) Two Iran Plays at Molheim Festival, Germay * Ardabil-based Majid Vahedizadeh, writer-director of "Sabz-Sohrab-Sohr) tells RFE/RL that his play is based on the Shahnameh and Azari folklore. (Shahram Mirian, Cologne) Daily Book Review * RFE/RL's Tehran-based book critic reviews "Hekayat-e Sheikh-e San'an" by Houman Yusefdehi from Nashr-e Fazrzan-e Ruz publishers. Daily Science Report * The Swiss watch-maker Rolex offers an annual award for innovative projects submitted by young inventors, and scientists from around the world. (Fatemeh Aman, Washington) Weekly Middle East Magazine * New discovery about the Pyramids using a robot... interview with Japanese theater director Shinju Kimura... trial of a prophet pretender in Egypt... WORLD * US Presidents asks Congress to adopt resolution for regime change in Iraq. (Homayoun Majd, Washington) * Arab newspapers call the return of the UN arms inspectors Iraq's last chance, although some regard it a last-minute ploy by the Iraqi regime to buy time. (Farideh Rahbar, Cairo) * Israel attacks Arafat's compound in Ramallah. (Jamshid Chalangi, Cairo) * US State Department rejects the expansion of the mission of the multi-national peace-keeping forces beyond Kabul in Afghanistan. (Homayoun Majd, Washington) * Coup fails in the Ivory Coast. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome) * The majority of Germans support parties clearly rejecting US action against the Iraqi regime. (Shahram Mirian, Cologne) * Washington-based oil market analyst Javad Salehi-Esfahani tells RFE/RL that production increase by non-OPEC producers would make OPEC's decision against rising production ineffective. (Homayoun Majd, Washington) * Yasir Abdol Raboo, a former Palestinian Authority official, tells RFE/RL that a whole nation should not be punished for the actions of a few extremists. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome) * The only solution for the Middle East crisis is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, writes Israeli journalist Yusi Melman in London's Guardian. (Nazi Azima)
31 شهريور، سالروز حمله جنگنده هاي عراقي به فرودگاه مهرآباد تهران، به عنوان آغازهفته جنگ گرامي داشته مي شود. احتمال فزاينده اقدام نظامي آمريكا عليه حكومت صدام حسين، معادله پيچيده اي را پيش روي جمهوري اسلامي قرار داده است. چشم انداز برقراري يك حكومت هوادار آمريكا درعراق براي جمهوري اسلامي نگران كننده است. حكومت تهران، مخالفت خود با اقدام يك جانبه آمريكا عليه حكومت صدام حسين ابراز داشته است. دكتر پيروز مجتهد زاده، كارشناس روابط بين المللي، در مصاحبه با راديو آزادي مي گويد عراق هنوز تهديد عمده اي براي ايران به شمار مي رود. وي مي افزايد: آمريكا براي برآوردن خواسته مردم عراق عليه حكومت اين كشور دست به اقدام مي زند و ايران بايد با چنين اقدامي همراه باشد. ايران نبايد فراموش كند كه عراق تحت رژيم بعثي براي ايران و كشورهاي منطقه خطرناك است و نظامي است كه از سلاح هاي كشتار جمعي و شيميائي عليه ايران، كويت و ملت خود استفاده كرد و ادعاي ارضي خود را نسبت به ايران و كويت پس نگرفته و قصد حمله مجدد به ايران و كويت را دارد. مجتهدزاده مي افزايد: سياست حكومت ايران در مخالفت با هرگونه اقدام نظامي عليه حكومت عراق نمي تواند سياست درستي باشد. منافع ملي ايران ايجاب مي كند كه جلوي تهديد عراق گرفته شود و بايد اين كار مورد تائيد قرار گيرد و موكول كردن آن به تائيد سازمان ملل با منافع ملي ايران تطبيق نمي كند زيرا صدام حسين سازمان ملل را تهديد نمي كند بلكه ايران را تهديد مي كند و ايران نمي تواند در پشتيباني از بركناري حكومت صدام حسين، منتظر تائيد سازمان ملل يا كشورهاي ديگر باشد.
