Persian Realm

Turkish minister denied Kurd access

Turkish minister denied Kurd access (cnn)

Istanbul (CNN) -- The Iraqi government in Baghdad denied permission Tuesday for Turkey's energy minister to fly to the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. 

• The Turkish energy minister was on his way to the Kurdish region in northern Iraq
• A Turkish official says the minister's plane was forced to turn around in midair
• The incident comes at a time of heightened tension between Ankara and Baghdad

Iraqi refugees flee Syrian conflict

Iraqi refugees flee Syrian conflict (bbc, video)

During the height of Iraq's civil war, neighbouring Syria was a sanctuary for Iraqis but as the Syrian conflict has intensified Iraqi refugees have again been forced to flee, back to their homeland.

Tens of thousands of Iraqi families have made the journey back to a country that is still not safe. Dozens of civilians have died in bomb attacks this week alone.

Caroline Hawley reports from Baghdad. 

Iraq: 21 people executed in one day

Iraq: 21 people executed in one day (cnn)

Baghdad (CNN) -- Iraqi authorities executed 21 people, including three women, after they were convicted of terrorism and spent months on death row, the nation's Ministry of Justice reported Tuesday. 

• Prisoners were executed after terrorism convictions
• Prisoners put to death Monday in what appears to be latest of several executions in Iraq
• 65 people were put to death in the first 40 days of 2012, U.N. says

In pictures: Syrian refugee camp in Iraqi Kurdistan

In pictures (bbc)

Life under canvas at refugee camp for Syrians in Iraqi Kurdistan

19 die in PKK clashes in south Turkey

19 die in PKK clashes in south Turkey (cnn)

(CNN) -- Fighting between Kurdish rebels and government troops in southeastern Turkey killed more than a dozen people over the weekend, according to the semi-official Anatolia news agency.

Six soldiers, two village guards and 11 fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, were killed when the rebels attacked a military station in the village of Gecimli in Hakkari province late Saturday night, the agency said.

Fifteen other soldiers were wounded in the attack.

• Rebels attack a military station in Hakkari province
• Turkey has been fighting the PKK since 1984
• The U.S. and the European Union have labeled the PKK a terrorist organization

Tribal ties put pressure on Iraq as Syrian refugees stream in

The Syrian refugees putting Iraq's government under pressure

Perched on top of an army Humvee on a road parallel with the Syrian border, an Iraqi gunner sits with a clear view of al-Boukamal, the city on the other side.

"They never stopped shelling the place last night," he tells me, as we wait for the next busload of Syrian refugees.

On the Iraqi side, in al-Qaim, army jeeps patrol the street; in contrast, on the Syrian side there is very little movement.

Iraqi soldiers say all they can see from time-to-time are occasional tractors farming the land, and men in traditional Arab robes driving around in motorcycles.

"They are the Free Syrian Army. We haven't spoken to them yet," said one Iraqi soldier standing guard opposite the Syrian meadow.

Crisis in Syria emboldens country's Kurds

Syria's Kurds emboldened (bbc)

By Wyre Davies BBC News

What is happening in Syria cannot be taken in isolation. The protracted upheaval in one of the Middle East's biggest, most powerful and most influential countries is affecting the entire region and, most critically, its immediate neighbours.

Like Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon Turkey has already absorbed - almost without hesitation - thousands of Syrians fleeing the fighting, in particular from the northern cities of Hama and Aleppo.

Turkey is understandably concerned that the number of civilians fleeing across its relatively open southern border will increase as the fighting intensifies in Syria.

Some of those refugees also bring their own political baggage with them and there have already been disturbances in the border camps.

Occasionally ethnic and regional tensions spill over as thousands of displaced Syrians live cheek by jowl in tents under the blisteringly hot summer sum.

But for Turkey, the refugee issue is a mere inconvenience compared to what it thinks will be the biggest fall-out of the Syrian crisis - the Kurds and Kurdistan. 

Turkey warns it would strike PKK fighters inside Syria

AFP - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Syria of letting Turkey's Kurdish rebels operate inside the north of the country and warned that Ankara would not hesitate to strike against them.

"In the north, it (President Bashar al-Assad's regime) has allotted five provinces to the Kurds, to the terrorist organisation," Erdogan said on Turkish television late Wednesday, referring to the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK).

He said the move was explicitly aimed against Turkey and warned that "there will undoubtedly be a response on our part to this attitude."

