Iran needs some democracy

[SpankyMcFarland]

3 hours ago, Doug1943 said:

The interesting question is, what does this shocking execution say about what is happening internally in Iran?

I have no inside information sources, nor any real specialist knowledge, but my first thought was -- regime in trouble, and trying to put the frighteners on the opposition. Or may some internal split among the gangsters and mullahs?

 

I've no idea what the wider significance of this is, if any. His was one of many executions carried out for demonstrating against the regime. The other victims were less newsworthy. As often happens, a ridiculous confession was televised after torture; the message to the Iranian public seems to be, we know you think this is false but we decide what is real in this country. I suspect the mullahs are safe for now. Like China, Iran has been ruled by authoritarians for thousands of years with very few interruptions. One hope is that the next Supreme Leader will confine himself largely to matters spiritual and give civil society some chance to grow. The corresponding Shia cleric in Iraq, Sistani, has done just that. 

[SpankyMcFarland]

Further evidence that the people running Iran are idiots who can’t see the right fights to pick:

Quote

https://www.rferl.org/a/anger-in-iran-after-girls-removed-from-math-textbooks/30836394.html

The whole country was proud of the first ever female winner of the Fields Medal in mathematics:

Quote

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryam_Mirzakhani

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2020 by SpankyMcFarland

[SpankyMcFarland]

A small war has broken out on Iran’s border between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the Armenian-majority enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey is openly supporting Azerbaijan whereas Armenia’s allies are more discreet. Russia may be arming both sides, small Soviet republics in the good old days, but has closer ties with Armenia historically. The other ally may come as a surprise to some. Iran supported Armenia in the original N-G war of 1988-1994 and is now denying, i.e. confirming, that trucks passing into Armenia are bringing arms. Azerbaijan has developed a close relationship with Israel. Quite the pickle. 

[SpankyMcFarland]

Just to go even more off-topic for a moment, here's an alarming development:

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/armenia-recalls-ambassador-from-israel-over-arms-sales-to-azerbaijan-1.9202125

If true, that's a risky favour for Azerbaijan against an embattled Christian country and could cause problems in Washington...when they can notice what's going on in the world again. 

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by SpankyMcFarland

[SpankyMcFarland]

The ME and Caucasus throw up strange teams. This time it's Israel and Turkey versus Russia and Iran. As for the core players, compromise is the only sensible path. When the dust settles in the mountains and everyone else has moved on, they'll still be stuck with each other. 

Edited October 3, 2020 by SpankyMcFarland

[Doug1943]

Wasn't it Bismarck ... or someone .. who said that the next big war would be set off by "some damned thing in the Balkans"?

What the USA should do is to get together with the Russians, the Turks, and the Israelis -- probably too much to ask the Iranians, but that would be good if it were possible -- and say: "No one wants a real war. So let's come up with some compromise."

Now I know ZERO about Ngorno-Karabakh, but presumably, we've got Armenians living in what the Azeris claim is their territory.  So ... what about dividing it, with the Armenians paying the Azeris (ie Uncle Sucker doing it) compensation, and the Armenians on the wrong side of the border moving to the Armenian-controlled part..

Of course ... really, Armenians and Azeris should all mix together in one polity, because, as our Lefty friends tell us: "Diversity is Strength!"

 

[SpankyMcFarland]

On 10/3/2020 at 3:36 PM, Doug1943 said:

Now I know ZERO about Ngorno-Karabakh, but presumably, we've got Armenians living in what the Azeris claim is their territory.  So ... what about dividing it, with the Armenians paying the Azeris (ie Uncle Sucker doing it) compensation, and the Armenians on the wrong side of the border moving to the Armenian-controlled part..

Of course ... really, Armenians and Azeris should all mix together in one polity, because, as our Lefty friends tell us: "Diversity is Strength!"

 

Same knowledge base here. What does strike me is the weariness of the two sides at the lower levels that do the suffering. Many Azeris are sceptical of this war, seeing it as an attempt by a ruthless autocrat to divert attention from an economy in serious trouble. To their credit, neither side seems motivated by religious zealotry but reports that Erdoğan has sent Syrian rebel fighters to the front are disturbing if true. 

