Over In The Workers’ Paradise?

Not exactly, but Iran must seem like the bastion of “anti-imperialism” to some (a modern day workers’ paradise for Westerners that don’t have to live under the repressive regime), I just heard of a strike at the Abadan oil refinery and checking Labourstart I was surprised at the number of on-going disputes.

The Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network has more on the oil worker’s case:

“After their wages and bonuses went unpaid a group of Abadan oil refinery workers began a protest on Wednesday November 11. Around 300 workers have not been paid for more than three months.

Tehran Emrooz daily reported that when the workers protested outside the Abadan oil refinery on November 12 the “Abadan oil refinery officials told the workers that as they are working in the third phase of the refinery then they are working for a private contractor and their wages have nothing to do with the refinery.”

This protest is highly significant in that oil industry workers have had no major protests for a number of years. They are paid regularly, unlike most workers in Iran, and their work environment is very heavily policed and controlled.

The Abadan oil refinery in the southern Khuzestan province is over 95 years old and was the biggest refining facility in the world for many decades. It is one of the oldest and most important centres of the Iranian workers’ movement.”

Update 1: I have had my eye off of the balls, HOPOI has more on protests in Iran.

Update 2: Over at the Guardian, Iran moves to silence opposition with internet crime unit.

Update 3: Reuters reports:

“TEHRAN, Nov 14 (Reuters) – An Iranian court on Saturday sentenced a student who took part in protests following Iran’s disputed presidential election this year to eight years in prison, a website reported.

The June 12 vote triggered big street demonstrations by opposition supporters accusing the authorities of rigging the result, which gave President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term in charge.

Abdullah Momeni’s wife told website Mowjcamp, which backs defeated candidate Mirhossein Mousavi, that Momeni was sentenced to six years for taking part in post-election protests and two years for previous activities concerning national security.

Several other post-election detainees have received jail terms and three people have been sentenced to death, according to Iranian media.

Last week a court sentenced a man to seven years in jail and 74 lashes for post-election activities, Mowjcamp reported.

Thousands of people were detained after the election five months ago. Most of them have since been freed, but more than 100 have been charged with fomenting post-election street unrest, including senior reformist figures.”

Update 4: More brutal than the Shah?

Den Of Spies.

Den of spies, a common slogan in Tehran, but with a different slant nowadays as opponents of the Ahmadinejad’s regime use the occasion to protest, the New York Times reports:

The protests — in Tehran and several other cities — were the opposition’s largest street showing in almost two months, and came on the 30th anniversary of the takeover of the United States Embassy in 1979, a day of great symbolic importance for both Iran and the United States. Although a huge deployment of police beat back and scattered many of them, the protesters took heart at their ability to openly challenge the government despite a stream of stark warnings from all levels of Iran’s conservative establishment.

Protesters openly flouted the day’s official anti-American message, with about a thousand people, many wearing clothing and accessories in the opposition’s signature bright green color, gathering outside the Russian Embassy in Tehran and chanting, “The real den of spies is the Russian embassy.”

The American embassy has been called the “den of spies” in Iran for decades. But many opposition supporters were angered by Russia’s early acceptance of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed victory in Iran’s June presidential elections.

It was a day of scattered protests and violence across central Tehran, and even some government authorities seemed to grudgingly concede that the opposition had — for the first time — disrupted the annual anti-American rally. The official IRNA news agency reported in midafternoon that “rioters,” many wearing the opposition’s green symbols, had gathered in front of its offices on Valiasr Street chanting “Death to the Dictator” and other anti-government slogans.”

November 4th.

Whilst I think about things, take a look at Coatesy’s coverage of events in Iran.

Update 1: I will aim to cover this topic in more detail in the future, but it seems that there are continued demonstrations going-on in various Universities in Iran.

On this particular YouTube channel there are at least 5 video clips seemingly from the 3rd Nov. 2009.

Update 2: The blog, Revolutionary Road, has plenty of good material, especially the Bridge Journal.

Links On Steroids.

Bob has an amazing set of Iran related links.

Update 1: Elsewhere on the web, Tendance Coatesy has a good piece on the Labour Party:

“Behind the scenes stuff, and the ‘policy-making’ forums, had at least some role. His goal, modest in the extreme, was to have a word in the ear of Ed Balls. About an alternative to a planned Academy take-over in Felixstowe. Which just about sums up life as a humble petitioner in the Court of Brown.”

Joining The Dots.

Hidden nuclear installation – check.

Testing long range missiles – check.

Defence minister let’s cat out of bag – check.

As the Guardian reports:

“Iran has warned Israel not to dare attack it after Tehran defiantly test-fired long-range missiles capable of hitting targets across the Middle East and beyond.

