UPDATE ON IRAN - Dec. 21, 2010

The Beginning of the End of the Clerical Rule in Iran

No. 746

Aftermaths of scraping subsidy of goods 

in different cities of Iran

Dec. 20, 2010 

Hamedan- Drivers of taxi agencies stopped work as price for gas has reached to 4050 Tomans per kilogram as it was 500 Tomans per kilogram before but the rate for passengers has not changed.

Kermanshah- there are long queues for gasoline and all gas stations are equipped with surveillance cameras. Several police forces and SSF are stationed at each gas station.

Qazvin- On Sunday Dec.19 there were long queues at gas stations, bakeries and supermarkets. People are angry of the new prices and they swear at Ahmadinejad in public. One citizen said: “is this the income of oil that they talked about; to turn gasoline from 100 to 700 tomans”?
Eyewitnesses say that even those who had voted for Ahmadinejad swore at him and said that they did wrong.
There were talks about torching gas stations and in Bazaar people talked of strike.
The banks had to withdraw money from treasury twice in one day. Before this act was needed only once per day.

Tehran- since the morning of Sunday Dec. 19 the rate of taxi has drastically risen. This rate should not have changed until the end of the year (March 20, 2011).
In some roots the rate has increased 150 Tomans and in some others up to 400 Tomans.
A manager of a bakery in Tajrish (north of Tehran) said: “after the plan was executed one of my customers said that they are 4 in their family and they have to pay 45000 Tomans for bread each month but the government is depositing only 25000 Tomans per month for them. He was worried about how he was to provide the shortage”.
A taxi driver said that before LDC gas was for free and on Sunday he had to pay 4500 Tomans for it and he added: “is this the help the government talked about”? He added that all people are discontent.

Tehran- Inside BRT (fast-running buses) people drove each other’s attention towards Special Unit forces and anti-riot forces around Ferdosi Sq. A boy said these forces are here to keep people secure when they take into the streets to celebrate the execution of the plan of omission of subsidies; every body laughed. People all said that things are getting worse each day.

Tehran- a great number of suppressive forces were deployed to Tajrish Square and from Tajrish to Parkway and then Qods Square.
Five to six SSF vans patrolled the root. Several mini-buses and about 20 motorcycles and 4 cars belonging to police were stationed at Tajrish Square. Ten other vans were stationed from Tajrish to Qods Square.
At 630 am on Sunday, Tajrish Sq. was flooded with Especial Guard’s forces. The same was with Vanank Sq.
At Resalat there were many forces but they were policemen and a great number of them were stationed at gas stations.
At 2100 some motorcyclists without having license number patrolled Tajrish Sq.

Tehran- Since Sunday morning long queues were formed at banks sometimes the end of the queue reached outside the banks. People wanted to withdraw the money that was supposed to be deposited in their accounts for compensating the omission of subsidies. All machine banks were closed and this made people angry.

Tehran- SSF covered the root between Ponak Sq. and Sadeghieh Circle. Around Ashrafi Isfahani St. too it was full of SSF.
At the side walks of Sadeghieh Sq. pedestrians couldn’t walk freely because the sidewalk was tightened by the number of SSF who were standing by their vans on state of alert.

Shahr-e-Kurd- At Sunday night there were long queues for gasoline. People were shocked with the rise in taxi rate. A rate of 1200 Tomans had risen to 1800 Tomans. Most of vehicles used for transportation of goods stopped their work.
City was full of security forces.


People in Shiraz clash with security forces over subsidy cuts
Dec. 19, 2010
There is a volatile atmosphere in many Iranian cities after a subsidy cut announced by the government. On Sunday, people Afif Abad in Shiraz went to gas stations in large numbers to buy the last remnants of subsidized gas. Their protests led to clashes with security forces.
In these clashes, angry protesters used profane language against Khamenei and Khomeini.

Boat owners go on strike in Bandar Abbas
Dec. 19, 2010
Boat owners who carry passengers from Bandar Abbas to Qeshm went on a strike in protest to the subsidy cut and raised prices.


