Summary of Iran Stories in Today's BroadcastsBehnam NateghiFriday, April 09, 2004
<b>Former President Blasts US Over Iraq Conflicts</b>
• The militia organized by Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr was “heroic” for rising up against the US, former president Ali-Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani said in a sermon at the official Friday prayer ceremony held at Tehran University. The American military forces are “vulnerable,” he added. He described the US as a “wounded monster,” and suggested the US forces' defeat in Iraq would provide a “valuable lesson” for the West. “America had entered the region in order to set up a base right outside our borders, but such a base will no longer materialize,” he said. “We have small accounts with the Americans which we must settle one day and bring the issue to a close,” he said. Sadr's al-Mahdi Army was a contributor to Iraq's security, according to Rafsanjani, who said the al-Mahdi force comprised of “many enthusiastic and heroic young people, who were unhappy, both with Saddam and the Americans.”
• Iraqi Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr, who is directing a widespread armed uprising against the coalition forces in Baghdad and southern Iraq, receives his orders directly from the office of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Italian foreign intelligence organization, Servizio per le Informazioni e la Sicurezza Militare (SISMI), a unit of the Italian defense ministry, said today in a report to the Italian parliament. The report, which prompted a call to foreign minister Kamal Kharrazi by Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini, said without political, financial and military support from the Supreme Leader, Moqtada Sadr and his al-Mahdi brigade could not have mounted their multiple, simultaneous attacks. Italian foreign minister asked Kharrazi to do what he can to put an end to the deadly clashes in Iraq. Agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp and the Quds special forces have infiltrated Iraq in the past months and have formed and organized Moqta Sadr's al-Mahdi brigade, SISMI said in its report. The Iranian agents work under the cover of several religious charity organizations in Sadr city in Baghdad and in the Shiite cities of Karbala, Najaf and Kufa, SISMI said. Iran is spending $70 million per month to support these front organizations, it added. The Supreme Leader has sent cleric Mohammad-Hossein Haeri to coordinate the efforts that are aimed at pushing the coalition forces out of Iraq, according to Italian daily <i>La Stampa</i>, which adds that, with that goal in mind, Sadr's al-Mahdi brigade has been attacking the Italian, Spanish, Bulgarian, Polish and Portuguese forces in Iraq. In his mission in Iraq, Haeri represents Qum-based senior Iraqi Shiite religious leader Ayatollah Kazem Haeri. Two Iranian intelligence officers who have recently defected to Britain have given the British intelligence agents documents showing the role being played by the Islamic Republic government in the recent unrest in Iraq, Italy's daily <i>La Reformista</i> reports, quoting British sources. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome)
• Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini said he asked Kharrazi for help in Nasiriyah, where the Italian forces had come under heavy attacks. The recent relative calm in Nasiriyeh is a result of that conversation, Italian analysts say. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome)
• Although the supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr have chosen the name Mahdi Army for themselves, Imam Mahdi would never be content to initiate disunity, division and factionalism in his name,” highest ranking dissident cleric Ayatollah Hosseinali Montazeri said in comments faxed to the Reuters news agency. Montazeri's office said the remarks were made in an interview with Time magazine. Montazeri threw his weight behind Iraq's Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani who has called on the Iraqi people to support state institutions and public order. “It is rational that under Ayatollah Sistani's direction and through a union of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds who are all Muslims, a stable government be established in Iraq,” he said.
