Riehl World View

Rafsanjani Challenges Khamenei

The BBC reports an unconfirm-able Internet report of a million people in the streets of Iran today. That's sounds high, but what is clear is that Rafsanjani issued a direct challenge to Khamenei in his Friday prayer and first public comments since the still disputed election.

He put forth a five-point plan calling for an open media and prisoners from the protests to be released. He was supposedly calling for unity, but it's hard to see the government buying into his rhetoric. This is expected to fuel the protests even more.

One website claimed there were millions of opposition followers on the streets of Tehran, though with foreign media access limited, that is impossible to verify.

Former President Rafsanjani played his trump card, by referring to his friendship with the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini.

 By calling for an open debate about the election result, Mr Rafsanjani was almost openly challenging the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Four weeks ago, from the same pulpit, Mr Khamenei called for an end to discussion about an election result which he declared had been blessed by God.

He quoted Ayatollah Khomeini in ways that appeared to support the opposition's right to demonstrate.

Mr Rafsanjani even called for protesters who have been arrested to be released from prison.

Black Boxes From Iranian Air Crash Found - NYTimes.com

This was a strange cse to begin with. The airplane just did a nosedive into the ground? I'd love to known precisely who all was on that plane. You never know. However, it was Russian built, so it very well may have been a simple failure - sort of what GM will be like now that the US government is running it!

Black Boxes From Iranian Air Crash Found - NYTimes.com.

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Investigators said Thursday they had found two of the three flight data recorders that were on board the Iranian passenger plane that crashed and exploded shortly after takeoff from Tehran on Wednesday. All 168 people aboard the Russian-built airliner were killed, Iran’s state news media said. The plane, leased by Tehran-based Caspian Airlines, had been bound for the Armenian capital of Yerevan.

Iran: Executions Accelerate

And much more via Donald Douglas. Including Obama's befuddled and befuddling response.

Video From Iran

This is the type of regime with which Obama wants to negotiate. Yes, I realize he's backed away from that somewhat for now. But the emphasis should be on "for now".

There were no real surprises in what this regime is like. And let's not forget their efforts in Iraq that targeted the American military. Can you imagine that? Obama is such a liberal ideologue that negotiating with a state actively engaged in covert operations against America was not a problem. Putin must be drawing up new street maps of Georgia and the Ukraine now, so he's prepared.

Obama's tepid change on Iran is born of political necessity, not a change of heart, or an awareness of how evil they are.

Regime thugs shoot down at democracy protesters on the street from a rooftop in Tehran.

Where's Hillary?

Ahmadinejad is demanding that Obama apologize. And the Iranian ambassador is suggesting the CIA killed Neda.

Do we have a State Department? Yes, Hillary broke her elbow, but not her jaw. Could it be that she has enough sense to stay as far away from this disaster for Obama as she can?

Could be ... could be.

Iran: A Tragedy?

In relative terms, the media doesn't seem quite as interested in the events in Iran as you'd think they would be. From that, to this WH, to the streets of Iran, this is, indeed, a tragedy. But tragedies, in the classic sense, often find justice. Will that be true for the heathen's wearing religious garments in Iran? Let's hope so.

Wherever the strength of a man’s intellect, or moral sense, or affection brings him into opposition with the rules which society has sanctioned, there is renewed the conflict between Antigone and Creon; such a man must not only dare to be right, he must also dare to be wrong—to shake faith, to wound friendship, perhaps, to hem in his own powers.

Baharestan Square Massacre?

My God. If this is accurate. (warning gruesome photo of ax wound at link) And there are multiple reports. The phone call below is simply horrific. The WH rescinded the Jul 4th invite. Big freaking whoop. This is the evil Obama couldn't wait to sit down with without pre-conditions? These are the results of his Cairo speech in his view? The Ayatolla he reached out to before the election?

The man is a f&*king disgrace. Stupid wide-eyed liberals. They never learn. If he had any dignity or respect for people he'd cancel his ABC sideshow and allow the news to focus on this. I doubt he will. It's all about what he wants in the end. Pathetic.

This is the Iranian regime, wading into its own unarmed people and axing them to death, bludgeoning women (seen as the greatest threat to the regime) and throwing them to their deaths from pedestrian bridges. The same Iranian regime whose embassy officials are invited to American embassies around the world to celebrate on July 4th, of all things, a successful revolution.

This frantic phone call from a Tehran woman will break your heart as you consider our standard response has been "that there are sets of international norms and principles about violence" and that "the international community is watching." Part of yesterday's response by President Obama in a press conference included "that there is a peaceful path that will lead to stability and legitimacy (of the Iranian regime) and prosperity for the Iranian people. We hope they take it." The Iranian theocratic regime clearly is not interested.

Iran Latest

A complete round up with new video of an alleged sniper attack. Ugly scene in the streets - very ugly.

Latest From Iran

Gateway Pundit is all over the Iran protests. He has some very bad news. Scroll for multiple links.

CRACKDOWN IN BAHARESTAN SQUARE!... 3 People Shot-- Police Will Not Allow Protesters to Assist Them ...Update: 1 Woman Dead ...Update: Several Dead

Some Iranian Clerics Split With Government

I don't believe these are top guys that have taken to the streets with protesters. But it makes a difference in that we're seeing such an open wedge among the clerics. See Donald for more, including news of a protest said to be on for 7:30 AM EST. That could be huge given the government-promised crack down. Then also head over to Gateway Pundit for some Twitter action out of Iran, said to be denouncing government appeasement efforts.

(CNN) -- A photo showing Iranian clerics prominently participating in an anti-government protest speaks volumes about the new face of Iran's opposition movement.

Clerics in robes and turbans join rallies to protest the disputed presidential election results in Iran.

 1 of 2 more photos »  In a blatant act of defiance, a group of Mullahs took to the streets of Tehran, to protest election results that returned incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power.