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THE LEAD

Iran's Khamenei Scores Points with Cleric Critics

Reuters | Oct 21

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appears to have scored a political success by gathering leading clerics in the holy city of Qom around him in a show of unity after months of in-fighting.

Iranian media highlighted pictures on Thursday of a smiling Khamenei sitting with several top Shi'ite Muslim dignitaries, including some who have been critical since the disputed re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last year.

The carefully filtered images reinforced Khamenei's call for Iranians to unite against foreign enemies he accused of trying to destabilize the country through economic sanctions and denying it the right to advanced nuclear technology.

Among the sages pictured sipping tea with Khamenei was Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem-Shirazi, a critic of Ahmadinejad, along with five other clerics who have the elevated status of "marja-e taqlid" (source of emulation), meaning that Shi'ite Muslims may choose them as a personal spiritual guide.

Their turnout belied rumors that senior religious figures would boycott Khamenei's annual visit to the center of Shi'ite learning in protest at a fierce crackdown on reformists and moves to isolate and intimidate dissident clerics.

However, while conservative clerics who have voiced concern about the economy or the prerogatives of the clergy came to meet Khamenei, more liberal figures who backed opposition candidate Mirhossein Mousavi last year have so far stayed away.

Whether the spirit of reconciliation endures beyond his nine-day visit remains to be seen. Clerical sources say unease is rife in Qom over a perceived drive by Khamenei to position his second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as his potential successor.

News Blackout on Khamenei's Meetings

Rooz | Oct 21

At the end of the second day of ayatollah Khamenei's visit to Qom, some clerical leaders and senior ayatollah's visited the office of Iran's leader in this holy city and held discussions with him. While the official news site of the leader of the Islamic republic wrote that Jaafar Sobhani, Makarem Shirazi and Shobeiri Zanjani were the three clerics who along with other "teachers and clerics of Qom Theological Center" visited Khamenei on his second day in the city, semi-state Fars news agency reported that in addition to the three clerics mentioned above, Sadegh Amoli Larijani, Ibrahim Amini, seyed Ahmadi Khatami and Abbas Kaabi also met with the Khamenei.

Neither the news website of ayatollah Khamenei's office nor Iran's official radio and television network, along with other official news agencies, have reported on the contents of these meetings. But an analysis of the photos and images from the meetings, it is clear that these engagements were public with no private meetings between Khamenei and the senior clerics.

In the absence of such news, it is not clear what discussions may have been held between the clerics and the leader. All that has been reported is that the exchanges between them were confined to pleasantries and formalities, commonly known as taarofate akhoondi, i.e., clerical pleasantries, in Persian.

Qods Army and Jaish al-Mahdi Organize Khamenei's Reception

Rooz | Oct 21

While state-run media are boasting a historic reception for ayatollah Khamenei in his visit to Qom, an informed source who participated in the welcome ceremony told Rooz that the Islamic republic supreme leader's reception was "much less" than compared to previous visits.

He added that, as it can been seen on numerous official photographs from the ceremony, many of the participants in the ceremony as well as during Mr. Khamanei's speech were African and Arab immigrants residing in Qom, particularly immigrants from Iraq many of whom are supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shiite Iraqi cleric currently residing in Qom.

As noted by this informed source, none of the official photographs appearing on state-run media outlets show an aerial view of the street where the welcome ceremony was held. Almost all of the released photographs are taken from close range or with wide camera lenses. The aerial photographs released are taken either from very far away or very close to the ground and do not reveal any conclusive information.

Only three out of the ten grand ayatollahs currently residing in Qom made remarks in support of ayatollah Khamenei's visit. However, neither these three grand ayatollahs nor the remaining seven attended Mr. Khamenei's welcome ceremony.

One informed source who attended Mr. Khamenei's welcome ceremony told Rooz, "Yesterday's reception of Mr. Khamenei was the coldest and least passionate reception of the Islamic republic supreme leader compared to all his previous visits."

According to him, "At most, thirty to forty thousand people attended the ceremony, which is les than five percent of Qom's more than one million inhabitants."

He added, "The planning and intense organizing of Mr. Khamenei's reception was in effect carried out by three military-security organizations: Jaish al-Mahdi, the Qods Army and Mr. Khamenei's personal security team."

Secularist Professors Fired

Mehr | Oct 20

A top official of the Islamic Azad University has announced that several secularist professors of the university have been identified and removed.

"We had received some reports about these faculty members and advised them against (this approach), but they did not change their behavior and removed them," Karim Zare, the representative of the Islamic Azad University in the Majlis, told the Mehr News Agency on Wednesday.

The official emphasized that the university will increase its control over the performance of professors to make sure they don't deviate from the right path.

He also called on students not to accept the views of the professors who promote secularism in classes.

OTHER NEWS

Iran Doubles Stockpile of 20-Percent Enriched Uranium -- Will Produce Fuel Rod Within a Year

Uskowi on Iran | Oct 20

Iran announced today it has nearly doubled its stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium within the past four months. The country now has some 30 kilograms, or 66 pounds, of the 20-percent grade enriched uranium, as opposed to only 17 kilograms in June. Iran's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi made the announcement in Tehran.

Iran's refusal to stop enriching uranium has subjected the country to four sets of UN sanctions, as well additional economic and financial sanctions imposed by the US, the EU and other pro-Western countries.

The next step for Iran is converting the 20-percent enriched uranium into fuel rods for use at its research reactor in Tehran. Iran claims it has the technology to produce fuel rods, a capability very few nations possess. The government has said its first fuel rod should be ready within a year.

The technologies to produce high-percentage enriched uranium and fuel rods are at the heart of a country's capability to produce nuclear weapons. But Iran has repeatedly denied it intends to produce the bomb.

