The truth is that national unity and security are facing a serious danger, and unfortunately the authorities have not so far showed any resolve to manage crises… If we truly believe that the current situation in the country does not serve the interests of any political, religious or national body, and if we indeed accept that the press wars and the expansion of verbal and written violence… is not in line with national interests, then why do we not move to rectify them?

Unfortunately, despite the fact that the supreme leader has announced national unity and security as the two key mottoes of the new year, dubious attitudes of some writers and speakers have intensified, so much so that any newcomer allows himself to play with the country's fundamental pillars. The main threat of 1379 is the destruction of the project of rational reforms, efforts to radicalize demands and the presence of crisis-making, tension-raising elements.

The continuation of the current trend in threatening and destroying the fundamental pillars, legal bodies and political figures makes political options extremely limited and the opportunities shorter, paving the way for undesirable, but of course unavoidable, measures, a situation which would be to the detriment of the supporters of development.
 

Court Admits to Prevalence of Torture during Interrogation, Reuters, April 3

TEHRAN - A top Iranian court official called on the secret police on Monday to hand over suspects held for the shooting of Saeed Hajjarian, to prevent possible mistreatment during questioning, Iran's news agency IRNA said.

"To prevent any conceivable punishment, threats, pressure, or injury to the accused, it is necessary that they be turned over to the justice ministry's department in Tehran...so that interrogations are carried out under the supervision of a judge," IRNA quoted department head Abbasali Alizadeh as saying.
 

News Bites

Agence France Presse, March 31 - Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who still plays an influential role in the regime, on Friday criticized the US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright for supporting the pro-reform movement. "It's the worst hostility and could be harmful to those it supports," he said without elaborating.

Reuters, April 4 - The lower house of the Czech parliament agreed Tuesday to a law that blocks exports of air cooling equipment for an Iranian nuclear power plant.

U.S. officials have said the plant has the potential to be used in a nuclear arms program.

Associated Press, April 4 - The head of a Russian engineering university has been suspended following allegations that the school helped Iran develop missiles by teaching Iranian students, a newspaper said Tuesday.

Baltic State, also known as Voenmekh, is an engineering school that specializes in rocket science and has close ties to the Russian military. Its professors helped design the Soviet Union's nuclear missile fleet in the 1960s and 70s.

Associated Press, April 4 - Iran's Jewish Society has called for a delay in the espionage trial of 13 Iranian Jews and has asked that they be freed on bail to attend religious ceremonies later this month.

In a statement faxed to The Associated Press on Tuesday, the society also demanded the suspects be allowed to meet their families and choose their own lawyers.

Reuters, April 4 - Iran's press court has summoned the head of the official Iranian news agency, IRNA, for the second time in as many months, the agency reported on Tuesday.

Fereydoun Verdinejad, who is closely linked to Khatami's government, was detained briefly by the press court last year on complaints by the police.

(State-controlled) Daily Iran, April 2 - Dr. Fereydoon Foruhari, known as the father of vasectomy in Iran, was murdered by a group of unidentified people. His brother has said that before his assassination, Dr. Foruhari had been threatened that vasectomy was against religion and he would be killed if he continued it.

Agence France Presse, April 2 - A theology student was slain in a Sunni Muslim majority city in Iran by assailants who first questioned him about his religious beliefs, the Asr-e Arzadegan newspaper reported Sunday.

Shamseddin Kiani, 18, was kidnapped, forced into a car, beaten and burned in the southeastern city of Zahedan in Sistan Baluchestan province by unidentified attackers.

Agence France Presse, April 3 - An Iranian religious court judge is suing an author who wrote that the judge was involved in a series of murders of intellectuals and opposition figures in 1998, the Ham Mihan newspaper said Monday.

Author Hamid Reza Kaviani was summoned to appear in court June 28 for his investigative book on the killings, Ham Mihan said.

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