“If this happens ‑ which, of course, we do not foresee ‑ its ultimate result would be that it expedites the last breath of the Zionist regime,” the Iranian defence minister, Ahmad Vahidi, said on state television today.”

I just wonder how anti-Israeli groupies will spin that?

“… that it expedites the last breath of the Zionist regime…”?

Can they join the dots?

Losing Sight Of The Dividing Line.

Thanks to Engage for pointing out a post on the CST blog, which makes a comparison between the type of coverage given to the Holocaust denying, Ahmadinejad.

No one in the West, and particularly Guardian readers with access to the Internet, should have any illusions about Ahmadinejad, it seems that barely a month goes by when he is either fiddling elections or denying the Holocaust, as he did recently on the annual Al Quds Day as RTE reports:

“Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said the Holocaust was a ‘myth’, reiterating comments that sparked outrage around the world.

‘The very existence of this regime is an insult to the dignity of the people,’ the hardliner said as he addressed the annual Quds Day rally in Tehran referring to Israel.

‘They (Western powers) launched the myth of the Holocaust. They lied, they put on a show and then they support the Jews.’

‘If as you claim the Holocaust is true, why can a study not be allowed?’ the Iranian president said to chants of ‘Death to Israel’ from the crowd gathered for the annual display of solidarity with the Palestinians.

‘The pretext for establishing the Zionist regime is a lie… a lie which relies on an unreliable claim, a mythical claim, and the occupation of Palestine has nothing to do with the Holocaust,’ he added.

Similar comments made by Mr Ahmadinejad shortly after his first election as president in 2005 also sparked an international outcry. “

So no one should be in any doubt concerning Ahmadinejad’s blatant Holocaust denial, except those at the Guardian, as Mark Gardner points out:

“Now of course the Guardian would never mean it like that – well, not like Ahmadinejad means it anyway. And of course the Guardian would neither threaten another Holocaust, nor deny the last one.

Nevertheless, the Guardian as an institution – and as a consequence much of its constituency – has clearly allowed its hostility against Israel to erode both its understanding of antisemitism; and its vigilance against imagery that evokes deeply rooted antisemitic stereotypes.

This is not so much a conscious decision, or some covert antisemitic conspiracy: it is simply what happens when, over time, basically decent people lose sight of the dividing line between criticism and hatred, and between scathing political comment and racist abuse. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule at both the Guardian and throughout the wider Left, but they are swimming against the tide.”

Update 1: Not forgetting that even Juan Cole finally admits Ahmadinejad is articulating antisemitism, a welcome acknowledgment, but about 4 years too late as Adam Holland ably dissects.

This year.

Selma’s thought’s on Al Quds day in Tehran and the reality:

“I wrote a long post about this annual rally, explaining why I tend to step aside and question the intentions behind a rally, once its main subject becomes a political tool for some to advertise their own power and influence in the region.

For years I had refused to take part in the rally, because I saw it as propaganda for a way of thinking that had nothing to do with reason, justice, or humanity.

This year, the gathering and protests were no longer about a conflict somewhere in the world I’d never been to, and hardly knew the story of both sides… This year, the protests had nothing to do with the strangers who could have found a way to solve their conflict by now, if it weren’t for others meddling in the process.

This year, we went to the rally to protest against a domestic oppressor…the tyrant who got hold of our future, by means of coup (or whatever you like to call it…)”

(H/T: Noga)

Saeed Rostami Update.

News in from Facebook:

“Saeed Rostami, an Afghan immigrant worker in Iran who was arrested during this year’s May 1st celebrations in the Park of Laleh in Tehran along with about 150 other people, was released from prison on Wednesday September 16th at 02.30 PM after four and a half months in prison.

First an interrogator from the Security Department of the Court of Ba’sat ordered Sa’id Rostami to post a hundred million tomans bail after accusing him of acting against the national security. After hearing him and based on Sa’id’s statements that he is an Afghan citizen and that he doesn’t hold residence permit, the Security Department sent his case to the court for further studies. Sa’id Rostami was held in prison for an uncertain time, until the court studied his case and issued his release on Wednesday September 9th.

Saturday September 12th while Sa’id was leaving the jail, an officer guarding the exit door of Evin Prison told him that he had to leave Iran and returned him to the prison. Sunday September 13th he was once again dispatched to the court from where he was taken to a camp in order to be deported, but the authorities in the camp didn’t take him in and Sa’id was once again transferred back to the Evin Prison.

After this, on Wednesday September 16th, Sa’id Rostami’s case was handled again in the same court, where the judge ordered his release on the same day at 02.30 in the afternoon.

It is worth mentioning that the officials in the Iranian Free Trade Union and other labor activists have been following Sa’id’s case ever since and have worked hard for his release by taking different actions such as visiting the Embassy of Afghanistan and assigning a lawyer (Dr. Awliya’i-far) for him.

