Brief on Iran

OIAC Brief on Iran, October 20th 2014

by OIAC
by OIAC

Brief On Iran 

October, 20/ 2014
  Iran- Human Rights (Women, Minorities, Ethnics)

OIAC

OIAC weighs in on congressional concern about VOA Persian language programing and its cozy relations with the Iranian regime. 

Congress Calls for Investigation into VOA for Pro-Iran Corruption 
OIAC News On Iran

The Iranian regime has secretly hanged at least six prisoners last week in three cities, according to reports received from Iran.

A group of four prisoners were hanged in southern city of Bandar-abbas on Tuesday (October 7, 2014), a report said.

Another prisoner was executed in the main prison in western city of Marivan on Thursday (October 9, 2014).

A man identified as Mohammad Reza Mazlomi, 28, from the southern city of Bam was hanged in the city’s prison after more than five years imprisonment.

Iran under the rule of the clerical dictatorship has the highest number of executions per capita in the world.
Four prisoners executed in Iran On October 19/2014
Azer News

Four men were hanged in Iran’s northern Rasht city on October 19. One of the hanged men was previously arrested for heroin possession, while another 46-year old man was arrested and charged for carrying and selling opium. The other two hanged men were charged for buying methamphetamine and heroin, IRIB news agency reported. Drug trafficking as well as murder, rape and armed robbery are among the crimes that are punishable by death in Iran. Iran ranks second, after China, in terms of the number of executions in the world.
 Another Juvenile offender executed in Tabriz On Oct 18/2014
OIAC News On Iran

Iran hanged a juvenile offender who allegedly had committed a crime four years ago when he was 14. The victim, Fardin Jaffarian was hanged early morning on Saturday, October 18, in the city’s main prison.

Since Hassan Rouhani has become the president of the regime over 1000 prisoners have been executed including many juvenile offenders.
 Iran executions surge amid U.S. nuclear talks

The Washington Times

Iran‘s abuse of human rights, including the hangings of hundreds of dubiously convicted citizens – in several cases minors – has soared over the past year, even as the Obama administration has yielded to Tehran‘s demand for an extension in precarious international talks over the Islamic republic’s disputed nuclear program.

With more than 560 executions over the past nine months, and a high-profile Iranian-American journalist detained for undisclosed reasons, rights groups and regional analysts say Iran‘s record may be worsening in the backdrop of potential detente with the West. While the State Department has voiced disapproval of “serious violations of due process” in the Islamic republic, the situation is prompting some in Washington to criticize the Obama administration for not applying more public pressure on Tehran to adhere to international human rights standards.
  Iran- Terrorism Activities (Middle East)
New York Post

Going beyond airpower to take down ISIS doesn’t have to mean a new US occupation of Middle East territory. The best answer may well be a large-scale raid.

A recent poll showed that over 70 percent of the American people believe that taking out ISIS will eventually require US combat troops. They don’t necessarily like it, but they recognize the reality of the situation.

Few military professionals think the war can be resolved by aerial bombardment alone. This point was rammed brutally home on Oct. 3 when ISIS forces overran the Iraqi city of Hit despite the best efforts of coalition airpower; the slow fall of Kobani reinforces the lesson.
The Hill
As the fight to neutralize, rollback and eventually eliminate the threat of the extremist group Islamic State rages on, the international community – in particular the West – should not forget that the policy in dealing with the extremist regime ruling Iran can have a crucial role in either seeing the campaign’s success – or its utter failure. The Islamic State, a group also known as ISIS or ISIL, has in past months occupied swaths of Iraq and Syria and aims at establishing a Caliphate based on a twisted and violent interpretation of Islam. It strives to expand its borders, and through highly-publicize violent methods tries to intimidate the international community into recognizing its hegemony in the region.
 Iran- Nuclear Activities
Iran moved nuclear research body to dodge U.N. inspections: dissidents
Reuters
(Reuters) – An exiled Iranian opposition group said on Wednesday that a facility in Tehran that the United States suspects is involved in nuclear weapons research has been moved to avoid detection by the United Nations atomic watchdog. The dissident National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) exposed Iran’s uranium enrichment plant at Natanz and a heavy water facility at Arak in 2002. But analysts say it has a mixed track record and a clear political agenda. Iran says allegations of nuclear bomb research are baseless and forged by its enemies. Iran and six world powers are to meet in Vienna next week as part of efforts to end a protracted and volatile impasse over Tehran’s nuclear program, ahead of a Nov. 24 deadline for a comprehensive diplomatic settlement.
UPDATE 3-U.S. sees some progress in Iran nuclear talks, still aims for November deal
Reuters

VIENNA, Oct 15 (Reuters) – A senior U.S. official said some progress was made in high-level nuclear negotiations with Iranon Wednesday but much work remained to be done, adding the goal was still to reach a deal by a late November deadline.

The State Department official spoke after about six hours of talks between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Vienna.

Iran and six world powers – the United States, France, Germany,China, Russia and Britain – aim to end a decade-long nuclear standoff by a Nov. 24 target date, although Tehran and Moscow have both indicated that more time may be required.

With less than six weeks to go, Western officials say important differences still remain, especially over the future scope of Iran’s production of enriched uranium, which can have civilian as well as military uses.

Related Posts

Brief on Iran (BOI – 481)

OIAC January Newsletter

Brief on Iran (BOI – 480)

Brief on Iran (BOI – 479)

Brief on Iran (BOI – 478)

Brief on Iran (BOI – 477)