Price rise leads to tension in Iran
Dec. 19, 2010 
The state run Mardom Salari daily wrote in an article named, ‘fuel prices rise fourfold, electricity sevenfold, home gas fivefold and water doubles after subsidy cuts’: “Finally the surgical knife cut the ailing body of Iran’s economy. Despite the fact that politicians tell the people to be patient and calm and also to be thriftier, in their speeches on the implementation of the Smart Subsidy Plan, yesterday was a strange day and on the streets, alleys, bread lines and homes, everyone was talking about new prices.
People were thinking about withdrawing the subsidies from their bank accounts and they were only talking about the new price of water, electricity, fuel gas and gasoline. People were not even talking about if the transferred subsidy would be enough for all the high prices or not. There was a strange atmosphere in the society. One can compare the state of the society to an ailing person who is under surgery and everyone is hoping that he/she would come out from under the surgery as a healthy person”.

Signs of inflation from subsidy cut
Dec. 19, 2010
The state-run Mardom Salari newspaper wrote in its editorial titled, “Economical Surgery and the Necessary Tactics”: The announcement of the implementation of the final stage of the Smart Subsidy Plan was not unaccepted. But what raised questions among people were how much prices were raised. The 900 percent price raise of the of diesel gas, 400 percent price raise of gas, 4,300 percent price raise of flour and etc. has led to questions on if the soft slope of prices in the five year implementation of this plan has been taken into consideration or not.
Naturally, the sudden price raise can have many negative effects on the country’s economy. Of course, the implementation of this plan in any country can lead to inflation… The sudden price raise which started from yesterday and has left its first effects on the 30 percent price raise of taxis will have people going to banks to withdraw their cash subsidies. In this way, they will get an answer for their financial needs and the most natural effect of this issue will be an increase in liquidity which will lead to an increase in inflation. An inflation that is apparently more severe than previously predicted… We only hope that the government has the courage to carry out this economical surgery and to carry out accurate tactics so that this economical surgery would have the least amount of inflation, least amount of bleeding and least amounts of dissatisfaction.

Security forces have iron grip over Tehran
Dec. 19, 2010
Sajedi Nia, the head of the Greater Tehran District’s State Security Forces said, “Since the implementation of the Smart Subsidy Plan, we have not had any specific problems in Tehran because the police have welcomed this plan with complete readiness. Therefore, we will have no problems in carrying out this plan”.
“In Tehran, the Economical Crime and Smuggled Goods Police are on full alert and have special operations”.


Ahmadinejad and Khamenei use the scraping of subsidies as a tool to use the country’s economy for more terrorism and warmongering abroad and for domestic suppression! 
Dec.19, 2010- Tehran
On Saturday Dec. 18 Ahmadinejad announced that the anti-people law of omission of subsidies will be implemented from Sunday Dec. 19.
Regarding to this plan that would result only in more poverty for Iranians, the price of rationed gasoline will have a sudden rise, from 100 Tomans per liter to 400 Tomans. At the same time the amount of the ration will lessen 10% so that the consumers will be forced to buy free gasoline at a price of 700 Tomans per litter.
This sudden rise in prices also includes the price of drinking water, flour and breads the most important and sensitive necessities of live for people.
Ahmadinejad tried to make people believe that this plan is at interest of low income families but the hated regime of Velayat-e-Faghieh is plundering people and is seeking a very high income by multiplying the price of goods.
The sources within the regime have said that Ahmadinejad’s government’s income from this plan will reach 100 billion dollars per year.
Imposter Ahmadinejad called the small amount of money that the government is depositing into the account of the head of each family instead of the omission of the subsidies ‘the money of Imam Zaman’ (the last Imam of Shiite that will bring justice to world when he comes). He said: “we must be careful not to contaminate this money with other monies because then it will not have its effect”!
Technical evaluations say that this plan will raise the inflation rate several times and will drag millions under ‘poverty line’.
Last year regime’s parliament predicted that this omission will raise the inflation rate 60%.
Decision of omitting the subsidy of goods is directly related to regime’s critical condition especially after last year’s uprisings from which regime is still shaking.
This measure taken by the regime, Khamenei at the head of it is because his regime is not capable of any flexibility or of the slightest withdrawal in its plan for production of nuclear bomb which has led to broader global sanctions each day.


