Free Iran:  The regime understands that its greatest vulnerability is the country’s economy.  Why can’t the West see this as well and focus on cutting off the regime’s access to Iran’s oil income as opposed to wasting time and resources concentrating all its efforts on the nuclear issue or engaging this regime?

A record boom in Tehran’s stock market will end in a spectacular crash that could trigger a prolonged depression producing multiple bankruptcies, mass unemployment, and acute economic hardship, analysts say.

The warning follows months of soaring share prices that have prompted officials in Iran’s Islamic regime to proclaim that the country’s economy is flourishing despite fresh international sanctions aimed at combating its nuclear program.

The Tehran bourse index passed 17,900 on August 30, compared to 12,537 points on the final day of the last Iranian year in March, following a sustained wave of stock sales and purchases. The upward trend has pushed the exchange’s total value to more than $80 billion, up from $70 billion in mid-July.

However, the bull market has been dismissed as a “state-created bubble” by seasoned analysts who attribute it to the deliberate buying and selling of assets by supposedly private companies that are in reality owned by organizations like the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which has been playing an increasingly dominant role in Iran’s economy.

…”There is absolutely no rational explanation in a country where productivity has been falling in the last 28 months consistently, [where] every quarter profitability has been negative for 92 percent of state-owned banks, and the banking system is highly indebted, to see such a boom in stock prices,” Emadi warns. “They do not reflect the profitability, they do no reflect the confidence in the economy, so it tallies that it is the reflection of the injection of new demand and money. Obviously this is kind of a bubble. But it is a state-created bubble, instead of sort of a market-induced bubble.”

…The goal, Emadi believes, is two-fold: to encourage confidence in the economy and thereby prevent capital flight; and to prevent a banking collapse by persuading small depositors to keep faith in the banks.

“The government has acknowledged that the biggest front they are fighting in managing the country is economic, and in that aspect of crisis management banks are an early warning system,” he says. “When people feel really insecure about the ability of banks to meet their obligations, they pull out their money. We have seen this in Mexico, in Argentina, in South Africa. They pull out their deposits, convert it into hard currency and buy gold. If this happens, it’s conceivable that within a couple of months we could see very big state-owned banks going bankrupt and that would be an outcome that government really would not be able to manage and cope with.” Go to Radio Free Europe.

With Iran moving aggressively to build a nuclear weapon, time is running out, and decision-makers are looking for any point of leverage they can use. As it turns out, the city of Houston, Texas, could be a key.

Many multinational companies that do business in Iran also have offices and employees in Houston. As such, officials in Houston (and Austin) have a unique opportunity to confront these companies behind closed doors and persuade them to abandon their business in Iran. Go to Forbes.

Korea’s exports to Iran tumbled in August, the government said yesterday, amid moves by Seoul to shut down the Seoul branch office of an Iranian bank following U.S. demands to honor a UN sanctions resolution on the Middle Eastern nation.

The amount of Korean exports to Iran for the first 20 days of August came to $135 million, compared to $364 million in July and $459 million in June, according to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.

“We could not see any significant drop in exports until July, as we continued to ship goods under previous arrangements,” a ministry official said. “But the exports certainly began to drop since the beginning of August.”

However, imports from Iran for the first 20 days of last month amounted to $597 million, up from $450 million for the entire month of July. Go to original article.

Zahra Rahnavard, Iranian opposition figure, was attacked by a group of plainclothes forces of the Islamic Republic on the streets of Tehran.

Kaleme website reports that the attack occurred a few nights ago in an alley close to her residence.

The report notes that Rahnavard was surrounded by her attackers and interrogated about her activities during the Revolution and her commitment to religion.

Zahra Rahnavard has responded by saying: “I will not respond to a street interrogation but I will be willing to respond to your questions at my office.”

The identities of the attackers remain unknown and no government body has taken responsibility for the attack so far.

Zahra Rahnavard, a professor at Tehran University of Fine Arts, is the wife of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad challenger, MirHosein Mousavi. Her activities and statements in defence of women’s rights have made her the target of repeated attacks from Iran’s pro-government forces in the past year. Go to original article.

