The Iranian regime squashed it. Even though Green supporters hit the streets in Tehran and smaller cities like Isfahan and Shiraz on Tuesday, they appeared to be outnumbered by security forces, according to accounts on opposition websites. There were also reports of arrests and sporadic clashes between riot police and demonstrators on some opposition sites. Still, the presence of demonstrators in the streets of large Iranian cities for the first time in a year shows that the Green Movement hasn’t been completely snuffed out. “You can’t gauge the amount of support for the opposition by the number of people in the streets. The strong crackdown by the government keeps many people away,” says Hossein Bastani, an Iran analyst based in Paris. “But when there’s any people at all in the streets, it still rattles the regime.”

What is this crackdown really about? Holding on to power is what it is about. With parliamentary elections upcoming in March, the regime is worried, and they are doing all in their power to quash dissent now.

If you haven’t been paying close attention to what is happening in Syria, yesterday’s announcement that the United States is closing its embassy in Damascus might have caught your attention. This extraordinary diplomatic move is a stark demonstration of the growing danger the unfolding situation posed to American diplomats, as well as a harsh condemnation of the Syrian regime’s brutality against its own people.

For those who have been paying attention to the unfolding crisis in Syria there is all too much evidence of the barbarity of the Assad regime. Social media sites are replete with shocking (and often stomach turning) footage that exposes the horror of what is currently happening on the streets of this eastern Mediterranean country. Images and reporting from Dera’a, Homs, Aleppo, Hama and increasingly, Damascus, offer disturbing accounts of what is happening on the ground. If any doubt remains, it shouldn’t. It is clear that Bashar is his father’s son.

While what we see is the behavior of the Syrian Government, there are other important and influential forces involved. What we often miss is the story taking place beyond the grainy and gruesome videos posted on the web. An important and underreported aspect of this intense violence is the role being played by the Iranian regime. For months, those watching the region have indicated that Tehran is offering material support to the Assad regime’s brutality, and more recent reports have placed Iran at the center of the violence.

Haaretz reported recently that Qassem Suleimani, the head of Iran’s Quds Force, has been offering military direction to Bashar Assad and Syrian forces in their efforts to suppress growing unrest. Al-Arabiyahas reported that the Free Syrian Army, the principal irregular force fighting the Syrian military, detained seven Iranians, five of them members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, while fighting in Homs.

There are few governments as practiced in brutality as the one in Iran, and they seem eager to share their know-how. For Assad, it’s little wonder that assistance in suppressing a peaceful domestic uprising has become Iran’s most valuable export. Lest we forget, the “Arab Spring” largely took its inspiration from Iran’s “Green Movement.” We all remember how in 2009, in the wake of tainted elections when thousands of young Iranians took to the streets, their efforts at peaceful protest were brutally suppressed by pro-regime thugs. Hundreds, if not thousands, of student activists were arrested, and when in prison they were subjected to unspeakable acts of torture.

Likewise, it should be little surprise that Iran would involve itself in Syria. Syria and Iran have been in an awkward embrace for decades, and Tehran is in a unique position to provide guidance to a regime struggling to crush a budding democratic movement. We are reminded of the Iranian regime’s proficiency in this regard nearly every day. Over the past month alone, at least ten journalists, bloggers, and other independent commentators have found themselves behind bars on various trumped up charges. And over the last several days, Tehran has taken to targeting the families of BBC journalists.

Sadly, the Iranian regime has treated its own people with extreme brutality for the past thirty years, and it has often proved its willingness to suppress domestic dissent. It is a system dedicated to the suppression of dissent by women, ethnic and religious minorities, independent media, labor activists and anyone bold enough to stand up to the theocratic order. Sadly, the brutality of the regime is a byproduct of an ideology, and a system, that demands deference to a select cadre. It is important not to forget that this is a revolution and a system of government that Iran’s leaders have promised to export throughout the Middle East.

There are few places that the Iranian regime has succeeded in the export of its influence more successfully than Syria. And because of that, we shouldn’t be surprised that a hallmark of Iran’s post revolutionary order, violence targeting civilians, is now on prominent display in Syria’s towns and villages. At a moment like this, it is important to remember that Iran’s most important export isn’t petroleum, carpets, or pistachios; it is violence.

