Category Archives: Iran

Arab Politics, Egypt, Iran

Egypt: An Iranian Shi’a Woman in Nasser’s House?……….

   

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Was Tahiyya Kathim, the woman of Iranian origin and wife of Gamal Abdel Nasser a Shi’a originally but abandoned her sect and her Persian roots? That is the question of the Saudi semi-official Alarbiya network asked. Alarabiya is obsessed with two things more than anything else: fending off an imagined spread of Shi’ism and destroying the memory and legacy of Egypt’s late president Nasser. Nasser came closer than anyone else to overthrowing the al-Saud regime. He even charmed and got several princes to defect to Cairo and denounce the al-Saud clan. The princes have not forgotten this even over 40 years after his death. Nor have the Muslim Brotherhood who tried to assassinate him more than once in the 1950s. The Muslim Brotherhood leaders went into exile in Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf states. Yet they returned to Egypt largely unconvinced of the Wahhabi doctrine, which put them at odds with the Saudi regime later on, especially after they tried to challenge Hosni Mubarak politically.
Tahiyya Kathim was an Egyptian of Iranian origins, but then there are many Egyptians of Iranian origin, more than you would think. A simple DNA test could prove this. Egyptians also come from many other origins, including Arabs and ancient Egyptians and Jews and Italians and Greeks and Turkish and Albanians, among others. So all this is no big deal.

All this is not the point. The point is that Alarabiya, which specializes in stoking sectarian fires mostly along the Gulf GCC states but also across the Arab world, may be tying the legacy of Nasser to the al-Saud’s more modern target, Shi’ism. The report does, however, introduce an interesting history of her ancestors and how they migrated from Rasht in Iran to Egypt. I did learn a bit of history from it.
Cheers
mhg
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cyber war, Iran

Cyber Wars: Malware, Mahdi, and Hail Mary in Iran and Israel………..

   

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“Who knew that when the Messiah arrived to herald the Day of Judgment he’d first root through computers to steal documents and record conversations? That’s what Mahdi, a new piece of spyware found targeting more than 800 victims in Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East, has been doing since last December, according to Russia-based Kaspersky Lab and Seculert, an Israeli security firm that discovered the malware. Mahdi, which is named after files used in the malware, refers to the Muslim messiah who, it’s prophesied, will arrive before the end of time to cleanse the world of wrongdoing and bestow peace and justice before Judgment Day. But this recently discovered Mahdi is only interested in one kind of cleansing – vaccuuming up PDFs, Excel files and Word documents from victim machines. The malware, which is not sophisticated, according to Costin Raiu, senior security researcher at Kaspersky Lab, can be updated remotely from command-and-control servers to add various modules designed to steal documents, monitor keystrokes, take screenshots of e-mail communications and record audio………..”

A Mahdi malware. If it is aimed specifically at Iran, which is very likely, the Iranians will retaliate and create their own malware for the enjoyment of whoever sent them the Mahdi (and Stuxnet and Duqu and Flame and other cyber invaders). The Iranians may choose to call their malware the Seder or the Passover if they think it were Israelis behind the Mahdi attack, or they may choose Hail Mary if they think it were Americans. Yet the Iranians will not, mainly because of their religion which precludes mocking other religions (especially mocking Mary or Jesus or Moses or Passover is a no no among Muslims).
Cheers
mhg
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Iran, Yemen

Revolutionary Guards in Yemen………..

   

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“President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi on Thursday told Tehran to stop meddling in Yemeni affairs after the defence ministry said the authorities had uncovered what it called an Iranian espionage network. “An Iranian spy network that had been operating in Yemen for seven years under the leadership of a former leader in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards” has been dismantled, the ministry’s news website 26sep.net reported late on Wednesday. Quoting informed but unnamed sources, it said the network was “conducting espionage operations in Yemen and the Horn of Africa.”…..….”
Cheers
mhg
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Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Iran, Israel, Terrorism

Terrorism: Hallmarks of the Bulgaria Suicide Bomber with a “Shaved Head”………

   