Downfall

Iran MP tries to hide real reason behind PMOI listing
Dec. 20, 2010
The deals between Khatami’s government and the US for putting the PMOI on the terrorist list was not a secret and has been announced numerously by US officials and the American press.
But a regime official had never admitted to this issue. On Saturday, December 19, Mohammad Karami rad, a member of the Iranian regime’s Security Commission in the parliament said that putting the PMOI on the list was ‘done on a deal which was carried out in the reform government (Khatami’s government) and they (US) promised that in return for a suspension of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear activities they would place the Monafeqin (PMOI) on their terrorist list’.
Less than a day later, Kazem Jalali, the head of the Parliamentary Security Commission came to the scene and hastily denied this statement.
“These kinds of statements mean that the Islamic Republic placed this group on the terrorist list by making deals, even while the truth is that the Monafeqin (PMOI) is a terrorist organization”.

Government agent says Iran’s foreign minister was fired for not following government policies
Dec. 19, 2010
The media advisor to Ahmadinejad said that the reason Mottaki, Iran’s foreign minister, was dismissed was because he was unable to follow up the policies of the government in the Foreign Ministry.
“This shortcoming led to the necessity of dismissing Mottaki”.
“It was necessary for Motakki to carry out the policies of the president and government and to get results from them, but what needed to be done was not done”, Javanfekr said.


Suppression

Tehran Arts students arrested and expelled from university
Dec. 19, 2010
Ten days after the arrest of a number of the Tehran Arts University students after their participation in a Student Day Ceremony, all of the detainees were released except for Majid Sadeqi, who is still detained in Evin Prison.
According to a member of the Central Council of the Arts University Student Islamic Association, Vahid Nosrati, Houman Jafari, Savin Shiva, Majid Sadeqi, Hojat Sahrayi and Saidi were arrested on December 7 in a Student Day ceremony by security forces.
According to reports, Ahmad Hossein Khani, a member of the Islamic Association in this university who was arrested twice after last year’s elections and was released on bail, was expelled from the Arts University.



Students Committee in Iran (Supporters of PMOI)

UPDATE ON IRAN - Dec. 20, 2010

The Beginning of the End of the Clerical Rule in Iran

No. 745

anti-plan of 

omitting the subsidy in Iran

Message to Ahmadinejad: whatever you said not to do, we will do

Dec. 19, 2010

Tehran – Security forces have been stationed on the streets from Saturday night on December 18 in various regions of the city especially in the Azadi, Enqelab, Firdusi, Imam Hossein, Valiasr, Rah Ahan, Monirieh and Vanak squares and they have imposed a martial law. All forces in Tehran are on full alert.
According to reports from the head of a gas station in Northern Tehran, since Saturday, before the subsidy cuts were announced, Bassij, Intelligence Agents, plainclothes agents, national security forces and security forces with 3 or 4 cars which belong to security forces were stationed in this gas station to control the people. Plainclothes agents were still present in the gas station on Sunday and were controlling the people.

Some people were crying over the subsidy cuts. One person in a gas station hit himself on the head after hearing the subsidy cut and said, ‘I came here with 5,000 tomans to fill my tank with 50 liters of gas and now you are telling me to pay 700 to 800 tomans for gas?’

Tehran – 11 am – Security forces are physically controlling all gas stations in Punak, Ariashahr, Azadi, Valiasr, Resalat and Vanak Squares.

Sari – 9 am- People in this town have also made long lines outside of gas stations and the presence of security forces in the gas stations is very noticeable.

Babol- There are also long lines in gas stations in Babol.

Tabriz Dec. 19 – In Tabriz, taxi drivers have gathered outside the centers of natural gas. A number of them have also next to the Pasdaran Highway and near the terminals.