Subsequent to Fatemeh Karroubi’s letter of protest to Ayatollah Khamenei last night, and the government’s fears  of the presence of Mehdi Karroubi at the Qods Day march, since 10 p.m. tonight and with pre planed and coordinated actions a large number of Basij gathered in front of the residence of Mehdi Karroubi.

According to Saham News, these individuals benefit from some kind of support from the security forces to the point of  disturbing public order and welfare without any consequence.

With slogans against Mehdi Karroubi and in support of the supreme leader, these people threw stones and spattered paint on the building of Mehdi Karroubi’s residence which have caused damage to the structure. In addition to breaking the windows, these individuals have splattered paint at the residence and have attempted to steal the security cameras.

These persons who are affiliated with Shahid Mahalati’s camp, over slogans such as “Oh, if Khamenei would give my marching orders..”, and “America – Karroubi,  Happy Union ” have thrown stones and various objects at the residential building, causing disturbance and discomfort to the people in the neighborhood.

This is while these individuals, similar to the last three evenings, have been carrying hot and or cold weapons to intimidate and create fear in the minds of the public and in particular to prevent the presence of Karroubi at the Qods Day rallies. Go to original article.

The United States, including Lakers star Lamar Odom, blew out Iran score-wise in the basketball game between the two teams in the FIBA World Championship in Istanbul on Wednesday with an 88-51 victory over the Islamic Republic.

But Iran may have won a smaller victory. It may have prompted the otherwise lightly clad Ukrainian cheerleaders to dress a little more conservatively for the game.

Patrick Baumann, secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), said “special arrangements” had been made prior to the game on Wednesday regarding the dancers’ outfits to respect cultural sensitivities, reported Reuters.

“It is a balance between respecting the culture and making sure basketball delivers all the pace, excitement and entertainment that goes with the World Championship,” the news agency quoted him as saying at a news conference.

The outfits donned by the Ukrainian cheerleaders of the Red Foxes dance troupe during the Iran-U.S. game differed greatly from the costumes the women wore during other matches.

Take the recent game between Greece and the Ivory Coast in which they danced on the basketball arena in leopard-print halter tops with matching tights.

During such performances, Iranian officials  reportedly have stood up and turned their backs. Some of them left prior to the cheerleaders’ routine during the Iranian-American match Wednesday. Go to LA Times.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Thursday she had pressed China to ensure that Chinese companies did not fill the void left by other firms leaving Iran due to U.N. sanctions.

U.S. officials said in July that Chinese companies had been pursuing trade with Iran despite the threat of U.S. sanctions and a June United Nations Security Council resolution imposing more punitive measures on Tehran over its nuclear programme.

Robert Einhorn, special adviser for non-proliferation and arms control at the U.S. State Department, said at the time that China should not “backfill” by doing more deals with Iran while “responsible countries are distancing themselves from Iran”. Go to Reuters.

As President Obama convenes the first direct Middle East peace talks in 20 months, the question many observers here and in the region are asking is what, if anything, makes this round any more hopeful than the last.

One reason for optimism may be the shared regional fear of Iran, which has only grown since talks broke off between Israelis and Palestinians in December 2008.

Obama began a series of bilateral meetings Wednesday morning with the four leaders involved in the talks. Each has his own interest in seeing them succeed, but Iran’s threat is a common concern to all of them. Go to Washington Post.

The Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi has been denied the right to attend this year’s Venice international film festival. Due to open the short film section of the festival with The Accordion, his request was refused by officials in Tehran.

Imprisoned earlier this year while making a film described by Iranian culture minister, Mohammad Hosseini, as “anti-regime”, Panahi was released on bail in May following a two-week hunger strike and international outcry. Go to Guardian.

Iran’s Judiciary should ensure that human rights activist Shiva Nazar Ahari receives a fair trial, Human Rights Watch said today, including full access to a lawyer, adequate time to prepare her defense, and the ability to challenge evidence presented against her. The Judiciary should also release her from pre-trial detention, where she is being held in violation of international and Iranian law, Human Rights Watch said. The trial is scheduled to begin on September 4, 2010. Go to Human Rights Watch.

