In a statement issued today, 42 senator, who make up a majority of the Senate in the Netherlands, referred to the three-year record of President Khatami and declared that the Iranian regime is not worthy of any support.

The real struggle is not the one between imaginary "moderates" and "conservatives" within the clerical regime, but between the people and the ruling elite, the senators said. The weakness and the unfolding of the regime must not be misinterpreted as signs of moderation.

In such circumstances, it is only through supporting the Iranian people's demands for fundamental changes and backing the goals of the National Council of Resistance of Iran that one can contribute to peace, human rights, tranquillity and stability in the region, the Dutch senators said.

The senators added: The visit to Iran by the Foreign Minister showed once again that the flexibility of Western countries vis-a-vis Tehran has had no positive impact on the human rights situation in Iran.

The statement noted that the rise of resistance operations and activities in Iran, student demonstrations, and popular upheavals in different cities with the chants of "Down with the mullahs' regime" have displayed that the Iranian people are opposed to the ruling regime, even though these protests have been brutally suppressed by the security forces.

The senators also noted that the closure of 18 newspapers in April, the closed-door trial of 13 Iranian Jews, 43 terrorist attacks on dissidents abroad are all further signs that talks of political progress and moderation in Iran are only myths.
 

97% Of Tehran's School Girls Suffer From Bone Disorder, ISNA (State-controlled News Agency), July 25

Out of 1500 girl students, 1450 suffer from drooping shoulder, osteoporosis and deformed pelvis. If not treated, some of these conditions may lead to paralysis.

Since all the girls have to wear long dress and a scarf, they suffer from hair loss and skin infections. Special sport centers that were built for the girls resemble a cage rather than a training center.
 

Playing With The People's Emotions: A Double Edged Sword, (State-controlled daily) Iran News, August 1

It seems as though no morning should dawn in this country without a political crisis of some sort. There may be few countries, if any, in the world that get embroiled in different kinds of political crises in the shortest span of time as Iran does…

Political controversies seemed to be in the doldrums for a few days, when, all of a sudden, the volcanic controversy of the presidential candidacy became wide awake and the force of its eruption roused everyone out of his mid-Summer slumber.

There may still be another nine months left to the beginning of the real event; nonetheless, whipping up the public interest and keep it on all foaming for a whole nine months may prove to be extremely difficult.

This may be a near impossibility in a country, in which everything is looked at in a way as though everybody is tainted and imbued with factional allegiances.

All in all, the controversy of the presidential candidates among various political factions may turn into a political crisis. This danger looms even larger when we take notice of the fact that these controversies give way to tensions in the absence of political parties….

We must take a good and long look at these unholy approaches to make sure we have finally come to the understanding that there is no beauty or attraction in this worrisome game. Political factions in this country are much given to politicizing the masses and exploiting their emotions to further their own ends and interests….

These factions must well be aware of the fact that politicization of the masses may act as a double edged sword that may cut both ways.

It is then highly advisable for these factions to refrain from playing fast and loose with the people's emotions...
 

UN Says Iran Faces Critical Situation From Drought, Reuters, August 3

TEHRAN - Iran's worst drought in 30 years has inflicted severe damage on the country's agriculture and livestock and threatens to displace millions of people, the United Nations said Thursday.

According to a report published by a U.N. fact-finding mission, two years of consecutive drought have affected 18 of Iran's 28 provinces and more than half of the country's 60 million people.

"The overall drought situation is likely to worsen in the months to come, as summer temperatures continue to rise and rain is not expected until November."

The U.N. report said the drought had dried up lakes and other reservoirs, disrupting water flow in 70 percent of rural areas.

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