• Quoting a source close to the Iraqi ruling council, the state-run Mehr news agency said the expulsion of Iranian diplomats from Baghdad was done under pressure from the US, and was an outcome of strong disagreements between the Iraqi interior ministry and the coalition authority, which led to interior minister Nouri Badran's resignation last week, after he returned from a visit to Iran. The unidentified source told Mehr that the US officials created a political crisis to blame Iran for the Shiite unrest and demonstrations in Iraq. He added that following the demonstrations of the Shiites in Baghdad, Karbala, Najaf and Kut, the Iraqi foreign ministry asked the officials of the Iranian embassy in Baghdad to leave Iraq. Meanwhile, the reformist internet news site Rooydad reported that coalition forces accused the Islamic Republic of aiding Moqtada Sadr with cash and arms. It said some government officials have criticized the foreign ministry for assigning a former Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) officer to the Baghdad embassy. On the other hand, the Iraqi foreign minister told <b>Radio Farda</b> that the coalition authority, not the Iraqi foreign ministry, expelled Iranian diplomats from Iraq. However, Iranian Charge d'Affairs in Baghdad Hassan Kazemi Qumi told French news agency the AFP that expulsion of Iranian diplomats from Iraq was only a rumor. “I am still here working,” he said. (Leyli Arman)
• Tehran University political science professor <b>Ahmad Naqibzadeh</b> tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that Moqtada Sadr is a product of extreme social conditions in Iraq, where impatient young people, who have lived under decades of Saddam's oppression, have resorted to violence and extremism. The inexperienced Iraqi Shiite youth, like the youth in other Middle East countries, have little confidence in the moderate policies of major religious leaders, such as Ayatollah Ali Sistani, he adds. The Moqtada Sadr uprising provides an opportunity for the coalition authority to eliminate radical forces before handing over the power to the Iraqis on June 30. These forces, otherwise, would have created serious problems for the next Iraqi government. However, as far as I can tell, there is no good sentiment toward Moqtada Sadr among the Iranian officials. Nevertheless, they perceive the US presence in Iraq as a security threat, and prefer to see the US forces mired in Iraq. (Mehdi Khalaji)
• <b>Mashallah Shamsolvaezin</b>, editor of several reformist banned reformist newspapers and an analyst at the Tehran-based center for strategic studies, tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that the US policymakers based their postwar program on their familiarity with the classic Iraqi opposition forces, particularly the exiled groups, and paid little attention to the sentiments within the Iraqi society, which was beyond their reach. Strategically, he adds, the further entanglement of the US forces in Iraq is in short-term in the interest of Iran and other neighbors of Iraq, such as Saudi Arabia and Syria. However, the officials believe that a phenomenon such as Moqtada Sadr is only useful during the transition period. He would have no place in a stable future Iraq. Furthermore, Moqtada Sadr's trip to Iran and his meetings with the officials, including former president Hashemi-Rafsanjani, do not necessarily means that there is any cooperation between Iran and Moqtada Sadr. Members of the Iraqi ruling council visited Iran several times, signed contracts and held talks on many issues, even Iran-US relations, he adds. (Mehdi Khalaji)
• London-based representative of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) <b>Hamed Albayati</b> tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that the coalition authority closed Moqtada Sadr's newspaper <i>al Hoza</i>, accusing it of printing false news, whereas many other newspapers in Iraq which print false news are not being closed, he adds. The SCIRI is favors reversing the order on the newspaper, but the coalition forces prevent the reopening of this newspaper and insist on arresting Moqtada Sadr, he adds. The arrest of Sadr's deputy led to violent demonstrations, he says. “We are looking for a way to end the hostilities,” he says. He denied that Iran provides support for Moqtada Sadr, and says Iran's policy is to avoid interfering in Iraq's domestic conflicts. (Mehdi Khalaji)
• An Iranian woman was killed in Karbala in the fighting between elements loyal to Moqtada Sadr and American forces. Also, Reuters reported that six Iranian pilgrims were killed in Karbala.