Hamedan Dec. 19 – Since the announcement of the subsidy cuts, taxi drivers in Hamedan have gone on strike and their passengers are forced to walk to their destinations.
“They have not left us breathing space. They want to carry out a policy which says that to rule over Iranians, you have to keep them hungry. I know some people from among my colleagues who cannot even buy one kilo of tomatoes in one month”, a taxi driver said.

Dec. 18, 2010

Tehran December 18 – 11 pm – In Mohseni Square and Tehranparse there are long lines outside gas stations and security forces have also been stationed there with their vans to make arrests if necessary.

Tehran December 18 – 11 pm – After Ahmadinejad’s speech tonight in which he announced the subsidy cuts and heightened gas prices, people have gone to the gas stations to fill up their tanks with the subsidized gas before the midnight subsidy cut and all the gas stations are crowded. In the main regions of Tehran such as Tajrish, Valiasr, Azadi region, and Khosh armed security forces have been stationed with their automobiles.

Tehran December 18 – 11:30 pm – This SMS has been sent to many cellphones in Tehran: “To Mahmoud (Ahmadinejad): Whatever you said not to do, we will do”.

Tehran-Dec. 18, 2010- People are talking about the subsidy cuts and saying how is it that families in Lebanon are receiving 10 million dollar loans but we can barely afford to buy bread? The people ridicule the subsidy plan and say amongst themselves that we have to wait in the gas line from night to morning and then wait in the bank lines from morning to night.

Tehran, Mashhad, Tabriz, Isfahan – Dec. 18 – After Ahmadinejad’s speech, people have said that large demonstrations would be held but the time and location have not been announced.

Isfahan – Dec. 18- 1am – There are at least 10 motorists waiting in line in each gas station in this city.

Hamedan – After the announcement of the subsidy cut, all banks have gone on alert. The manager of a gas station said that security forces have been stationed in all gas staions and that there are lone lines outside gas stations to the extent that each person has to wait 15 to 30 minutes for gas.

Zanjan – After the subsidy cuts were announced, security forces went on alert mode in Zanjan.

Ahwaz – The price of gas has raised to 700 tomans, last night, security forces forcefully closed all gas stations and told to people to wait until midnight to get gas at 700 tomans without subsidies.
Kermanshah – on Saturday night, several agents were stationed in every gas station to control the people. Today, the banks were very crowded and security forces have been doubled in banks.

Tabriz – after the subsidy cut was announced, long lines of motorists have been made in the Baghamishe Township in Tabriz.

Tehran 12pm – Dozens of agents have been stationed near the Chamran Highway. They do not stand adjacent to the gas station.

Tehran 7 am- Hundreds of agents were stationed in Tajrish Square.

Tehran – in the Tehranpars region, Damavand, Imam Hossein and Shohada Streets, about 5 to 6 security and Bassij forces have been stationed in about 20 gas stations in this region and their cars are also parked in a ready position. The people are saying that the goal of these measures is to prevent a repeat of what happened two years ago when the people torched gas stations in protest to the rationing of fuel.

Vast presence of suppressive forces in Tehran streets
Dec. 19, 2010- Tehran
As the anti-plan of omitting the subsidy of goods started on Sunday Dec. 19, Mohsen Khancharli one of the heads of Great Tehran’s SSF said that a plan called ‘the Plan of Fighting Theft’ is implemented since the morning of the day.
SSF will be present in all regions according to that plan.
He claimed in imposturous words: “this plan is to escalate social security”.
Eyewitnesses said that anti-riot squads are heavily stationed at squares and intersections such as Enghelab Square, Sadeghieh and Vali-e-Asr.

Regime’s fear from PMOI disclosure about omission of subsidies of goods
Dec. 19, 2010- Tehran
The clerical regime having the pillars of its rule build on censorship and lies is fearful from the disclosure of PMOI about the terrible situation of the economy and people’s leaving conditions especially when it fears the wrath of people after announcing the omission of subsidy of goods.
Regime’s News Network expressed regime’s fear on Saturday Dec. 18 just a few hours before Ahmadinejad announced the execution of the plan of subsidy, under the title of ‘Monafeghin’s mission in regard with the plan of subsidy’ and said: “at the eve of this huge economic change some members of this ‘grouplet’ are tasked to enter the country in disguise of tourism and go to poor regions and provide foreign media with photos and clips about poverty in different regions”.