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“Mileva said the bomber “had a white face, light eyes, and very thick
brown hair. The facial bones were shattered in the explosion.”On Friday, district prosecutor Kalina Tchapkanova cited witness reports that the suspect had dark eyes………”

“Bulgarian police along with the CIA, FBI and Interpol are struggling to identify a suicide bomber who killed six people, including five Israelis, as the United States said the attack bore the “hallmarks” of Hezbollah. Investigators have released CCTV footage of the person they believe carried out Wednesday’s attack at the airport of the Black Sea town of Burgas on a bus carrying Israeli holidaymakers, which also claimed the life of the Bulgarian driver.……… Burgas prosecutor Kalina Tchapkanova quoted witnesses as saying the man “spoke English with a slight accent” and appeared to be Arab. The car rental service owner’s wife Afrodita Petrova said she was sure he was of Arab origin and had shaved head ………….”

The mystery suicide bomber with a “shaved head”: who almost looked like a European Neo-Nazi.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the consummate opportunist, predictably and quickly accused Iran, then accused Hezbollah, then both Iran and Hezbollah. That was before anyone said anything about any suspect. Bulgarian press initially said he was a Swedish-Algerian al-Qaeda member who had served in Guantanamo, a Mr. Ghezali. The Swedes denied that was him, cryptically saying Ghezali is “not in Bulgaria”. It is possible that Hezbollah was behind it, or more likely al-Qaeda, or some European neo-Nazi group (with shaved heads).
One thing is certain: this was a suicide terror bombing targeting civilians. Hezbollah and Iran don’t use suicide bombings. It is not part of their operational style, the ‘suicide‘ part. That would be more like al-Qaeda Salafi jihadists who commit suicide terror attacks then wait for the promised rivers of wine and the renewable virgins on the other side. Netanyahu of course knows that, as do most Western intelligence services. Apparently most and not all, given that some US “official” told the New York Times that the operation was Iranian-Hezbollah, just as Netanyahu claimed. The American official said, apparently with a straight, that the operation bore the “hallmarks” of Hezbollah. Someone ought to have asked him: when was the last time Hezbollah used a suicide bomber? They may have done some bombings in the past, but not ‘suicide‘ bombings as far as I know. Unless they have changed their operational methods (or their ‘hallmark’ drastically. 
Now about that shaved head, European neo-Nazi style………….
Cheers
mhg
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Iran, Terrorism, US Foreign Policy

Wild West Mullahs: a Ministry for Stupid Foiled Foreign Plots …….

   

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“New York police believe Iranian Revolutionary Guards or their proxies have been involved so far this year in nine plots against Israeli or Jewish targets around the world, according to restricted police documents obtained by Reuters. Reports prepared this week by intelligence analysts for the New York Police Department (NYPD) say three plots were foiled in January, three in February and another three since late June. Iran has repeatedly denied supporting militant attacks abroad. The documents, labeled “Law Enforcement Sensitive,” said that this week’s suicide bomb attack in Bulgaria was the second plot to be unmasked there this year. The reports detail two plots in Bangkok and one each in New Delhi, Tbilisi, Baku, Mombasa and Cyprus. Each plot was attributed to Iran or its Lebanese Hezbollah militant allies, said the reports, which were produced following the bombing in Burgas, Bulgaria of a bus carrying Israeli tourists. Iran on Thursday dismissed “unfounded statements” by Israel linking Tehran to the Burgas blast, saying they were politically motivated accusations which underscored the weakness of the accusers………….”