<b>Iranian Asylum Seekers to Demonstrate in Amsterdam</b>
• In a demonstration planned by the advocacy group PRIME for tomorrow in Amsterdam, thousands will demonstrate against Dutch government's plan to expel 26,000 asylum seekers, including 5,000 Iranians, whose applications have been rejected. “In our demonstrations tomorrow, we want to show that the Dutch people support the refugees,” organizer <b>Ahmad Pouri</b>, head of PRIME, an organization for defense of asylum seekers, tells <b>Radio Farda</b>. Many political, cultural and arts celebrities will join our demonstration to protest against the policies of the Dutch immigration minister, he adds. (Shahram Mirian, Cologne)
<b>French Organization to Build Handicapped Center in Bam</b>
• A non-governmental French organization announced that it will build a center for assisting the handicapped victims of the Bam earthquake, head of the French-based international organization for the handicapped <b>Anna Gronodier tells <b>Radio Farda</b>. (Leyli Arman)
<b>Activist Calls for Referendum on Constitutional Reform</b>
• In a seminar to be held tomorrow in Berne, Germany, by the Iranian Democrat Movement (Jonbesh Iranian-e Demokrat), a number of exiled political organizations discussed Iran's future. Leftist activist <b>Mehdi Khanbaba Tehrani</b>, a speaker at the gathering, tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that he sees no solution for Iran other than constitutional reform through a referendum. (Maryam Ahmadi)
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جمشيد زند (راديوفردا): علي اكبر هاشمي رفسنجاني، رئيس مجمع تشخيص مصلحت نظام، در نماز جمعه امروز در تهران، انتقاد شديدالحني از آمريكا كرد و دلايل آنچه آسيب پذيري آمريكا خواند، برشمرد. آقاي رفسنجاني در نماز جمعه تهران گفت: ضعيف شدن آمريكا، قوي شدن ايران است و ايران بايد روزي با آمريكا تصفيه حساب كند.
صداي حجت الاسلام علي اكبر هاشمي رفسنجاني (رئيس مجمع تشخيص مصلحت نظام): آمريكا الان آسيب پذير شده در دنيا و او مي توانست با يك سياست درستي ابهت ابرقدرتي خودش را حفظ كند و با هيمنه ابرقدرتي خيلي از اهدافش را تامين كند، ولي الان ديگر طبل توخالي شده و آخرين مساله اين است كه حالا آمريكا چه بكند. الان گيري كه آمريکاييها دارند، تصميم گيري نهايي است كه بماند در عراق يا برود. نتيجه مي خواهم بگيرم كه قضيه هم فرصت است و هم تهديد است. تهديد است از اين جهت كه بالاخره اين غول زخمي و داراي امكانات فراوان ممكن است در شرايط عصبانيت كارهاي خطرناكي بكند، ولو اين كه به قيمت گراني براي خودش و ديگران تمام شود و فرصت است براي اين كه درسي به آمريكا داده شود كه ديگر آمريكاييها و هيچ ابرقدرتي به فكر استعمار جديد نيفتد.
مهدي خلجي (راديو فردا): اكبر هاشمي رفسنجاني، رئيس تشخيص مصلحت نظام در نماز جمعه تهران بيش از 30 دليل براي ضعف و آسيب پذيري آمريكا در عراق بيان كرد و سياستهاي آمريكا در عراق را كامل اشتباه خواند. آقاي رفسنجاني در نماز جمعه تهران گفت: ضعيف شدن آمريكا قوي شدن ايران است و ايران بايد روزي با آمريكا تصفيه حساب كند.
صداي حجت الاسلام علي اكبر هاشمي رفسنجاني: قدرتمند شدن ايران در اين ماجراي افغانستان و عراق، به خاطر اين كه آمريكا آسيب پذير شده. ما چيز زيادي اضافه نكرديم، اما آمريكاييان آسيب پذير شدند. اينها الان به عنوان يك هدف بسيار موثر در منطقه حضور دارند، البته ايران نمي خواهد ماجراجويي كند، ما بناي درگيري و دخالت نداريم. در افغانستان كمك كرديم، در عراق كمك كرديم و داريم كمك مي كنيم، ولي آمريكا آسيب پذير شده. آسيب پذيري آمريكا هم يعني قدرتمندتر شدن ايران كه خوب حسابي با آمريكاييها خورده حساب داريم و بايد يك روزي اينها تصفيه بشود.