Regime officials terrified over consequences of subsidy cuts
Dec. 19, 2010- Tehran
Bahman Akhavan, a member of the Industry and Mining Commission in the Parliament expressed concern over the consequences of the subsidy cut and said, “If we are not able to carry out a clean and radical surgery, the reactions of this live specimen will come out in the forms of inflation, waves of bankruptcy and probable protests and then we will be forced to stop the plan which will have a very heavy price”.


Downfall

Deepening of regime’s schism and crises
Dec.17, 2010 – Tehran
The clerical regime tried to provoke an atmosphere of fear and horror in society during last weak at the days of Ashura and the days that it wants to implement the anti- people plan of omitting the subsidy of goods, by issuing verdicts of death penalty in some cities and blinding both eyes of a 29 years old inmate.
But all the suppression could not and will not ease the inner crises of the regime or even cover it.
A sign of these crises which showed up last week inside Ahmadinejad’s cabinet as the result of regime’s international scandals and defeats targeted Manochehr Motaki the highest political personality of regime in foreign policy. He was ousted in a coup de tat-like act by Ahmadinejad while he was on his visit to Africa and was then in Senegal.
In a gathering of Ahmadinejads band an agent of Foreign Ministry said: “delisting of PMOI is an issue that has been brought to discussion several times. Foreign Ministry is so weak that they are de-listed in England and EU. Their issue has become both serious and strange and it is not clear to where this course will lead”.
Of course all those who follow regime’s status know that regime is getting closer to its downfall each week and people of Iran are getting even closer to their victory.


Ahmajinejad absent in Motaki’s farewell ceremony
Dec.17, 2010 – Tehran
Mehr state-run news agency wrote: Farewell ceremony for Motaki will be held without the presence of Ahmadinejad. The ceremony will be held on Saturday Dec. 18 in building No.1 of Foreign Ministry and Ahmedinejad’s first deputy Mohammad Reza Rahimi will be present along with the deputies and directors of the ministry.

Motaki ousted, Ahmadinejad gaining control
Dec.18, 2010- Tehran
In his site, Mohsen Rezaie, regime’s former head of IRGC pointed to the ousting of Manoucher Motaki and wrote: ”When the president appointed his especial representatives for different geografical reigions there was this possibility that there would be paralled policies in foreign policy. To stop that with the guidance of the honorable leader of the revolution the president partially retreated and appointed those people as his own advisors. But it seems by his second move, ousting Manoucher Motaki, he has gained his goal”.
The site added: ”in recent years Motaki had to get advice about the foreign policy issues from the high advisor of the president Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi and sometimes from Saeed Jalili, once his advisor and now the secretary of the High Commission for National Security, and some other time from Esfandiar Rahim Mashaee, the head of the government’s office”.
The source then pointed to the fact that about two weeks ago in the last session with the deputies of Foreing Ministry, Motaki spoke as such that one would understand that he will be put aside.

Regime’s Parliament summoned 11 ministers of Ahmadinejad
Dec. 19, 2010- Tehran
The ministers of Education, Science, Research and Techniques, Welfare and Social Providence, Defense, Agriculture, Power, Oil, Industry and mines, Communications and Techniques of Intelligence as well as the minister of Roads and Transportation were summoned to Regime’s parliament.

Kayhan Daily, Khamenei’s organ, attacked Rafsanjani
Dec.18, 2010- Tehran
In its political note Kayhan state-run daily threatened Rafsanjani in order to make the ruling class unanimous and wrote: ”A hardliner is someone who clearly declares that he has redlines with the current of ’sedition’. The first question to be asked is how a person or a current acts in regard with the ’sedition’. One year has past but there are still people who have said not even a sentence in condemning the founders of this great treason despite off all they claim. These people will not be welcomed in calling themselves hardliners. They cannot ask to participate in decision makings none the less claiming that they are leaders”!