The Iranians must have a special Ministry for Stupid Foreign Plots That Are Always Foiled in the West. I am almost, almost serious here.
Somebody in Tehran must be spending his days and nights concocting ways to get his agents in New York and Washington and Texas and Michigan and Samoa and Guam caught in traps set by New York’s Best (and apparently brightest). Nine Iranian plots so far foiled this year alone. It is a wonder the theocratic regime is still standing, given its track record of failed plots.
Then you can add the plots foiled in Washington and other states, and the plots in Azerbaijan, Thailand, India, Cyprus, Las Vegas, Tegocigalpa, Africa (especially South Africa), Bahrain (nicknamed a popular uprising), Saudi Arabia (nicknamed a popular uprising in the Eastern Province), Egypt (called spreading Shi’ism and Communism and Masonism and perhaps even Zionism), Bulgaria (Netanyahu has ordained that it was a joint Iranian-Lebanese plot), and others. Maybe a good case can be made for a new war. Did I leave out September 11 New York City? September 11 was declared an Iranian plot by some federal judge in New York or Washington earlier this year. Adding all this to the nuclear program and adding in arming and supporting the Syrian regime and Hezbollah.
Now, whoever heard of any other peaceful nation arming a repressive regime of a dictator or an absolute tribal monarchy (not talking about Saudi Arabia or Bahrain here)? Whoever heard of a peaceful nation arming a band of militias that disrupt their repressive government (not talking about the Free Syrian Army here)?
Cheers
mhg
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Arab Politics, Egypt, GCC, Iran

President Morsi to Skip NAM Tehran Summit, will Tantawi Attend?………..

   

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“Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast expressed Iran’s hope that Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi attend the upcoming Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Tehran, describing him as a principal guest in the event. Egypt currently holds NAM’s presidential seat. Press TV, an Iranian channel, quoted a statement made by Mehmanparast to Iran Daily Saturday that confirmed the invitation, mentioning that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had personally invited Morsi to the summit via telephone earlier this month. Mehmanparast said it is natural for Egypt to be concerned with the movement at this time of change in its history…………..”

Morsi (or Mursy, wtf) is technically the president of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) now. It is a NAM meeting in Tehran, not an Iranian meeting. I could never figure what are they Non-Aligned about anyway? There is no more cold war, no two nuclear camps. Unless they are non-aligned between the Iranian camp and the Saudi camp. Or maybe nonaligned between the Sunni camp and the Shi’a camp? Possibly nonaligned between the Hatfields and McCoys.
Back to Morsi: he has to decide whether to attend the summit and anger the Saudis and the Qataris and the al-Nahayan and the Salafis and the Muslim Brothers who basically got him elected OR not attend. I guess he will not attend: so far he has not shown much guts in the face of our Gulf potentates or the Saudis (he groveled at the Saudi embassy when there were protests outside in support of detained Egyptians, and he groveled to the princes in Riyadh two weeks ago).
Joke of the day: will Tantawi attend?

Cheers
mhg
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Iran, Israel, Middle East Nuclear

Iran Seeking 50-60% Enriched Uranium? Netanyahu Loses Hair…….

   

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“Iran needs 50-60% enriched uranium to power commercial ships: MP TEHRAN, July 20 (MNA) — MP Abolqassem Jarareh has said that Iran needs highly enriched uranium in order to fuel the ships that it plans to equip with nuclear propulsion systems. “This fuel should certainly be (purified to a level) higher than 25 percent, something about 50 to 60 percent,” Jarareh, who is a member of the Majlis Industries and Mines Committee, said in an interview with the Persian service of the Fars News Agency published on Friday. The Majlis Industries and Mines Committee recently approved a plan which calls for Iranian oceangoing tankers and other commercial ships to be powered by nuclear fuel in order to eliminate their need to be refueled while on long voyages. The parliament must endorse the plan before it can be implemented………..”


This chap seems to be upping the ante, but only at first glance. There is some method to his ‘seeming’ madness. The West, as ordered by the Likud government in Israel, prefers no enrichment beyond 3% (concentration of uranium-235), while the Iranians are near 20%. Now this MP, out of the blue, has introduced 50-60% as another possible demand. That is much closer to weapons-grade uranium. But that is probably his own opinion, or possibly some bargaining chip as he sees it, or a political statement. But it underlies a more legitimate issue: nuclear-powered ships do need higher grade enriched uranium, a legitimate need, and that should present the West with yet another dilemma. A couple more of such proposals and Bibi Netanyahu will go completely bald, unless he gets to have his war that he wants the West to wage.
Cheers
mhg
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Death Penalty, Iran

Death Penalty and Alcoholism in Iran, about Texas………….