Edited October 6, 2020 by SpankyMcFarland

[kactus]

On 9/15/2020 at 2:51 AM, SpankyMcFarland said:

Further evidence that the people running Iran are idiots who can’t see the right fights to pick:

The whole country was proud of the first ever female winner of the Fields Medal in mathematics:

 

 

 

Maryam Mirkhani wasn't just any female winner. She was an icon and contributed tremendously in the field of mathematics

[kactus]

On 10/1/2020 at 4:21 PM, SpankyMcFarland said:

A small war has broken out on Iran’s border between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the Armenian-majority enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey is openly supporting Azerbaijan whereas Armenia’s allies are more discreet. Russia may be arming both sides, small Soviet republics in the good old days, but has closer ties with Armenia historically. The other ally may come as a surprise to some. Iran supported Armenia in the original N-G war of 1988-1994 and is now denying, i.e. confirming, that trucks passing into Armenia are bringing arms. Azerbaijan has developed a close relationship with Israel. Quite the pickle. 

Azerbaijan is an oil rich country with natural resources. That plays an important role in the oil pipeline from Baku via Ceyhan in Turkey to western Europe. So much about "brotherly love".... 

[kactus]

On 10/1/2020 at 4:21 PM, SpankyMcFarland said:

A small war has broken out on Iran’s border between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the Armenian-majority enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey is openly supporting Azerbaijan whereas Armenia’s allies are more discreet. Russia may be arming both sides, small Soviet republics in the good old days, but has closer ties with Armenia historically. The other ally may come as a surprise to some. Iran supported Armenia in the original N-G war of 1988-1994 and is now denying, i.e. confirming, that trucks passing into Armenia are bringing arms. Azerbaijan has developed a close relationship with Israel. Quite the pickle. 

Close relationship is supplying arms to Azerbaijan and getting paid generously. 

[kactus]

On 10/3/2020 at 6:35 AM, SpankyMcFarland said:

The ME and Caucasus throw up strange teams. This time it's Israel and Turkey versus Russia and Iran. As for the core players, compromise is the only sensible path. When the dust settles in the mountains and everyone else has moved on, they'll still be stuck with each other. 

Azerbaijan Republic< Armenia and parts of Georgia were all part of Persian empire and conceded in Russo/ Persian wars. Every country in the region has a vested interest. I agree in essence the best route is a diplomatic one. Armenia's position as a minority Christian country in a hostile neighbourhood is tricky. Even their Orthodox Georgian cousins have their backs turned on them.

[CITIZEN_2015]

One famous Iranian said so well.

1 - Alexander the Greek burnt Iran in 334 BC.

2 - The Arabs killed Iranians in 633 AD.

3 - Mongols destroyed Iran in 1219 AD.

Islamic republic did all 3 above un 40 years. 

[SpankyMcFarland]

Here’s a rare good news story:

Quote

A new policy allowing Iranian women to pass down their citizenship to their children marks a long-sought victory for activists and is raising hopes for an estimated 1 million undocumented children born to foreign fathers in the country.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/iran-women-refugees-rights-citizenship/2020/12/24/0b5f74b0-445d-11eb-ac2a-3ac0f2b8ceeb_story.html

[CITIZEN_2015]

Now that Trump is gone what is in store for Iran?

Edited January 27, 2021 by CITIZEN_2015

[SpankyMcFarland]

An academic manages to escape before being jailed. How nerdy of him to pack books and a laptop in his backpack ahead of a trek through mountains and 1.5 m snow!
 

Quote

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/03/academic-jailed-in-iran-pulls-off-daring-escape-back-to-britain-kameel-ahmady

Back in the Eighties, a friend of mine made the trip the other way, from Iraq to Iran with Kurdish smugglers, and said it was far more frightening than the war he left or the POW camp he was soon in. 

[Cannucklehead]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55931633

 

I bet iran will complain and threaten more violence.  

[SpankyMcFarland]

Like every country in Asia, Iran is experiencing a new forcefield in international relations that must be considered in every decision: China. The religious conservatives who govern Iran are split not only along pro and anti-American lines but also on whether to ally more closely with Beijing. Some are already deeply sceptical of taking more money from the Chinese. Here’s the story of one ‘dissenter’:
 

Quote

https://iranwire.com/en/features/7242

And his concerns are shared by others. 

Quote

https://www.rferl.org/a/explainer-iranian-china-deal-anger-among-iranians/30724344.html

 

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by SpankyMcFarland

[SpankyMcFarland]

This is the sort of thing Iran’s ayatollahs should be doing - following the good example of the guy next door:

Quote

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/06/pope-francis-and-grand-ayatollah-sistani-call-for-unity-at-iraq-meeting

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by SpankyMcFarland

[Owl]

 

the Americans got drunk. a weak, primitive, illiterate nation that believes it can bomb people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria ...