More News on Ashura

Regime’s suppressive mercenaries
Dec.16, 2010 – Tehran
On Ashura, in fear of the wrath of people, regime deployed its black outfit mercenaries into the streets.
A part of this force actually consists of torturers from Army’s Especial Brigade famous as Brigade No. 65 which is stationed at Base 62 in Afsarieh, Tehran.

3 girls rescued by crowd in Ashura
Dec.16, 2010 – Tehran
In Ashura evening regime’s intelligence agents 3 male and one female arrested three girls in front of Melat Park (north of Tehran) trying to force them into an SSF van but the crowd present bravely attacked the car with sticks and made them to stop and free the three girls. Then the brave crowd escorted the girls out of the region.

SSF station torched by youths at Qhaitarieh region
Dec.16, 2010 – Tehran
Around 12 noon of Ashura a SSF station at the main intersection of Qhaitarieh region which was used for identifying dissident youths leading to their arrests was attacked by youths and all its windows were broken. The agents flew the station from fear of the protesting youths.

Ashkan Sohrabi’s mother summoned to the regime’s Prosecutor Office
Dec.16, 2010 – Tehran
During last two days Ashkan Sohrabi’s mother (Ashkan was killed by regime’s suppressive forces during last year’s uprisings) was summoned to regime’s Prosecutor Office in a course of provoking fear and horror among the families of the martyrs of last year’s uprisings.
In another event Mehdi Ramezani, father of Ramin Ramezani another martyr was also arrested along with a number of mothers of other victims of the regime during last year’s uprisings while they were attending a gathering for remembering Amir Arshad Tajmir another martyr of the uprising on his birthday.
Some of the detainees were released later but Mr. Mehdi Ramezani and Ms Hakimeh Shokri and Ms Neda Mostaghimi are still under arrest at Evin Prison and their families have no news of them.

Other News

Who is Rahman Froozandeh
Dec.17, 2010 – Tehran
On Dec. 12 regime’s state-run dailies wrote that Rahman Froozandeh the head of regime’s Army Corps 21 was killed while returning from a great land maneuver in south of the country when his car had an accident. There has been no such maneuver announced any where and this corps is not assigned for that area.
Froozandeh participated for 138 months in the war between Iran and Iraq and actively deployed youths to the war front. He then was appointed during the war as the head of battalions at Armored Corps 16 of Qazvin and Khorasan Corps 77 of land forces. He then was appointed to head of Marine Birgade 45 and then as the substitute commander of Khorasan Corps 77 of land forces.
In a speech he named suppression of people of Kurdistan, Torkaman Sahra and Khozestan as army’s most glorious acts.
He was so loyal to Khamenei’s regime that he became the commander of Corps 21 in Fall of 2008. He has also been a high rank commander of the army in East Azerbaijan provinces and Ardebil.

South Pars Gas Field
Dec.18, 2010- Tehran
0.5% progress instead of 25% is the destiny of the South Par gas fields in the hands of IRGC.
At the end of last spring, Ahmadinejad’s government granted the project of 6 phases from 28 phases of the largest gast field in Iran worthing 21 billion dollars to companies affiliated with (anti) Khatam Al Anbia Base of IRGC after great international oil companies stopped their cooperation with Iran due to sanctions. The two companies envolved now are called ’Iranian Petro Paydar’ and ’Petro Sina’.
The two companies from the start had a low investment and most of the members of the board of directives of these two companies were the same.
The base has left the project half done. This project was supposed to be finished in 35 months but Hamidreza Katoozian the head of Energy Commission at regime’s parliament said: ”the parliament is worried that this project will not be finished on time”.
He added:”During last 9 months the project has progressed only 0.5% instead of 25%”.

Sweine Flu in Gohardasht Prison
Dec.18, 2010- Tehran
Many prisoners in Karaj’s Gohardasht prison are infected with Sweine Flu virus. The number of the contaminated inmates is rising each day but the clerical regime has acted none to prevent the spread of the disease.


Students Committee in Iran (Supporters of PMOI)