The Iranian Free Trade Union congratulates from heart Sa’id’s family and friends on his release and is happy that he wasn’t deported. We also declare our solidarity with the Afghan immigrant workers in Iran in their fight against discrimination and for earning the right to Iranian citizenship, and we tell them that we are their allies.

Long Live the International Solidarity of the Working Class
Iranian Free Trade Union
September 16th 2009″

Tyrants’ Lackey.

Comrade Coatesy has more on Ahmadinejad’s would-be lackey and faithful apologist.

Mean While In That Theocratic Dictatorship.

No TUC motion on Iran? Nothing about the fiddled election?

Nothing about the anti-Jewish racist, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?

Nothing about neo-nazi shindigs in Tehran?

Nothing about the attacks on Mansour Osanloo and other trade unionists?

Nothing about the street protests in Iran?

Nothing about the very nature of the dictatorship in Tehran?

Still, brave Iranians took their fight straight to Ahmadinejad as he was spouting more Holocaust denial, the Guardian reports:

“Iran’s opposition Green movement put on a powerful show of strength today against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the hardline president repeated his notorious claim that the Nazi Holocaust was a “lie” designed to justify the existence of Israel.

Tens of thousands of people gathered in central Tehran to shout “death to the dictator” despite a heavy security presence and official warnings to the opposition not to hijack the Quds (Jerusalem) Day rally, the regime’s annual display of solidarity with the Palestinians.

Forgotten Afghans in Iran.

The plight of Saeed Rostami needs re-telling, from the Release Saeed Rostami, Facebook group:

“This group is primarily a call to everyone who would like to participate in some form of protest to put a pressure on IRI to release an afghanistan-born worker in Iran, Saeed Rostami. He was arrested on May Day 2009. Out of 150 arrested that day, only 2 are kept in prison, one of which is Rostami.

As per the following note in Farsi, Saeed, born in Kabul, was a worker for “Food industry” working under the Norouz Khan bridge in Tehran, arrested at Lale park on May Day celebration gathering, currently in Evin prison, section 3 of Hall 7. Despite 3 letters from Saeed and an official letter from Afghanistan’s embassy, his case has been ignored by the court. . Also, that he has nobody and his case has been forgotten. Why?

A bit about Afghans in Iran

Most of you have learned and seen the atrocities that people in Iran have been through in the past 30 years. Add a systematic, vicious segregation on top of that to understand what millions of Afghans experienced under the reign of the IRI.

Initially refugee Afghans in Iran, from 80s, have been subject to systematic racism by the IRI which encouraged the chauvinist trends among general population in Iran resulting in daily harassment. Hardworking Afghans were/are legally subject to harshest conditions of living, allowed only to work in dirtiest, heaviest jobs.

******************************************
According to the 1996 census, there are 700,000 under-15 child workers in Iran. 50% of Street Kids Are Afghans.
*****************************************”

Flesh on Iran.

Flesh has more on Iran, in particular, human rights and being gay in Iran.

Maziar Bahari.

Maziar Bahari is another victim of excessive repression in Iran, he’s been locked up without charge for 64+ days.

I urge people to publicise his plight.

Dictatorship Learn From Each Other.

The ruling elite in Tehran have been quick to follow China’s example of locking up human right’s lawyers, the LA Times reports:

“According to his colleagues, Dadkhah has been under heavy pressure to publicly confess to being involved in a nefarious plot against the Islamic Republic

Specifically, his interrogators wanted him to betray the the Center for the Defense of Human Rights, the small nonprofit organization he runs with Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, and to state that Ebadi was a traitor.

According to fellow lawyers who got a chance to meet with him, he was severely abused during the first days of his imprisonment in solitary confinement in early July.

For two days, he was deprived of food. Then he was blindfolded and thrown down a spiral stairwell. For a few days, he was barred from using the bathroom.

He was told that his teenage daughter was also under arrest, only to find out later it was a lie.

Still, he refused to budge.

After a while, the interrogators gave up. They allowed him to leave solitary and stay in a ward with other prisoners. “

Bahais On Trial in Iran.

The ruling elite in Iran has decided, in a similar fashion to Stalin’s lust for them, that you can’t have enough Show Trials, so now it is attacking a small defenceless religious minority, the Bahais:

“Seven members of the Bahai faith in Iran are to go on trial on Tuesday on charges of spying for Israel and of “insulting sanctities”.
…
Last year relatives of the six Bahai leaders arrested in May said they had been taken to Evin Prison in Tehran after intelligence ministry officers raided their homes in the middle of the night.

Hundreds of Bahai followers have been jailed and executed since Iran’s Islamic revolution in 1979, the Bahai International Community says.

However, the government denies it has detained or executed people because of their faith.

The Bahais consider the man who founded their faith in the 19th Century, Bahaullah, to be a prophet.”