Mr. Ayad Allawi, The former Iraq prime minister, and leader of the Iraqi National Accord in an interview with Al-Zaman daily, said that Iranian regime’s meddling in Iraq are dangerous and emphasized on the legitimacy of presence of the Peoples Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI aka MeK) in Iraq. Ayad Allawi added that pressure imposed by the Iranian regime is an evidence of Iraqi government’s weakness toward the regime in Iran.
He said that all common laws, Islamic, Arabic, international, and United Nations principles permit the acceptance of the political refugees. The PMOI as a political movement is partly in Iraq with limitations in their activities, another part in Iran, and a part in all over the world, he said. Their leaders are in Europe and according to our information are frequently visited by decision making American officials.
Ayad Allawi added: sending off or deporting Mojahedin has no place in Iraqi values or principles. The Iraqi government must have the courage to talk with Iran about the matter and demand that Iranian regime should not interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs.
Al-Zaman added: former prime minister said that statements made by Ahmadinejad to fill Iraq’s security vacuum is a worrisome and dangerous proposition and also expressed concern over Maliki’s government holding back from any reply or reaction to such statement made.
Ayad Allawi said: such statements are clear indication of Ahmadinejad’s evil intentions toward Iraq, and what is even more disturbing is that he considered all who show opposition to Iraq’s prime minister as corrupt and seditious. [/spoiler]
[spoiler title=”Iran’s Baghdad embassy a terror HQ”]
Posted: November 14, 2007
1:00 am Eastern
By Michael Evans
© 2011
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards, or IRG, is using Iran’s Baghdad embassy as its headquarters for secret military operations against coalition forces in Iraq, according to an Iranian opposition group.
Mohammad Mohadessin, spokesman for the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, the parliament-in-exile of the Iranian Resistance, said in a statement that the IRG had transformed the embassy “into the most important center for coordinating its terrorist and intelligence activities against coalition forces.”
IRG officers hold top positions throughout the Iranian government – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for example – so it is not surprising the embassy is under its control. Mohadessin identified four “diplomats” as senior Guards officers, including Ambassador Kazemi Qomi. “They are directly responsible for supervising the transfer of shipments of weapons and ammunition … from Iran to [the Guard’s] proxy forces in Iraq,” he said.
Although Tehran denies it, the U.S. has ample proof the Iranians are behind much of the killing of American soldiers in Iraq, from supplying sophisticated bomb-making material for the IEDs that have caused hundreds of casualties in recent months to infiltrating fighters.
Ironically, in his first state visit to Iran in early September, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki asked his host, President Ahmadinejad, for his support in quelling the violence that threatens to destroy Iraq. Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying, ”Iran will give its assistance to establish complete security in Iraq, because Iraq’s security is Iran’s security.” It was not reported whether Ahmadinejad was smiling when he said that, but evidently Maliki needed reassurance. Just a few weeks later, when both leaders were attending the opening of the U.N. General Assembly, they met again at the Blue Mosque in Queens, New York, following Ahmadinejad’s speech at Columbia University.
Last week, the U.S. imposed sweeping new sanctions against the IRG, because of Tehran’s support for terrorism and nuclear weapons ambitions. The ban targeted three of Iran’s largest banks and eight individuals Washington said were engaged in trading missiles and supporting terrorist groups throughout the Middle East. This is the first time the U.S. has put a military force of a sovereign government in the same category as al-Qaida, Hamas and Hezbollah.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards is a select force of some 200,000 members that is separate from the country’s regular military. It has its own ground, naval and air divisions. Guards members in southern Iraq are training Shiite militias to use mortars and rockets, according to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of U.S. forces south of Baghdad. He noted that rocket attacks were becoming “more accurate and more effective” due to the Iranians.
Mohadessin also said the IRG had taken over some of Iran’s most lucrative companies and is profiting from trade with the European Union. “Over the years the [IRG] has created financial sources which do not fall under the control of the government,” he said. “A major portion of the $40 billion in [non-petroleum] EU trade is now done with [the IRG], its affiliates, and its front companies.”
This would seem to be a good place for Europe to apply pressure and help stop Tehran’s march toward manufacturing nuclear weapons. But that would be expecting too much, even of countries within range of Iran’s ballistic missiles. Christiane Hohmann, spokeswoman for the EU External Relations Commission, said the 27-nation bloc had not yet imposed sanctions on Iran. “There is no economic embargo against Iran in place and no economic sanctions; there are export restrictions in place with regard to dual-use goods,” she said.
Doesn’t the word appeasement mean anything to the Europeans after World War II? Iran is less a theological regime than a military dictatorship, and the IRG dominates political, economic and cultural life, while protecting the ayatollahs and Ahmadinejad from opposition at home. Besides being Iran’s top imam, Supreme Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is commander in chief of the armed forces, and has exploited his control over the IRG to fortify his rule.
View Source Here [/spoiler]
[spoiler title=”Ahmadinejad faces angry students in Tehran”]
NCRI – Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the mullahs’ president, met with basiji (paramilitary force) students in Tehran Science and Technology University (TSTU) on Monday while other students were prevented to attend his visit.
All lectures were cancelled to prevent any student gathering against Ahmadinejad, while basiji students from other universities such as Allameh, AmirKabir, KhajeNasir, Imam Sadeq and Imam Hossein were transferred to the gathering by buses.
The State Security Forces arrested three students from Tehran’s Polytechnic University who were trying to enter TSTU to protest against Ahmadinejad.
In spite of all suppressive measures, some students managed to enter the gathering and raise their voice against repression in universities. Students called for the release of their jailed classmates and the removal of all restrictions and suppressive measures imposed on them. They were chanting, “Jailed students must be released” and “Freedom, Freedom.”
Clashes erupted when mobs (basijis) attacked the students who were calling for the release of the three detainees from Amir Kabir University. [/spoiler]
