Summary of Iran Stories of Today's BroadcastsBehnam NateghiFriday, January 24, 2003
<b>Khatami Arrives in New Delhi</b>
* President Khatami arrived in New Delhi today to discuss, among other things, the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir and the Iran-India gas pipeline. Visiting scholar of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Hussein Haqqani tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that Iran supported Pakistan during the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars, but the relationship between the two countries has shifted, due to Pakistan's support for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the killing of Shiites by Pakistani followers of extremist Sunni sects. He adds that the Pakistan-India dispute is the main obstacle in the development of the 1600-kilometer gas pipeline from Iran to India, which would benefit all three. (Bijan Farhoodi)
* During President Khatami's four-day visit to India, three important economic issues will be discussed. <ul>
o Iran-India gas pipeline through Pakistan: Talks about this project began 11 years ago, but has been bogged down, due to India-Pakistan conflicts.
o Trade: Of the annual $2 billion of trade between the two nations, only $300 million is non-oil. A 70-man delegation from Tehran arrived in New Delhi today to discuss ways to expand non-oil trade in the second session of the Iran-India trade committee.
o The north-south super highway: India is interested to haul its goods through Iran to Europe. (Fereydoun Khavand)</ul>* Glasgow University international relations professor tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that because of the limited role of the government in foreign policy decision making, Khatami's New Delhi visit, like his trips to other world capitals, is only a public relations gesture. He adds the presence of Dr. Ali-Akbar Velayati, the Supreme Leader's foreign policy advisor, among Khatami's well-wishers at the airport, indicates that an office other than the presidency makes the major foreign policy decisions in Iran. He adds that good relations are important to both countries, but little has been done by either to improve ties. He says Iran should use relations with India as a counterbalance to its relation with Pakistan. He adds that the presence of the defense minister among Khatami's delegation shows Iran's interest in developing security and military relations with India. (Shahran Tabari, London)
<b>Progressive Religious Leader Decrees on Need for Sexual Education</b>
* Progressive cleric Ayatollah Yusef Sanei, former member of the Guardians Council, issued a religious decree, or <i>fatwa</i> today on the need for providing sexual education to the young people. He said saving lives is more important than traditional dignity. Tehran-based scholar and women's rights activist Mahbubeh Abbasqolizadeh tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that with or without Sanei's decree, the need for sexual education in the society is clear. She adds that lack of access to timely sexual education has contributed to the rise of sexual diseases and mental illness. In a harshly worded statement, a group of seminary students in Qom yesterday threatened Sanei. (Mahmonir Rahimi)
<b>RSF Condemns New Wave of Newspaper Bans</b>
* In a statement issued in Paris, the Reporters sans Frontiers condemned the new wave of the judiciary's crackdown on reformist newspapers, and accused the judiciary of observing dual standards in dealing with the complaints against conservative and reformist publications. RSF called for immediate freedom of writer and Tolstoy translator Alireza Jabbari and his friend, children's book writer Siamak Taheri, as well as the release of <i>Hayat-e Now</i> writer Alireza Eshraqi. (Maryam Ahmadi)
<b>Tehran Jams Los Angeles Satellite TV Channels</b>
* Los Angeles-based satellite TV broadcaster Mohandes Shajareh tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that the Islamic regime blocked the signal of his 24-hour TV and that of seven other Los Angeles satellite broadcasters to Tehran. The jamming began on Wednesday evening, and is limited only to parts of Tehran. The jamming transmitter, purchased from South Korea's Emerson, is located in an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps garrison downtown, he adds. In contacts with <b>Radio Farda</b> Tehran residents confirmed that jamming has blocked access to Los Angeles-based satellite TV channels. (Ali Sajjadi)
<b>Reformist Cleric Equates Reforms' Failure with Regime's Death</b>
* Reformist cleric Mohsen Kadivar, who had been jailed for criticizing the absolute rule of the Supreme Leader, said today in a speech at the Tehran University that the failure of reforms would mean the death of the Islamic regime. Kadivar, who has returned from teaching a course at the Harvard University, said in a democracy, power changes hands through peaceful means. (Shireen Famili)
<b>Jailed Writer's Family Lose Phone Service</b>
* Jailed writer and Tolstoy translator Alireza Jabbari's brother-in-law Khosrow Shemirani, who lives in Canada, tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that he can no longer reach his sister or her children by phone in Tehran. Jabbari was arrested nearly a month ago, but his family has not been able to locate him in any of the regime's jails. However, Khosrow Shemirani says he has been informed that his brother-in-law maybe jailed in a facility next to the presidential palace. He adds, "So, maybe if President Khatami looks out of the window, he could see blindfolded writers and journalists in handcuffs entering the building next door accompanied by plainclothes agents. (Mahmonir Rahimi)
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آيت الله يوسف صانعي گفت با توجه به افزايش بيماريهاي آميزشي در ميان جوانان، آموزش هاي جنسي براي حفظ جان انسان ها از رعايت حيا واجب تر است. صانعي، مرجع تقليدي كه در ايران به صدور فتواهاي نوگرايانه شناخته مي شود، از سوي عده از طلبه هاي حوزه علميه قم به خاطر صدور فتواهاي متفاوت مورد تهديد قرار گرفته است. محبوبه عباسقلي زاده، پژوهشگر و فعال حقوق زنان در تهران، در مصاحبه با راديوفردا وي مي گويد: ضرورت آموزش جنسي در جامعه، چه آيت الله صانعي فتوا بدهد و چه فتوا ندهد، به عنوان ضرورت وجود دارد و شايد فتواي او بتواند مواجهه قشر سنتي با باورهاي شرعي را نسبت به اين قضيه راحت تر كند. وي مي افزايد كساني كه با اين قضيه مخالفت دارند، واقعيت جامعه ما را هنوز نمي شناسند. وي مي گويد: وزارت آموزش و پرورش و وزارت كشور قصد دارند كلاس هائي براي آموزش جنسي جوانان داوطلب ازدواج تشكيل دهند. وي مي فزايد: ميزان خودارضائي و گرايش به همجنس در ميان قشر جوان بالا رفته است و اينها ناشي از نبود آموزش صحيح در باره مسائل جنسي است. وي مي گويد: به علت نبود آزادي هاي فردي و اجتماعي، فضاي تجربه هاي شخصي سالم براي نوجوانان وجود ندارد.
