December 3rd, 2009 by Zack

The NY Times reports that Saeed Leylaz, an Iranian economist and journalist, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for his prominent involvement in election protests.  He is one of the more than 100 journalists, activists and former officials arrested sine the June 12 election. Human Rights Activist News Agency also reported the sixth death sentence for an opposition detainee on Wednesday.

NiacINsight carries an AP story reporting that Dr. Ramin Pourandarjani, a doctor at the Kahrizak detention facility in Iran who spoke out against prisoner abuse, was poisoned through a salad.  The story of his death sparked controversy when authorities first reported he was killed in a car accident and later called it a suicide.  Pourandarjani’s father comments that he doesn’t believe any of the explanations provided, but has yet to directly blame the authorities.

On the international scene, Barbara Lerner writes that Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons has the potential to embolden all Islamist movements, swelling their ranks and shifting the entire international political spectrum.  She argues the U.S. needs to focus on “mad” Iran like a laser by not wasting time with sanctions or negotiations, but initiating a air strike campaign against all Iranian military facilities.  Victor Davis Hanson argues that the Obama administration is giving tacit approval for Iran to go nuclear through “serial deadlines” and “hope-and-change rhetoric,” in the same way the U.S. emboldened Saddam Hussein with its disinterest in the Kuwait-Iraq border dispute.  He calls for ramped up sanctions, boycotts, embargoes, coupled with strong support for reformers, and possibly a total blockade of Iranian ports.

This comes while President Ahmadinejad is threatening to withdrawhis plans to reform Iran’s subsidy system, which has been approved by Parliament, over worries that it will serve as a lightning rod for the opposition and because of concerns that Ahmadinejad will not have complete control over the spending of saved revenue.

Posted in Diplomacy, Human Rights, Iran, Islamist movements, Journalism, Reform, US foreign policy |