CAIRO — Egypt said Thursday it has postponed a visit to Cairo by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki over comments criticising the role of some Arab leaders in facilitating Middle East peace talks.

The head of the Iranian interests section in Cairo was summoned to explain comments attributed to Mottaki in which he criticised “the participation of certain Arab leaders in the relaunch of direct peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis in Washington,” the foreign ministry said.

Tony Blair says:  “I can say that never did I guess the nightmare that unfolded [in Iraq], and that too is part of the responsibility. The truth is we did not anticipate the role of al-Qaida or Iran.”  How could he possibly not have anticipated the role Iran would play?  Even someone like me wrote about it in an oped piece right about the beginning of the war.  What a breathtaking lack of imagination and anticipation!

Now he wants to repeat the same mistake in Iran.  The west should use force against Iran if it “continues to develop nuclear weapons”, Tony Blair said today, aligning himself with US hawks who have called for strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.  Blair said it was “wholly unacceptable” for Tehran to seek a nuclear weapons capability and insisted there could be “no alternative” to military force “if they continue to develop nuclear weapons”…They need to get that message loud and clear.”

So let’s see after bombing Iran is he going to again say never did I guess the nightmare that unfolded?  Why would anyone listen to this guy ever again?  People who lack imagination and an ability to anticipate and prepare for worst case scenarios like Blair don’t deserve to lead a village let alone to have been prime minister of England and to have had so much power over people’s lives and fates.

Bombing Iran is not the solution.  Cutting off the regime’s access to Iran’s oil income is the answer.

Guardian:  Tony Blair: West should use force if Iran ‘continues to develop nuclear weapons’

The west should use force against Iran if it “continues to develop nuclear weapons“, Tony Blair said today, aligning himself with US hawks who have called for strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.

The former prime minister made his comments in a BBC interview to publicise his memoirs, A Journey, which are published today.

Blair said it was “wholly unacceptable” for Tehran to seek a nuclear weapons capability and insisted there could be “no alternative” to military force “if they continue to develop nuclear weapons”.

Speaking to Andrew Marr in a BBC interview to be broadcast tonight, Blair says: “I am saying that I think it is wholly unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapons capability and I think we have got to be prepared to confront them, if necessary militarily. I think there is no alternative to that if they continue to develop nuclear weapons. They need to get that message loud and clear.”

Guardian:  Tony Blair: I didn’t see Iraq nightmare coming

In an emotional chapter in his memoirs on the Iraq war, in which he admits to shedding many tears at the loss of so many lives, the former prime minister insists that military action was justified and refuses to offer an apology for joining forces with George Bush.

“I can’t regret the decision to go to war,” he writes in A Journey. But he adds: “I can say that never did I guess the nightmare that unfolded, and that too is part of the responsibility. The truth is we did not anticipate the role of al-Qaida or Iran. Whether we should have is another matter; and if we had anticipated, what we would have done about it is another matter again.”

NYT:  Blair’s Memoirs Reveal ‘Tears’ but No Regrets on Iraq

As the United States ends it combat mission in Iraq, Tony Blair, the former British prime minister who deployed troops alongside American forces in the 2003 invasion, said Wednesday that, while there had been many tears over the loss of life, he could not regard the war as a mistake.

Mr. Blair’s latest iteration of his attitude to the conflict — echoing similar arguments during a public inquiry into the war earlier this year — came with the publication of his memoirs, “A Journey.” The book went on sale in Britain the morning after President Obama said in a televised speech Tuesday night from the Oval Office that, with United States forces assuming a support and training mission in Iraq, it was “time to turn the page” after seven years of combat.

Separately, Mr. Blair, in a BBC interview to mark the book’s publication, urged a tough Western approach to Iran’s nuclear program, including possible military intervention, saying it was “wholly unacceptable” for Tehran to seek a nuclear weapons capacity. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but many outsiders believe its leaders want to build a nuclear bomb.

“I am saying I think it is wholly unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapons capability and I think we have got to be prepared to confront them, if necessary, militarily,” he said. The interview is to be broadcast later on Wednesday, but the BBC released segments of it earlier.