Asked if Ankara would strike fleeing rebels after an attack on Turkish soil, Erdogan said: "That's not even a matter of discussion, it is a given. That is the objective, that is what must be done."

"That is what we have been doing and will continue to do in Iraq," he said during a programme aired on Kanal 24.

"If we occasionally launch aerial strikes against terrorist areas it's because these are measures taken because of defence needs."

Turkey regularly bombs suspected Kurdish rebel hideouts in northern Iraq.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and by much of the international community, took up arms in Kurdish-majority southeastern Turkey in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed some 45,000 lives.

Turkey in new air strikes on Kurdish rebels in Iraq

Turkey's military has confirmed further air strikes against Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq.

It said nine attacks were carried out by Turkish aircraft on hideouts of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), mostly in the Qandil region.

Last Wednesday the military said it had carried out similar strikes, a day after eight Turkish soldiers and 26 PKK rebels were killed in clashes.

The air strikes come amid Turkey's row with Syria over a downed Turkish jet.

Turkish troops 'killed by Kurdish rebels'

At least eight Turkish soldiers have been killed and 16 wounded in an ambush by Kurdish rebels.

The attack took place in Yuksekova, near the border with Iraq and Iran. Ground troops and combat helicopters are pursuing the assailants, according to state TV.

Several thousand Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels are believed to be based in hideouts in northern Iraq.

Turkey charges Kurd with 'lemon' accused of supporting terror

Turkey charges Kurd over lemon (bbc)

A Turkish prosecutor has demanded that a Kurdish man who is deaf, illiterate and unable to speak be jailed for 25 years for supporting terrorism.

Darius Jaan and Sigmund Jaan

Thank you anglophile Jan

Will check your links with great interest.

Glad we see eye to eye ...

So good to have someone who finally understands my point of view and who takes the time to read what I am writing and clearly sees what I am actually suggesting after more than 12 years of online activism on this very website.

It was long due ...

Cheers buddy

DK 

mother teresa of tehran

each time i visit mr kadivar's blogs, i am delighted by the level of civility & patriotism displayed. plus i can always read my respected friend, mr anglophile's comments.

as for princess ashraf pahlavi; my uncle shmuel (god bless his soul) who used to do construction projects in tehran - including a big hotel in a beautiful northern suburb of tehran, which still stands to this day with much improved   services - had the honor of meeting her a couple of times. he described princess ashraf as "mother teresa of tehran".

Honorary Fellow, Wadham College Oxford

The name of Princess Ashraf Pahlavi appears among the current holders of the title of Honorary Fellows at Wadham College, University of Oxfod, where princess made a donation of £250,000 towards the establishment of the Persian section of the College Library.

Honorary Fellows

//www.wadham.ox.ac.uk/fellows-staff/staff/visiting-honorary-foundation-and-emeritus-fellows.html 

That was one Gem of a comment Darius Jaan

I agree with EVERY SINGLE WORD OF IT. You have packed some much thruth in so little a space. And to me the true but as the same time the saddest part of your comment is this:

 "The sad fact is that they will win on the long run because they have managed to convince the majority of the youth to endorse their repeated LIES"

as well as:

"Constitutional Monarchists are also to blame for not organizing themselves into a major political force beyond the man or woman who they hope to see embody the institution they uphold in their hearts. Just like the Fossilized JM They left the political battle in the hands of an old and dying generation hostage to old memories and bitter rivalries"

Top kudos to your wisdom and the depth of your understanding of the realities that surround us. 

I strongly believe that these so called liberals or demcrats "need" the Pahlavi era as a means of reminding us of their identities. The identities that they have created in their imaginations and keep repeating it to brain-wash the people. When they are challenged about their imaginary identities they either redicule their challengers, insult them, or dismiss them as liers.

One such challenge I threw at Mohammad Amini, bother of Fariba, last week,  who as a self-cofessed non-impartial "historian!!" continues to spread his hyped up and beautified version of Mossadegh. See my challenge to him here (first comment):

//iranian.com/main/blog/shohre-46

And this week I suddenly found my five minutes of fame by being referred to in this week's instalment of Amini-Assemi interview. But instead of responding to my points Amini tries to compare the Shah's period with Mossadegh's and as always reaching his own self-suited conclusions (fast forward to position 23:56 of the follwoing video and listen to the next five minutes please) :

//iranian.com/main/blog/shohre-48

Shoreh Assemi deliberately omits the part that I had written regarding Hossein Fatemi and his newspaper's relentless defamatory insults against the Pahlavis.