The Russians will destroy you ..

РAmericans are weak, you have never fought on your territory.

The Russians have created a Weapon that is not in America ...

After Putin, a new President will come. It will be tougher.

[SpankyMcFarland]

Hopes for a better Iran just took a serious dive:

Quote

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/27/iran-and-china-sign-25-year-cooperation-agreement-in-tehran

 

[CITIZEN_2015]

Protests erupt in Iran again as islamic republic security forces use live ammunition to crush peaceful demonstrators for demanding the right to clean water.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/water-crisis-protests-continue-iran-with-chants-capital-reports-2021-07-20/

Activists called for demonstrations to support the Khuzestan protesters and videos surfaced late Tuesday and early Wednesday showing women chanting "Down with the Islamic Republic" at a Tehran metro station.

demonstrators chanted "Reza Shah, bless your soul" in a video,referring to the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty which was overthrown by the 1979 Islamic coup.

 

 

Edited July 28, 2021 by CITIZEN_2015

[CITIZEN_2015]

Anti-Islamic regime demonstrations spread to Tehran and major Iranian cities as brave crowd loudly wishing the death of islamic clergy in power.

https://www.intellinews.com/iran-protests-spread-to-tehran-and-tabriz-216493/

Ahead of next week’s inauguration of hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi (A mass executioner known as the butcher of islamic republic)) as Iran’s next president, there is a level of rising discontent in the country—over issues including water and power shortages, the fact that Raisi’s path to power was cleared by the disqualifying of top moderate candidates, high unemployment and inflation, decimated pensions, low wages in Iran’s energy industry that have prompted several-months-long labour disruption and widespread dissatisfaction amoung businesses and the population at how the coronavirus outbreak has been addressed—to potentially create tinderbox-like conditions.

At the Tehran protest, people are seen in videos posted on Telegram Messenger outside malls and the British Embassy on Jumhouri Street chanting “Bury the mullahs!”, “Clerics get lost!” and “Neither Gaza, nor Lebanon, my life for Iran.” Again, however, it was not possible to verify the circulating footage. Other unconfirmed videos on social networks apparently showed people targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with chants including “Death to the dictator"

Edited July 26, 2021 by CITIZEN_2015

[CITIZEN_2015]

Massive uprising in Iran led by women of Iran this time. This time it is a serious thread to the fascist Islamic Republic imposed on this defenseless nation of a group of terrorist murderous Shia clergy ruling by their murderous Sepah and militia groups all hayed by Iranians.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/sep/23/how-iran-erupted-after-mahsa-amini-death-protests

This protests are led by Iranian women demanding the death of clerical leader and an end to Islamic rules and hated islamic republic

[sharkman]

Those people are so brave to rise up.  Real risk of torture or death.

[CITIZEN_2015]

Iranian revolution in progress now.

Islamic republic is a murderous regime and since its coup in 1979 has been involved in mass executions, mass torture, mass rape (rape of teenager virgins the night before their executions) and use of live bullets and war weapons against the nation it is supposedly representing. Islamic republic is the worst violator of women's rights and human rights in the world. Many Thousands of students, journalists, women rights activists, human rights activists, union members, teachers, worker, religious minorities and many other opposition groups are in jails as political prisoners and subject to torture and possible execution. 8ing morality police. 

The nation of Iran attempted several uprisings which were brutally suppressed by massive murderous islamic regime's security forces consisting of several different mercenary organizations highly paid to save the subhuman islamic clergy in Iran. In November 2019 under direct order by the butcher of Iran, Ali Khamenei, 1500 young men and women were murdered in a few days.

The most recent uprising started 50 days ago. It was triggered by the beating to death of a 22 year old young girl for improper hijab by so called  morality police. This time the uprising is turning now into revolution against the islamic dictatorship and is participated by fearless crowd of young people in their teens and twenties AND IS LED BY WOMEN. 

The regime has shown brutal force using live bullets and war weapons to suppress the uprising and murdered hundreds. Women arrested and raped and beaten to death on the order of top regime commanders by the brutal security forces in order to create fear of participation in the women led revolution.

None of the brutal tactics has worked this time and the resolution is gaining momentum as every day more people joining the revolution in spite of brutal crackdown. The world is watching the regime and imposing more sanctions every day. Iranians abroad some 8 million strong demanding democracies decisive political actions including closing of the embassies.

Lets hope this time revolution succeeds and the Iranian nation who is taken hostage by this brutal regime is freed from this occupying force and the entire world will be hence a safer and better place.