م . خ : آقاي رفسنجاني به سپاه المهدي وابسته به مقتدي صدر هم اشاره كرد و اين سپاه را تشكيل شده از جوانان پرحرارت و حماسي خواند كه هم از صدام ناراحت بودند و هم از آمريكاييها ناراحتند.
صداي حجت الاسلام علي اكبر هاشمي رفسنجاني: جريان جيش المهدي كه بوجود آمده در عراق، از جوانهاي بسيار پرحرارت و حماسي كه هم از صدام ناراحت بودند، هم از آمريكاييها ناراحتند و هم از خيلي چيزهاي ديگر. يك جريان سراسري وجود دارد، خودشان خيلي ادعاي بزرگي دارند. علاوه بر اينها چيزي به نام حزب الله در زمان صدام در عراق بود كه مبارزه مي كرد و واقعا مقاومت مي كردند، اينها هم حالا تشكيلات بسيار بسيار آهنيني براي خودشان پيدا كردند.
م . خ : آقاي رفسنجاني به وجود سلاح و مهمات در عراق اشاره كرد و آن را يكي از دلايل ضعف آمريكا در رويارويي با آنچه وي مقاومت مردمي خواند دانست. آقاي رفسنجاني سياست توزيع سلاح در ميان مردم عراق از سوي صدام حسين را كاملا درست ارزيابي كرد.
صداي حجت الاسلام علي اكبر هاشمي رفسنجاني: صدام يك استراتژي اتخاذ كرد قبل از حمله آمريكا، استراتژي اش هم درست بود، حتي در همان زمان هم درست بود، اسلحه پخش كرد بين ميليونها افرادي كه اسمشان را گذاشته بود «جيش الشعبي» در سراسر عراق. به اندازه شش ماه به اينها مهمات و اسلحه و امكانات داد كه اينها دفاع شهري بكنند اگر ارتش آمريكا وارد شد.
م . خ : آقاي رفسنجاني عاقبت حضور آمريكاييها را در عراق به سود مردم عراق و آمريكا ندانست. از سوي ديگر دانلد رامسفلد، وزير دفاع آمريكا، ايران را به مداخله بي جا در مسائل عراق متهم كرده است. همچنين بنا بر نوشته مطبوعات ايتاليا، سازمان امنيت اين كشور اعلام كرده بر پايه مداركي كه دارد، سر نخ اين ناآراميهاي اخير عراق در تهران است. در اين گزارش جمهوري اسلامي به پشتيباني مقتدي صدر و تجهيز نظامي هوادارانش متهم شده است. حجت الاسلام علي اكبر هاشمي رفسنجاني، رئيس مجمع تشخيص مصلحت نظام، در نماز جمعه امروز تهران، انتقادي شديدالحن از آمريكا كرد. آقاي رفسنجاني در نماز جمعه تهران گفت: ضعيف شدن آمريكا، قوي شدن جمهوري اسلامي است و جمهوري اسلامي بايد روزي با آمريكا تصفيه حساب كند. وي بيش از 30 دليل براي ضعف و آسيب پذيري آمريكا در عراق بيان كرد و سياستهاي آمريكا در عراق را كامل اشتباه خواند. آقاي سپاه المهدي وابسته به مقتدي صدر را تشكيل شده از جوانان پرحرارت و حماسي خواند كه هم از صدام ناراحت بودند و هم از آمريكاييها ناراحت هستند. وي همچنين به وجود سلاح و مهمات در عراق اشاره كرد و آن را يكي از دلايل ضعف آمريكا در رويارويي با آنچه وي مقاومت مردمي خواند دانست. آقاي رفسنجاني سياست توزيع سلاح در ميان مردم عراق از سوي صدام حسين را كاملا درست ارزيابي كرد.