But no matter how frequent they lie and keep the nation hotage to their lies, I know that you and I will keep the flag flying and speak the truth.

All the best Darius jaan and once again thank you for your thruthful pen and your sharp intellect.

anglophile jan Jomhurykhahan bah dorough oomadan sareh kar

anglophile jan Jomhurykhahan ( Secular or Not) bah dorough oomadan sareh kar va Bah hamoon Dorougha ham beh keshvar bar khahand gasht ...

LIMITS TO HAMBASTEGHI: Fravahar on impossibiity of Rallying Jomhurykhahs (Secular or Not)

They will never  take responsibility for their own shortcomings even if hundreds of thousands of their fellow compatriots were to be massacred tomorrow like in Syria today ...

But will be the first to throw the stone and demand accountability from us Monarchists ( Constitutionalist or Not).  

I don't think there is a more intellectually corrupt and dishonest lot than these folks ( who often even use Royal Avatars to claim some form of patriotic lineage or legitimacy) ...

It's Pathetic  to see that they are alas actually far more numerous than meets the eye to think this way including amongst those who claim to be "thinkers" and "historians" in our community who will continue in their efforts to revise history only to fit their own ideological and republican agenda no matter how much lies and deciet they can vociferate to that effect.

The sad fact is that they will win on the long run because they have managed to convince the majority of the youth to endorse their repeated LIES :

 United4Iran

Goebells was right when he said: "repeat a Lie a 1000 times and it becomes the Truth ! " 

because most have not even lived during that era and are ready to believe any crap fed to them as long as it is done in a sophisticated vocabulary ...

Shadi Sadre's Rebuttal of Massoud Behnoud's Endorsement of IRI Constitution

DEATH - VERTISING ? Mehrangiz Kar Claims Husband was No More a Monarchist

Too much damage has been done in terms of character assassination by these Jomhurykhah folks ( Secular or Not) against the Pahlavis and the very essence of the monarchy to ever be corrected or overcome no matter how hard one tries to offer in terms of factual evidence on their lies and deceit.

You can thank the Massoud Behnoud's, Ramin Jahanbegloos, Nikahang Kowsar ( who when asked who he admires most between the Shah and Mossadegh chooses Mossadegh, despite the fact that he wasn't even born at the time of the so called Coup) Maziar Baharis, Touraj Daryaee( author of an accliamed book revising Sassanian History), Abbas Milani (even if I respect him more than the rest), Katouzians and all the rest of the usual suspects who are privaledged by Diaspora Media Outlets be them on BBC Persian, VOA, and nearly all the Online Magazines, even the Artists like Kiosk, Namjoo, Parazit's Saman Arbabi and the rest of these guys who want to appear "cool" are dsiplaying the same political correct ignorant biais against our Royal Heritage which they want to boil down to "tyranny" against the "masses" which these Gauch Caviar "Liberal Democrats" claim to only understand ( but we don't ?) and represent and take upon themselves to speak on their behalf ...

BROKEN RECORD: Woman on IRI TV “We're Only good at shouting slogans since Shah Left”

Unfortunately The divorce between the Monarchy and the nation at large has alas been consumed due to the manichean efforts of this lot ...

Or at least is represented as such by most Diaspora Media Outlets who refuse to give voice to their contradictors or even when they invite someone supposed to be a monarchist choose the least representative or hardly an intellectual or even barely witty person with academic credentials to be able to contradict the Republican front whom they on the otherhand always happen to be represented by academicians (ALL of whom Share the same negative Outlook on the Monarchy and on the Pahlavis in particular):  

I'm familiar with these journalistic tactics ... 

All that so as to suggest to the viewers of BBC Persian or VOA, Radio Farda or others that: "See We Warned you ... these Monarchists are all Fascists and Fanatics who can't offer one valid argument in defense of the Monarchy or Iran's past":

Some hypocrisy ! 

No wonder Kambiz Hosseini ( who wasn't even born during the revolution but belongs to a generation who was sacrificed by the previous spoiled one) got fed up with all these Fake "rebels" with a sivler spoon in their mouth and decided to leave Parazit ...