Chavez Signs Major Energy Deals with Iran

AFP | Oct 20

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez left Iran late Wednesday after signing 11 deals focused on energy cooperation between the two major oil producers who are foes of the United States, state television said.

Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad both denounced American "imperialism" and called for a "new world order," during the visit, part of an international tour aimed at strengthening Venezuela's economic ties with eastern Europe and the Middle East.

"We are united and determined to end the current unjust which dominates the world and replace it with a new world order based on justice," the Iranian leader said.

The two sides signed several agreements, including pacts for a joint oil shipping company and joint construction of petrochemical plants, as well as Venezuelan participation in the exploitation of Iran's South Pars gas field.

They also agreed to build a refinery in Syria, Iran's main ally in the region.

US to Keep Close Eye on Venezuela-Iran Energy Deals

AFP (via AlterNet) | Oct 21

The United States will be vigilant of the energy cooperation deals made between Iran and Venezuela to make sure they do not violate sanctions against Tehran, the US State Department said Thursday.

"Venezuela like all countries has clear responsibilities," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters.

"We will watch to see if any of these deals amount to anything and if they do, whether they constitute a violation of the (UN) Security Council resolutions and sanctions against Iran."

Turkey: Iran Unlikely to Bow to Pressure

Press TV | Oct 20

Recent anti-Iran sanctions might be affecting the country, but Tehran is unlikely to change its nuclear policy under pressure, says the Turkish deputy prime minister.

"I think it's a reality that the sanctions are putting more and more pressure on the Iranian economy," Ali Babacan said in Washington on Wednesday.

"But is it getting any possible results about making the Iranians take steps that the P5+1 -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the US plus Germany -- expect? I have big doubts about it," AFP quoted Babacan as saying.

"As a neighbor and as a country which has lived with Iranians... for centuries, it is very difficult to expect them to move just because they're under pressure," the Turkish diplomat said.

US Presses Turkey on Iran Sanctions, Dismisses Claims of Trade Embargo

Hürriyet | Oct 21

Robustly implementing sanctions against Iran is the best way to achieve a peaceful resolution of the problem stemming from the Islamic republic's controversial nuclear program, a United States official said Thursday.

The comments by Stuart Levey, the U.S. undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, came after a senior Turkish government official expressed doubts about the usefulness of U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions.

"We believe that implementing the resolutions and sanctions robustly is the best way to achieve a peaceful resolution of the entire problem. By sharpening the choices for Iran, they can see the advantage of choosing to go through the open door that the [U.S.] president and other leaders around the world have laid out for them," Levey told a small group of journalists following meetings in Istanbul with representatives of banks and financial institutions and in Ankara with senior government officials.

During a visit to Washington on Thursday, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said the sanctions would make it difficult for Turkey to achieve its aim of tripling trade volume with Iran. "We don't believe in sanctions," he said. "We don't believe that will ultimately make the Iranians act as they are expected to act. So why would we do things in which we don't believe? That's the bottom line."

Babacan said Turkish banks have become hesitant about dealing with Iran, adding: "Some of them [are] finding ways to do business, some of them may be pausing and trying to decide what to do, but there is obviously some hesitation."

When asked about Babacan's statement, Levey said what was important to the United States was to see the sanctions implemented. "We very much appreciate and need the active partnership with Turkey on this issue," he said. "This is something we share very strongly with Turkey. Turkey is very much against having nuclear arms in Iran given its geographic location. We look forward to working closely with them to achieve this outcome."

Turkey Expects to Increase Commodity Circulation with Iran

Aysor | Oct 22

Turkey expects to increase commodity circulation with Iran despite UN sanctions, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan stated in Washington. He hopes for intensification of trade with Tehran, with the exception of hydrocarbons.

In spite of sanctions against Tehran, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially stated he is going to triple commodity circulation with Iran in the coming five years. Meanwhile he voiced respect for UN sanctions against Iran.

Arrest of Sanandaj Journalist Amin Madani

RAHANA | Oct 20

Amin Madani's family, confirmed in an interview that he was detained by Security Forces on Monday, October 18th and that his residence was inspected after the arrest.

According to Mokriyan News Agency, there is no news on the whereabouts and potential charges against this journalist.

Madani is the executive director of banned weekly magazine Korefto and a contributor of Diyare Kohan and Nedaye Goroos publications.

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Tehran's Unplugged Internet Plan

IWPR | Oct 21

[Iranian authorities] plan to create a separate internet for Iran could leave web users confined to a closed domestic network, cut off from the rest of the world.

The National Internet Network project has been in the offing since 2005 and was supposed to have been launched by the end of last year. That did not happen, but the protests that followed the June 2009 presidential election, in which the internet played a crucial role in disseminating news and images, clearly convinced the authorities that they urgently needed their own, controllable version of the web.

The result would be a kind of giant intranet which would look like the internet, and perhaps offer faster response times within Iran, but would in fact be a separate system with restricted or no contact with the World Wide Web.

A limited test version of the network was launched in Qom province in January, and a similar pilot project is expected to get under way in Kerman province by the end of this year.

The plan now is to finish the Iranian web network by the end of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's term in office in 2013, although some experts doubt this deadline is realistic.

The National Internet Project was conceived in September 2005, a few months after Ahmadinejad was first elected.

Initially costed at almost one billion US dollars, the project ran into funding difficulties almost immediately. Iran's parliament would not approve the ten million dollar budget needed to research the project, because legislators had little grasp of what it meant, and the national web network began to be held up to ridicule in the media.

The government did not back down, and spent over 560 million dollars out of its budget between the project's conception and the end of 2009.