Iranian cleric says British Embassy employees will be tried

[jimmy olsen]

 What ridiculous crap.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran4-2009jul04,0,7171229.story

Iranian cleric says British Embassy employees will be tried

Ahmad Jannati, head of the Guardian Council, says Iran's enemies 'made an effort to poison the people' during post-election unrest. European Union nations consider pulling ambassadors from Tehran.
By Borzou Daragahi
6:37 AM PDT, July 3, 2009
Reporting from Beirut -- A senior Iranian cleric said today that several employees of the British Embassy in Tehran arrested in recent days would be put on trial for unspecified charges of acting against Iran's national security, potentially escalating a confrontation with the West over last month's disputed presidential election.

Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, head of the conservative Guardian Council, said in a Friday prayer sermon that the employees, all of them Iranian nationals, "will definitely be tried" for taking part or promoting weeks of unrest surrounding the June 12 election, which was marred by opposition allegations of massive vote-rigging.


"The enemy made an effort to poison the people," Jannati, who is politically close to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told worshipers gathered in Tehran. "They had planned a velvet revolution before the election . . . A number of people at the British Embassy were arrested for involvement in the unrests and they will definitely be tried."

Eight or nine employees of the embassy's political section were arrested last weekend. All but three have been released, according to Iranian state media.

European Union nations summoned Iranian ambassadors today to complain about the arrests in a coordinated response, news agencies reported.

EU nations are weighing the possibility of pulling all 27 member nations' ambassadors from Tehran and imposing a travel ban on Iranian officials to protest the arrests, but want to wait for Iran's next move regarding the embassy employees, European news media reported.

The comments by Jannati, a hard-line octogenarian cleric, are in line with an official effort to paint days of massive protests and rioting over Ahmadinejad's reelection as the work of Iran's foreign enemies, notably Britain, which has a long, tangled history of involvement in Iranian affairs.

Jannati's Guardian Council recently reaffirmed Ahmadinejad's reelection after a partial recount of ballots in a vote many critics said was flawed. The council ignored opposition leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi's charge that ballot boxes were taken to military bases after they left polling stations, contending most election violations were minor.

Official photographs of the recount showed thousands of unfolded ballots, even though voters were required to fold their ballots before dropping them into boxes. At least some votes for Ahmadinejad appear to have been written in the same handwriting, according to the official photographs.

"Utmost attention was paid to deal with [election] complaints," Jannati insisted to worshipers. "There were no problems with the elections."

He blamed protesters for damage to private property during street clashes, even as amateur video has surfaced showing security forces smashing cars windows and damaging motorcycles.

"You set fire to buses and public property. In whose interest are you doing so?" Jannati said, addressing the protesters.

Even as hundreds of Mousavi's supporters and other dissidents languish in prison as a result of a massive crackdown, Jannati called for unity.

"No matter what political line you follow, the world is constantly watching this country," he said. "We have a global mission. Now should we fight against each other? We should abide by the law and make up for the past."

[Ed Anger]

Good.

[jimmy olsen]

Good.

What do you have against the British embassy staff in Iran? 

[Ed Anger]

Good.

What do you have against the British embassy staff in Iran? 

Down with the English and their local lackeys.

[Valmy]

There is a reason we don't have an embassy there.

the world is constantly watching this country

We watch your leadership like others stare at circus freaks.

[garbon]

What do you have against the British embassy staff in Iran? 

He has an irrational hated of the British but loves the French. Go figure.

[Ed Anger]

What do you have against the British embassy staff in Iran? 

He has an irrational hated of the British but loves the French. Go figure.

Plus, I know Tim will bite at anything thrown out there.

[Valmy]

What do you have against the British embassy staff in Iran? 

He has an irrational hated of the British but loves the French. Go figure.

He hates England because he had a shitty time while visiting London IIRC.

[garbon]

He hates England because he had a shitty time while visiting London IIRC.

AKA irrational.

[Ed Anger]

What do you have against the British embassy staff in Iran? 

He has an irrational hated of the British but loves the French. Go figure.

He hates England because he had a shitty time while visiting London IIRC.

Shitty time there  + exposure to the English on the Internet (with exceptions) + exposure to the English IRL (with exceptions) + David Beckham + Sasha Baron Cohen + soccer + BBC = I hate England

There is the formula.

[garbon]

Shitty time there  + exposure to the English on the Internet (with exceptions) + exposure to the English IRL (with exceptions) + David Beckham + Sasha Baron Cohen + soccer + BBC = I hate England

There is the formula.

I'm not sure why you have to be so wordy about it.

[Razgovory]

What do you have against the British embassy staff in Iran? 

He has an irrational hated of the British but loves the French. Go figure.

Plus, I know Tim will bite at anything thrown out there.

It's so sad too.

[jimmy olsen]

He hates England because he had a shitty time while visiting London IIRC.

AKA irrational.

I don't see how reacting to real life experiences is irrational.

[Hansmeister]

At least Iran still has a friend in Obama:

Share | 

Last update - 15:30 03/07/2009     


Report: U.S. to block Iran sanctions at G8 summit 

By Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondent 

Tags: Iran, Nuclear Program   

 

The United States is opposed to enacting a new set of financial sanctions against Iran that are due to be discussed in the G8 summit next week, diplomatic officials in New York reported Friday.

According to officials, sanctions against Iran are expected to top the G8's agenda. Sources are also predicting a pointed debate between the heads of the industrialized nations over an appropriate response to Iranian authorities' suppression of reformist demonstrations in Iran led by Mir Hossein Mousavi and other Iranian opposition leaders.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi hinted in a newspaper interview earlier in the week that the G8 is due to decide on new financial sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Berlusconi disclosed that he had spoken with the heads of the G8 nations and has discussed such steps with them.
Advertisement


According to the Italian prime minister, "the general leaning [among G8 leaders] is toward sanctions."

However, diplomatic sources in New York reported that American officials are working behind the scenes to prevent new sanctions from being imposed against Iran.

U.S. officials claimed that a tough stance toward Iran could backfire, bringing about an opposite outcome to that desired by those who support such measures.

The Obama administration, according to the diplomatic sources, has discarded the notion of direct talks with Iran. However, the United States is still interested in re-engaging Iran through the renewed discussion of its nuclear program through the six permanent United Nations Security Council members.

American officials expressed concern that a decision to enact harsh steps against Iran during the G8 meeting could badly hurt the prospect of Tehran agreeing to renew negotiations with the permanent Security Council members.

In addition to U.S. reluctance to enact fresh sanctions, G8 members Russia and China have been known to oppose any punitive steps against Tehran.

The Security Council has already imposed several rounds of sanctions against Iran, including a weapons embargo and a ban on supplying Iran any materials which could be used to advance its disputed nuclear program.

New sanctions could include forbidding western oil companies from maintaining commercial ties with Iran. 

[Ed Anger]

Shitty time there  + exposure to the English on the Internet (with exceptions) + exposure to the English IRL (with exceptions) + David Beckham + Sasha Baron Cohen + soccer + BBC = I hate England

There is the formula.

I'm not sure why you have to be so wordy about it.

I was bored.