This is important. Repeatedly on this blog I state that Iran acts as it does (and not as a normal country) in support of its Islamic Revolution (and everything that Revolution entails). Here is another article, and this one is tied directly to the slain nuclear scientist. Here’s a quote—“The broadcaster said the first class Order of Nasr (“Victory” in Persian), bearing Khamenei’s signature, was handed to the scientist’s family by the armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri. “This is a decoration meant for dear ones who defend the Islamic Revolution and Iran’s territorial integrity and independence,” Bagheri said. He added that it is the highest medal awarded in recognition of logistics contribution and support of the troops. After Fakhrizadeh’s death, Defense Minister Amir Hatami referred to him as his deputy minister and head of the ministry’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), focusing on the field of “nuclear defense.”” See? Fakhrizadhe’s work was nuclear, and in support of the Revolution. The Revolution is not about clean water and isotopes and electricity, by-products of a civilian nuclear program. See “Iran awards posthumous medal to assassinated nuke chief for ‘defending nation’,” Times of Israel, December 13, 2020.
In November. “Iran Suspected After Massive Cyberattack on Israeli Firms Revealed,” Amitai Ziv, Haaertz, December 13, 2020.
“Time to bring perpetrators of Iran’s 1988 massacre to justice,” Majid Rafizadeh, op-ed, Arab News, December 13, 2020.
It is understandable that the IRI would be upset. But part of this is their own making. “Why did President Erdogan’s poem infuriate Iranians?,” Maziar Motamedi, Al Jazeera, December 13, 2020.
“Iran – the only country that has direct borders with both Azerbaijan and Armenia – especially since millions of Azeris and hundreds of thousands with Armenian origins live across the country. The poem recited by Erdogan laments how the Aras River has separated Azeri-speaking people in Azerbaijan and Iran and is a symbol of the pan-Turkism doctrine that seeks the unification of all Turks, including those living in Iran. To understand why the message infuriated Iranians so much, one must look at a treaty signed almost 200 years ago that concluded the Russo-Persian War and continues to be regarded as a source of shame brought on Iran by the Qajar dynasty that ruled until 1925. The Treaty of Turkmenchay ceded control of vast swathes of land in the South Caucasus to Russia and set the Aras River as the boundary between the two countries. Those lands now constitute large parts of Azerbaijan and Armenia, and even parts of Turkey. Millions of Azeri-descent Iranians still feel a close kinship and have relations with Azeris on the other side of the border.”
I don’t know yet if the execution was televised, and whether they hung Zam using a crane—strangulation, not hanging. “Iran hangs journalist over 2017 protests,” Jon Gambrell, Newcastle Herald, December 13, 2020.
Actually, there is a long line of tolerance by Islam for persons of other faith, including Jews. There were, in various places and times, various conditions also for that tolerance. But Iran’s blanket statement that Morocco’s agreement to recognize Israel is certainly not a “betrayal of Islam.” See “Iran says Morocco Israel deal ‘betrayal of Islam’,” AFP, December 13, 2020. Ali Akbar Velayati spoke on behalf of the Supreme Leader. Note also the threat by Iran to be involved in terror in those four countries—“Velayati said they will “witness popular uprisings in a not so distant future” as their “dependent, submissive and authoritarian leaders are unmasked.”
“A British-Iranian anthropologist has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of collaborating with a hostile state. The Foreign Office has been made aware of the case of Kameel Ahmady, who said he was detained for 100 days last year without access to legal representation. Unusually, he has not been sent directly to jail following the sentencing. Amir Raesian, Ahmady’s lawyer, said: “[On] Saturday my client Kameel Ahmady, a researcher and anthropologist, was sentenced to eight years in prison by branch 15 of the revolutionary court in Tehran on charges of ‘collaborating with a hostile government’. We will appeal this ruling and we still hope.” In a statement released via friends in the UK, Ahmady said: “In autumn 2019, contrary to all legal strictures and hope of fair judgment, I was subjected to 100 days of detention and extrajudicial interrogation without access to a lawyer. “The judgment now handed down was issued after two non-expert court hearings in a legal process full of flaws.” Ahmady has published several books and papers in Iran on issues such as child labour, female genital mutilation and child marriage . He said he was being targeted for his work. “The legal focus of the accusation goes back to my research on the most harmful traditions about children in disadvantaged minority areas of Iran, but the main intention of my accusers has been to link my research to the United Nations 2030 sustainable development goals, and to stop my activities with the target community of my research,” Ahmady said. “My aim now is to appeal this verdict and hope for a fair trial in the appeal court.” See “British–Iranian academic sentenced to eight years in prison in Iran,” Patrick Wintour, Guardian, December 13, 2020.
Not a good move by Iran to execute a journalist and rights advocate on the eve of the Electoral College victory for the new U.S. President Joe Biden. See “France, other European countries withdraw from Iran business forum over execution,” Euractiv, December 13, 2020.
Helpful story by The Post about how Iran snatches persons, several after luring them to Turkey. “Turkey says Iranian intelligence was behind elaborate plot to kidnap opponent in Istanbul,” Kareem Fahim and Erin Cunningham, Washington Post, December 13, 2020.
And they fined him 700K. “Iran sentences British-Iranian researcher to 9 years in jail,” AP, December 13, 2020.
Perhaps another Irainian limpet mine. “‘External source’ causes oil tanker blast off Saudi Arabia,” Jon Gambrell, AP, Seattle Times, December 13, 2020.
“Iranian hackers claim to have broken into Israeli start-up Habana Labs,” Abigail Adler, Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2020.
“The implications of a military figure as president of Iran,” Farhad Rezaei and Jason Brodsky, JNS, December 13, 2020.
Iran says other countries shouldn’t interfere in Iran’s internal affairs. But when Iran snatches people from other countries or takes other countries’ citizens hostage, then it is the business of other countries. See “Iran summons EU envoys for protesting reporter’s hanging,” AP, Mercury News, December 13, 2020.