Summary of Today's BroadcastRFE/RL Persian ServiceFriday, September 20, 2002 - Iran's position on the possible US attack on Iraq - IMF report on Iran's economy - Russia wants the return of spent atomic fuel - New round of factional conflict - Bar association group supports Zarafshan - International PEN supports Zarafshan - School year begins - Elementary school academic evaluation - Paris funeral for journalist Purvali - RFE/RL Roundtable - Iran and the Prospect of a US Attack on Iraq On the 22nd anniversary of the Iran-Iraq war, the prospect of the establishment of a pro-western regime in Iraq worries Tehran's rulers, who officially oppose any "unilateral" US move against the Iraqi regime. * Head of the London-based Eurosevic Institute and an expert on the Middle East affairs Pirouz Mojtahedzadeh tells RFE/RL that Iraq continues to pose a great risk to its neighbors, particularly to Iran and Kuwait, which it has attacked before and would not hesitate to attack again, given the opportunity, since it has not given up its territorial claims against them. He adds that it is in Iran's interest to support the regime change in Iraq by any means and Tehran's statement that it would only support US action against Iraq if the UN ratifies it does not serve the national interest of Iran. He says: "The UN is not under the Iraqi threat, but Iran is." (Ardavan Niknam) IMF Issues Report on Iran's Economy * Washington-based economist and former member of the IMF Executive Board Jahangir Amuzegar tells RFE/RL that in its latest report on Iran's economy, the IMF points to three positive developments: unification of the foreign exchange rate, a decline in the rate of inflation, and the plan to privatize banking and insurance. He adds that the government has managed to keep the growth rate at 4 percent. (Fereydoun Zarnegar) Russia Seeks Agreement with Iran on the Return of Nuclear Waste * The Russian government said it would not send any nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr plant before signing a treaty guaranteeing the return of nuclear waste. Also, the secretary of the Russian communist party suggested establishing a new organization for oil cooperation between Russia, Kuwait and Iran. (Mani Kasravi, Moscow) New Round of Factional Conflict in Iran: Khatami's "Empty" Resignation Threat * In an article titled "Last Chance," London's weekly Economist writes that losing patience with his conservative opponents, President Khatami began a new challenge against those opponents by introducing bills to reform election laws and expand presidential powers, but the conservatives believe that Khatami's resignation threat is a bluff. (Fariba Mavedat, London) Meeting at the Bar Association in Support of Jailed Lawyer * Lawyer Mohammad Seifzadeh tells RFE/RL that following a meeting at offices of the Tehran bar association, lawyers opposed to recent moves by the Judiciary against attorneys who defended political activists and journalists decided to suggest definitions for political crimes. The group also decided to provide material support for the families of lawyers who have received jail sentences. (Golnaz Esfandiari) International PEN Meets in Macedonia * Germany-based writer and freedom-of-press advocate Faraj Sarkui, who attended the international gathering of PEN members, tells RFE/RL that a resolution in support of Iranian writers and lawyers in jail would be adopted by Sunday. He added that the international PEN extended honorary membership to jailed lawyer Naser Zarafshan. (Shireen Famili) School Year Begins * First-grade elementary school students will begin the school year a day ahead of others in order to become acclimated to the schools' environment, according to education ministry officials. A parent tells RFE/RL that public schools demand payments from parents as "aid" and "donations," defying the free schooling laws. Another parent says private schools, where children of the regime's officials study, have adopted restrictive admission policies that include written and verbal interviews with students and background checks of and interviews with their parents. (Fereydoun Zarnegar) Elementary School Exam Reforms * New regulations enacted in elementary schools introduce continuous evaluation of the students performance instead of final exams. (Said Peyvandi) Paris Funeral for Writer Esmail Purvali * Sirus Amuzegar