Summary of the Iran Stories of Today's BroadcastsBehnam NateghiTuesday, February 04, 2003
<b>Reactions to Nationalist Opposition Activist's Letter on Rights Violations</b>
* In reaction to the nationalist-religious coalition activist and veteran politician Ezatollah Sahabi's letter on abuses by judiciary interrogators, judiciary chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Shahroudi said instead of complaining to the heads of the three branches of government, Sahabi could file a complaint with a pertinent court. Sahabi, a member of the initial Revolutionary Council appointed by Ayatollah Khomeini, a former MP and the first head of the post-revolutionary planning and budget organization, was freed on bail six months ago after a year in jail on subversion charges. In his petition he said a team of judiciary interrogators tortured him psychologically by grueling daily sessions when he was in jail, and continues to pursue, interrogate and threaten him even six months after the end of his trial. He asked to be executed for whatever crime he is alleged of having committed in order to end the incessant harassment. Majles speaker Mehdi Karrubi asked the judiciary chief to appoint an unbiased panel to investigate Sahabi's charges of abuse and torture in jail. Publisher of several banned newspapers Hamid-Reza Jalai-pour said Sahabi's letter proves the existence and power of the shadow government. (Ali Sajjadi)
* Conservative MP Musa Qorbani said Sahabi's letter proves that Iran's jails are not hotels and do their job, which is making criminals suffer. He added that physical torture is banned in Iran, but psychological pressure on detainees are an approved form of punishment. Tehran-based lawyer and human rights activist Ahmad Bashiri tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that all forms of torture, including psychological, are banned in Iran, but complainants would be punished if they fail to prove allegations of torture in the hands of jail personnel. (Ali Sajjadi)
<b>Tehran Judiciary Chief Invites Judge to TV Debate on Newspaper Closings</b>
* Defending court orders that banned more than 90 newspapers and magazines during the past three years, cleric Abbasali Alizadeh, chief of the Tehran judiciary, invited head of the judges' disciplinary court Mohammad Al-e Es-haq to a TV debate. In a statement to press yesterday, Al-e Es-haq had called the closing of newspapers illegal, and said judges who issued those orders could be prosecuted. (Ali Sajjadi)
<b>EU's Chris Patten Asks Iran's Help for Dealing Iraq War Refugees</b>
* The EU's external affairs commissioner Christopher Patten, in Tehran on a four day visit, asked Iran to allow Europeans passage out of Iraq, in case of a war. He said EU has also asked Iran to persuade Iraq to disarm. (Ali Sajjadi)
* Head of London Institute for European Studies Heather Grady tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that the EU believes in dialogue with Iran rather than isolating it. She adds that the US and EU believe in the need for reforms in Iran, but differ on methods. (Mahtab Farid)
* After a meeting with foreign minister Kharrzai, Patten said Iran and Europe agree on Iraq. He added that the two sides share common views on Iraq, campaign against terrorism and narcotics smuggling in Afghanistan, yet they have different views on respect for human rights and the Middle East. Patten also met with Majles speaker Mehdi Karrubi and is scheduled to meet President Khatami today. (Baktash Khamsehpour)
<b>Police Padlock Azad University's Association of Students' Councils</b>
* Police padlocked the building rented by the Azad Islamic University's association of student councils. (Ali Sajjadi)
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به گفته مرتضي سرمدي، سفر جمهوري اسلامي در لندن، كمال خرازي، وزير امورخارجه جمهوري اسلامي فردا(چهارشنبه) وارد لندن مي شود تا از جمله با توني بلر، نخست وزير بريتانيا، جك استرا، وزيرامورخارجه و دانالد اندرسن، رئيس كميته روابط خارجي پارلمان بريتانيا ديدار كند. پروفسور انوشيروان احتشامي، استاد روابط بين الملل در لندن و استاد پژوهشگر چتام هاوس مي گويد: گفتگو هاي خرازي بامقامات بريتانيا داراي ابعاد گوناگون است. كانال انگلستان براي ايران و آمريكا كانال مهمي براي تبادل نظر است. وي مي افزايد: دشمني صدام با شيعيان به قدري شديد است كه ايران بيش از آمريكا از خطر صدام واهمه دارد و البته صدام اگر بداند روز هاي آخر رژيمش فرا رسيده نه تنها به ايران، بلكه به اسرائيل، به عربستان، به كردها و به هركس كه دستش برسد حمله خواهد كرد. وي مي تواند با حمله به كشورهاي همسايه توازن نيروهاي منطقه را به هم بزند و دامنه جنگ را گسترش بدهد. ايران از يك طرف نگران حمله شيميائي عراق است واز طرف ديگر نگران لشگر كشي نيروهاي سازمان مجاهدين خلق به كمك عراق به مناطق كرد نشين ايران و حتي به مناطق نفتخيز ايران. خواسته رژيم عراق ممكن است اين باشد كه با گل آلود كردن آبهاي منطقه، هم عمر خود را درازتر كند وهم تمام منطقه را به آتش بكشد