Constitutional Monarchists are also to blame for not organizing themselves into a major political force beyond the man or woman who they hope to see embody the institution they uphold in their hearts. Just like the Fossilized JM They left the political battle in the hands of an old and dying generation hostage to old memories and bitter rivalries:

Shahram Homayoun Slams Former Pahlavi Era Ministers for Lack of Loyalty

How else can you then explain that a young guy like Trita Parsi hardly born at the time of the Revolution has managed to pull off so well to be heard on Capitol hill and be invited at major media networks and conferences and have a young, intelligent and dynamic staff to support his ideological stance (however dubious and treacherous in my book) but we monarchists hardly have even a website to defend and promote our ideas nor have we been able to be taken seriously by be it the media outlets or the young generation ? 

Crown Prince Reza on importance of "Checks and Balances" of future regime

All we have managed to do is shoot in our own foot from both ends of our very own Constituency ... 

Crown Prince Reza : «Saeed Sakuee & ‘Moronic’ Likeminds Don’t Represent Genuine Monarchists»

But It seems to me it will be impossible to overcome our own political shortcomings and lack of organizational skills even with our far too apologetic current "heir" who is content to be called "citizen" ... If you see what I mean ... 

Crown Prince Reza's Tribute to Mehrdad Mashayekhi (1953-2011)

"A Country that Loses it's Poetic Vision is a Country that faces death"-Saul Bellow.

Wrong JasonDeerooz

That was the "price" of making peace with Iraq. Barzani was the loser but the Kurds were not having a jolly good time under Saddam either. Ask Erfan Ghanei-Fard!

DK jaan, you forgot one minor detail

The 80,000 Kurdish refugees ended up in Iran because Ashraf's brother was going to sell  them out to Saadam after he decided to make peace with Iraq. 

اشرف خانم در شانزه لیزه

چنان با چتر، مینی ژوپ و ادا اطوار در کمپ پناهندگان راه میره انگار رفته شانزه لیزه.  مشخصه که برای یک نمایش رفته برای اینکه حتّی یک لحظه هم به جمعیت که براش دارن کف میزنن نزدیک نمیشه.  مثل اینکه برای سازمان ملل یا جایی فیلم تبلیغاتی خواسته درست کنه. 

یه دقیقه هم وایستا حرف مردم رو گوش کن.  همینه که آخوندها از پهلوی ها قدرت مردم خر کردنشون قوی تر بوده.

It is always reliable and believable

when people quote Wikipedia.....Pahleez,

Sources ..

There are several sources that detail her involvement with CIA and SIS in the coup against Mossadegh.
Here's one: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Ashraf_Pahla...

You can search and find many more articles and decide for yourself.

Most analysts believe that Shah's family (particularly Ashraf, Shams, Gholamreza as well as Valagoharha) involvement in the corruptions played a major role leading to his overthrow.

BeninTx

Benin of Texas!

Would you be kind and tell us how Princess Ashraf was involved with torture and execution of thousands of people?

۳۲ سال گذشت و

please show us

the documents that you are refering to for these two claims. (Please, nothing from keyhan shariatmadari!) :

->The connection between Ashraf Pahlavi and drug trafficking has been well documented.

-> she played an important role convincing the Shah for the overthrow of Dr. Mossadegh (Operation Ajax)

Now why in the world the woman that has everything needs to get into drug dealing?  and what was her important role in this so called operation Ajax?

Ashraf, another corrupted member ...

The connection between Ashraf Pahlavi and drug trafficking has been well documented. While she was active in women's Rights, behind the scene she played an important role convincing the Shah for the overthrow of Dr. Mossadegh (Operation Ajax) which changed the history of Iran to what we witness today.

Ashraf with huge influence also was instrument for tortures and execution of thousands who dared to criticize her or the Shah. She enjoyed a lavish life style. In Iran, she is believed to have thrown parties inviting distinguished guest from all over the World, and have "Private" companionship with several Iranian singers and movie stars. Not to mention her life style in Europe and American casinos and nightclubs and reportedly losing and spending tens of millions dollars on each trip.

Now, DK (Gholam-e-Jan-Nesar)'s Shah, keep advertising for Monarchy. Obviously it has worked for you. All you do all day to is Googling and advertizing Monarchy which has no place in future Iran.

I have visited Iran several times since the Revolution, and despite people being unhappy with IR, I yet to find anyone who would lean toward another Monarchy.

That idea is DEAD.

BeninTx