and Azar Pazhouhesh delivered eulogies during the funeral of veteran journalist and magazine publisher Esmail Purvali in Paris' Perre Lachaise cemetery. (Jean Khakzad, Paris) RFE/RL Roundtable: Reformists New Campaign * Tehran University political science professor Sadq Zibakalam, American University in Paris economics professor Shahin Fatemi, and UCLA Women's Studies professor Nayereh Touhidi discuss the campaign by the regime's reformist faction to expand presidential powers and limit the power of the conservative Guardians Council in vetting applicants for candidacy in parliamentary elections. (Amir-Mosaddegh Katouzian) ARTS AND IDEAS Daily Internet Report * Internet and technology website itiran.com prints a legal opinion by Piruz Zahedi, who says the Judiciary can already press subversion charges against creators of Persian websites and internet chat rooms. (Behnam Nateghi) Daily medical advice (Dr. Mansur Moslehi, Los Angeles) Two Iran Plays at Molheim Festival, Germay * Ardabil-based Majid Vahedizadeh, writer-director of "Sabz-Sohrab-Sohr) tells RFE/RL that his play is based on the Shahnameh and Azari folklore. (Shahram Mirian, Cologne) Daily Book Review * RFE/RL's Tehran-based book critic reviews "Hekayat-e Sheikh-e San'an" by Houman Yusefdehi from Nashr-e Fazrzan-e Ruz publishers. Daily Science Report * The Swiss watch-maker Rolex offers an annual award for innovative projects submitted by young inventors, and scientists from around the world. (Fatemeh Aman, Washington) Weekly Middle East Magazine * New discovery about the Pyramids using a robot... interview with Japanese theater director Shinju Kimura... trial of a prophet pretender in Egypt... WORLD * US Presidents asks Congress to adopt resolution for regime change in Iraq. (Homayoun Majd, Washington) * Arab newspapers call the return of the UN arms inspectors Iraq's last chance, although some regard it a last-minute ploy by the Iraqi regime to buy time. (Farideh Rahbar, Cairo) * Israel attacks Arafat's compound in Ramallah. (Jamshid Chalangi, Cairo) * US State Department rejects the expansion of the mission of the multi-national peace-keeping forces beyond Kabul in Afghanistan. (Homayoun Majd, Washington) * Coup fails in the Ivory Coast. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome) * The majority of Germans support parties clearly rejecting US action against the Iraqi regime. (Shahram Mirian, Cologne) * Washington-based oil market analyst Javad Salehi-Esfahani tells RFE/RL that production increase by non-OPEC producers would make OPEC's decision against rising production ineffective. (Homayoun Majd, Washington) * Yasir Abdol Raboo, a former Palestinian Authority official, tells RFE/RL that a whole nation should not be punished for the actions of a few extremists. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome) * The only solution for the Middle East crisis is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, writes Israeli journalist Yusi Melman in London's Guardian. (Nazi Azima)
31 شهريور، سالروز حمله جنگنده هاي عراقي به فرودگاه مهرآباد تهران، به عنوان آغازهفته جنگ گرامي داشته مي شود. احتمال فزاينده اقدام نظامي آمريكا عليه حكومت صدام حسين، معادله پيچيده اي را پيش روي جمهوري اسلامي قرار داده است. چشم انداز برقراري يك حكومت هوادار آمريكا درعراق براي جمهوري اسلامي نگران كننده است. حكومت تهران، مخالفت خود با اقدام يك جانبه آمريكا عليه حكومت صدام حسين ابراز داشته است. دكتر پيروز مجتهد زاده، كارشناس روابط بين المللي، در مصاحبه با راديو آزادي مي گويد عراق هنوز تهديد عمده اي براي ايران به شمار مي رود. وي مي افزايد: آمريكا براي برآوردن خواسته مردم عراق عليه حكومت اين كشور دست به اقدام مي زند و ايران بايد با چنين اقدامي همراه باشد. ايران نبايد فراموش كند كه عراق تحت رژيم بعثي براي ايران و كشورهاي منطقه خطرناك است و نظامي است كه از سلاح هاي كشتار جمعي و شيميائي عليه ايران، كويت و ملت خود استفاده كرد و ادعاي ارضي خود را نسبت به ايران و كويت پس نگرفته و قصد حمله مجدد به ايران و كويت را دارد. مجتهدزاده مي افزايد: سياست حكومت ايران در مخالفت با هرگونه اقدام نظامي عليه حكومت عراق نمي تواند سياست درستي باشد. منافع ملي ايران ايجاب مي كند كه جلوي تهديد عراق گرفته شود و بايد اين كار مورد تائيد قرار گيرد و موكول كردن آن به تائيد سازمان ملل با منافع ملي ايران تطبيق نمي كند زيرا صدام حسين سازمان ملل را تهديد نمي كند بلكه ايران را تهديد مي كند و ايران نمي تواند در پشتيباني از بركناري حكومت صدام حسين، منتظر تائيد سازمان ملل يا كشورهاي ديگر باشد.
