Wednesday, August 13, 2008

NEWS))))))

US blacklists five Iranian entities citing nuclear, missile ties
Associated France Press reported on Aug 12, 2008 that the US Treasury said Tuesday it had imposed sanctions on five Iranian entities for alleged ties to country’s nuclear and missile programs. Washington has already blacklisted Iranian entities and banks for their apparent links and support of Iran’s nuclear programs. Tehran has steadfastly denied it is pursuing nuclear arms, and says its nuclear ambitions are peaceful. 'Responsible financial institutions and businesses worldwide are taking steps to avoid doing business with Iranian nuclear and missile entities, as well as with the front companies and cut-outs the Iranian regime uses to disguise its activities,' said Stuart Levey, a senior Treasury official. The five entities were identified as the Nuclear Research Center for Agriculture and Medicine, the Esfahan National Fuel Research and Production Center, Jabber Ibn Hayan, Safety Equipment Procurement Company and Joza Industrial Company. 'These five nuclear and missile entities have been used by Iran to hide its illicit conduct and further its dangerous nuclear ambitions,' Levey charged. The sanction bar any US citizen from business dealings with the Iranian groups and also freezes any assets the groups may have under US jurisdiction.

A new suppressive police soon in action at the gas pumps
National Council of Resistance of Iran said in a statement that “ the mullahs’ regime introduced on Monday a new suppressive force for what it called 'help restoring order in the gas stations' in case of potential public protests. 'With assistance from the Oil Ministry, in enforcing the law and order, we will use Bassij personnel to help police the gas stations. The new measure will go into effect in 10 days time,' the state-run news agency Fars quoted Colonel Hadi Hashemi, chief of the traffic violation in the State Security Forces (SSF) - mullahs’ suppressive police -- in greater Tehran. 'The gas stations are twice as crowded as they should be. In past three decades, there has not been built a new gas station in the greater Tehran,' Col. Hashemi said. What the clerical regime fears the most are popular upheavals such as fuel uprisings of last summer. On June 26, 2007 and shortly after the Iranian regime announced the start of a fuel rationing program, residents in Tehran, Khuzestan, Gorgan, Azerbaijan, and elsewhere took to the streets in protest. The protests and demonstrations continued into the morning hours in many areas of the capital, including Azadi, Saharvardi, Piroozi, Imam Hossein, and Tehran-No streets. To crackdown on the protests and prevent them from spreading into other areas, the regime dispatched its suppressive forces, including the Revolutionary Guards, the Bassij paramilitary force, State Security Forces, and intelligence agents into the streets. As a result, scores of people were arrested and/or injured.”

Anti-regime protests in Tehran, Qazvin and Karaj
The workers of Kian Tire Factory in southern Tehran passed their thirty fist day of strike on Sunday. These workers have frequently gathered and demonstrated against their last three months unpaid salaries. The workers of Alvand Lamp Company in Qazvin held a gathering protest on Sunday. The protesting workers said it was 19 days that the main gate of the factory was closed to workers and they were left in uncertainty. More than 500 of the pupils’ parents in Azimiyeh District of Karaj gathered in front of two schools to protest against the schools’ suspension by the judiciary system. They said over 1,500 pupils have been left straggle.

Iranian regime detain couple for converting to Christianity
The Washington Times reported that an Iranian couple in eastern Tehran were detained because of converting to Christianity and studying Bible and going to church. The Iranian secret agents arrested Arya, 31 and his wife Tina, 28 on June 3, 2008 secretly and left their 4yr. old daughter, Odzan, unattended. They were released after four days on $50,000 bail. They have been told should they return to church or have relations with Christians, they would loose guardianship of their daughter.

Dozens of students summoned to the disciplinary committee
NCRI - In the past week dozens of students at Teacher’s Education School have been summoned to the school’s disciplinary committee in Karaj, some 40 kilometer west of the capital. A sit-in was staged by 6,000 students, many on hunger strike too, in the school protesting to pressures by the school administration last May. It ended when the government appointed officials agreed to the students’ terms. However, shortly after the agreement, the disciplinary committee began summoning dozens of the student activists. To date, 8 students have been banned from enrolling for two semesters. The mullahs’ regime set a pattern of first giving into students’ demands, fearing widespread students’ protests, then in time backs off from the agreements with them and on top of it active students are summoned by the disciplinary committees and often by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). Students at Polytechnic University of Tehran, Shiraz University in the southern city of Shiraz, Sahand in the northwestern city of Tabriz are a few of such higher education schools in the country with the same fate last year.