“I think there is no alternative to that if they continue to develop nuclear weapons,” Mr. Blair said. “They need to get that message loud and clear.”

Free Iran:  Squabbling Iraqi politicians disappointing both the US and Iran.   Welcome to the Middle East!

In mid-August, the leaders of Iraq’s Shia political blocs were summoned to Tehran for what amounted to a reprimand. Invitations were sent to all the parties that contested the 7 March general election except one – Ayad Allawi’s.

It was the third such group visit in six months of fruitless negotiations to form a government. And, as had happened on the two previous trips, the Iranians thought they had reached understandings that would either return Nouri al-Maliki for a second term as prime minister or nominate someone from his inner court to replace him.

Again, Iran was left disappointed. And it found itself in strange company. The US too has found its hopes dashed after being almost certain that diplomacy would have by now ushered in a power-sharing government to end a debilitating power vacuum.

…Ever since, Allawi has toured the Sunni Arab world looking for support in Syria, Yemen, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. Maliki’s people and the conservative Shia Islamists, led by the young cleric Aamar Hakim, have consulted only with Iran.

The trips to see the neighbours at the expense of dealing with any prospective domestic partners are a clear sign of how business will be done in Iraq in future, said one senior ambassador. “This is a sovereign state in America’s dreams only,” he added. Go to Guardian.

Free Iran:  The regime is afraid of the international media coverage of its human rights record and that’s why it’s lashing out like this.  This is their weak point.  The West needs to press it.  Also see this NY Times piece.

An influential Iranian state-run newspaper on Tuesday reiterated and expanded on its earlier derogatory remarks about French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, spurring Iran’s Foreign Ministry to warn news media to refrain from insulting foreign dignitaries.

The Kayhan daily first called Bruni-Sarkozy “a prostitute” on Saturday. The paper repeated that remark Tuesday and added that the first lady, a former model and pop star, “deserves to die” because of her “perverted lifestyle” and her public support for an Iranian woman who has been sentenced to death by stoning.

The comments angered the French Foreign Ministry, which called them “unacceptable.” Ramin Mehmanparast, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, responded by urging the national news media to use restraint and avoid “indecent words.”

“The media can properly criticize the wrong and hostile policies of other countries by refraining from using insulting words. This is not correct,” Mehmanparast said.

But the repeated allegations by the paper, which is headed by a representative of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, indicate that hard-liners have launched an offensive against the mounting international criticism over the Islamic republic’s controversial capital punishments and family laws, Iranian activists say. Go to Washington Post.

Fatemeh Karroubi, wife of Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, in a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, condemned the attacks made on her home and family by the pro-government crowds.

Saham news reports that Fatemeh Karroubi asks the Leader: “What do the disagreements between you and my husband over issues that are evident to all by now, have to do with our right to live?”

Over the past week for three nights, Basij, Revolutionary Guards and the so-called plain clothes forces have been gathering in front of Mehdi Karroubi’s home engaging in “insults, harassment, disturbing the neighbours and vandalizing property.”

Karroubi’s home after the attack last December

Fatemeh Karroubi also reports that the attackers have been using “derogatory words” against Mehdi Karroubi and “writing slogans on the walls of the residential complex and the neighbours’ houses.”

Fatemeh Karroubi writes: “These obvious crimes are taking place in your support and in front of the security forces who do not dare to approach these attackers.”

Fatemeh Karroubi condemns the policy of “attacking the family and neighbours of political opponents” and asks the supreme leader if he condones such “unethical acts?”

Fatemeh Karroubi warns that these attacks have been filmed and documented.

Mehdi Karroubi, who is one of the chief challengers of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s victory in the last presidential elections, has been a target of similar violent attacks on many occasions in the past year.

His home was attacked, robbed and vandalized in December by a similar crowd in the presence of security forces who did not attempt to stop the assailants.

Karroubi’s has been attacked while travelling in his car, while visiting an exhibition and attending a funeral and also whenever he has participated in the past year’s demonstrations. Go to original article.