   

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“Amnesty International todayurged Iran to stop death sentences against two men, whom the Iranian authorities have not named,convicted for the third time of consuming alcohol. The men already have received 80 lashes for two previous convictions. Seyed Hassan Shariati, head of the judiciary in northeastern KhorasanRazavi province, announced that authorities were preparing to carry out the death sentences upheld by the Supreme Court in Tehran. Article 179 of Iran’s Penal Code provides for a mandatory death sentence following a third conviction for drinking alcohol…………..”

It looks like these three men need treatment, if anything, not execution. They probably need to enter a clinic rather than death row; they need the Iranian equivalent of Schick Shadel or the Betty Ford Clinic. This is a ridiculously harsh and inhumane punishment for a victimless ‘crime’. The mullahs, like most other countries in our region, are too fast with judicial murder. The Muslim faith has never stipulated death for drinking alcohol, as far as I know. (FYI: I am no expert, no more than any mufti or shaikh).
The death penalty itself should be completely banned everywhere. Even in the capitals of capital punishment: Iran and Saudi Arabia and China and the USA, even in Texas.
Someone (not me of course) might add that, on the upside, Texas may decide to secede if capital punishment is ended in the United States.
Cheers
mhg
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Iran, WTF

Iranian Science: Synthesized Polyoxometalate and Zirconium Oxide Nanocomposites…………

   

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“Polyoxometalate and zirconium oxide nanocomposites were synthesized by Iranian researchers in order to increase the catalytic and photocatalytic activities of the nanocomposite used to remove organic pollutants. Being used as photocatalysts, polyoxometalates have less efficiency due to their low specific area and the difficulties in the separation of such catalysts from the reaction media. By carrying out studies on various parameters in order to overcome the disadvantages of polyoxometalates (POM), the researchers succeeded in the synthesis of polyoxometalate / zirconium oxide nanocomposite. Among the other advantages of such nanocomposites, mention can be made of their insolubility that allows them to be easily separated from the reaction media. The use of nanocomposites is cost-effective because they are able to be recycled. The nanocomposites were synthesized in order to remove organic pollutants from the environment and to improve their catalytic activity. ………………”

One of the most interesting new items I have read today on Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency. My initial reaction was a resounding : WTF?
Or maybe it is just me: unlike physics, I never got along well with chemistry for some reason (someone once told me that maybe chemistry was too down to earth for my taste, which sounded odd). There was never much chemistry between me and chemistry. Maybe I am just a bit verwirrt.

Cheers
mhg
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Africa, Iran, Khamenei, Religion

Comrade Khamenei at Patrice Lumumba? a Manchurian Ayatollah?………

   

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“Is Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a graduate of the Patrice Lumumba People’s Friendship University in Moscow? Did the KGB recruit Khamenei as a spy in the 1960’s? Is Soviet indoctrination and ideological training to blame for Khamenei’s hatred of the United States? The Persian blogosphere is boiling over with speculations about Khamenei’s alleged Soviet connections. The affair started Wednesday, as Iranian bloggers discovered Russia Today’s February 5, 2010 report on the 50th anniversary of the People’s Friendship University in Moscow, in which Khamenei is mentioned among the university’s “most notable graduates.” A claim also appears on Russia Today’s website, although the reference is made to “Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khomeini,” an obvious mistake. Subsequently, Iranian bloggers identified other Russian sources making the very same claim: The November 25, 2003 issue of Kommersant presents Khamenei as a People’s Friendship University graduate…………….”

Patrice Lumumba University was named after the murdered first Congolese prime minister after independence from Belgium. Lumumba was allegedly killed by Congolese rivals and Western intelligence services. I believe that to be true: Lumumba was perceived as a ‘communist’ by the West during the peak of the Cold War. The Soviet university attracted many third world students, and it is possible that a young Khamenei was among them, but it is highly unlikely. I doubt it very much: he must have started as a student of Islamic faith at a young age. Or maybe he was groomed as a communist mole inside Qom, a potential Manchurian Ayatollah. If true this would mean that Khamenei also speaks Russian in addition to Persian, Arabic, and Turkish. He is as much a communist as the Saudi Mufti is a secret Shi’a, as much as Bashar al-Assad is a Salafi.
Cheers
mhg
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