Iran’s leaders are confronting continued domestic political problems, a stalling economy, and an uncertain regional dynamic as the effects of the Arab Spring unfold. Elite infighting has reached new levels, as the rift grows between Supreme Leader Khamenei and President Ahmadi-nejad. The regime has intensified attacks on prominent government officials and their families, as well, including former President Ali Hashemi-Rafsanjani. The infighting has worsened in the runup to the legislative elections in March and the presidential election in 2013, especially in the wake of Khamenei’s musings in October 2011 that the popularly elected president could be replaced by a prime minister chosen by the legislature.

This latest wave of arrests of journalists and bloggers comes at a time when authorities have redoubled their efforts to control the flow of information on the internet. On January 4, local newspapers printed new regulations issued by Iran’s new cyber police unit that gave internet cafes 15 days to install security cameras and begin collecting personal information from customers for tracking purposes.

“Unfortunately it seems the only lesson authorities learned from the popular protests that followed the disputed election 2009 is that the free flow of information is an existential threat to their ability to rule absolutely,” Stork said.

These efforts by the Iranian regime to stifle the free flow of information are disturbing. Sadly, we can expect more of the same over the next two months.

Much to the sorrow of young girls in Iran, the Associated Press has reported that police have closed down several toy shops for selling the popular Barbie dolls, in relation to a long-time crackdown against “manifestations of Western culture.” It’s unclear whether the regime will be taking further action against popular brands such as: Legos, G.I. Joe, or My Little Pony, but we can only speculate that they are probably not off the table. Barbie fans in Iran will be forced to resort to Black Market purchases of Barbie products to get the latest collections.

Is a government that cracksdown on childrens toys to be taken seriously? Despite claiming that Barbie dolls infiltrate the purity of Iran, state-run television broadcasts movies from Hollywood every week. Hypocrisy shakes its ugly head once again.

]]> http://www.iran180.org/iran180/black-market-barbies/feed/ 16 http://www.iran180.org/uncategorized/who-imports-made-in-iran/ http://www.iran180.org/uncategorized/who-imports-made-in-iran/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:28:00 +0000 Iran180 http://www.iran180.org/?p=1806 With the US and EU increasing sanctions on Iran and encouraging other countries to follow suit, we decided to take a closer look at which countries are importing products from the Islamic Republic. From a 2010 report, oil income accounts for 80% of Iran’s foreign currency revenues and 60% of the nation’s overall budget.

Among those numbers, the top 5 Iranian importing countries are as follows:

1. 16.3% of all Iranian exports go to China
2. 13.1% of all Iranian exports go to India
3. 11.5% of all Iranian exports go to Japan
4. 7.1% of all Iranian exports go to South Korea
5. 4.2% of all Iranian exports go to Turkey.

As a coalition of organizations demanding that Iran stop its nuclear weapons program, we at Iran180 understand that it is increasingly important that countries importing product from Iran understand the implications of doing so. Let’s choose a safer world over hardline ideology.

To further supplement this post, here’s a map laying out where key petroleum sector facilities are located.

Amir’s nightmare began when he visited Iran this past Summer to see family. Amir, who had worked as a translator with the Marines in Afghanistan, made stringent efforts to notify the Iranian government of his background, specifically seeking assurances that his experience in the U.S. military wouldn’t cause him problems. He was assured by the Iranian interest section of the Swiss Embassy in Washington, DC that his visit would be uneventful. Instead, he was arrested and charged with espionage. Any evidence during his trial did not back up the accusations of spying. 

We are asking you to help spread the word about his situation. You can do this by “liking” this campaign on Facebook, as well as by sharing it with your friends and colleagues. Amir Hekmati is a patriotic young American who was arrested, detained, and threatened with death because of who he is, not because of anything he has done. It is important that you, and every American, know the name of the latest victim of Iran’s capricious and cruel behavior.

You can check out the Facebook campaign here. Please be sure to share with friends, and to let the world know about Amir’s cause.

This helpful info-graphic from the New York Times makes clear where sanctioning Iran’s oil sector is going to elicit the most pain, and which countries will either need waivers in 180 days, or stand to cut themselves off from U.S. markets. The main challenge will be in Asia, the destination for well over half of Iran’s oil exports.