Khamenei and Ahmadinejad's Iran has recently hanged two men accused of having participated in the protests after the elections and of being "enemies of God" because they supported two opposition movements, the monarchists and the socialists of the People's Mujahedeen. This is just an intimidation against the green movement, mobilized again on February 11, the 31st anniversary of the revolution of 1979.
The two opponents killed were sentenced based on "voluntary" confessions, obtained by threats to their families. A propaganda move of the regime to pass the idea that the green movement is made only by the historical enemies of the Revolution, the monarchists and the communists always persecuted, and also a major threat against anyone who intends to take to the streets in the coming months. Indeed, the clerical area of the Iranian Parliament, as begin a new trial against 16 opponents, including a british citizen, keeps asking to put under accusation the same Moussavi, the presidential candidate defeated by Ahmadinejad's election fraud. Internet meanwhile has stopped working in a wide area of Iran, and according to the opposition is a method adopted by the government to restrict the flow of information, although officially it's a technical problem. And as always go on the arbitrary arrests of political activists and journalists.
While the regime continues with his usual ruthless repression of all dissent and desire for freedom, the rest of the world continues to usual, inconclusive diplomatic ballet. Ahmanejad threaten again to enrich uranium for nuclear fuel, the U.S. and Europe threaten to aggravate the economic sanctions, but Russia and China, as always, oppose the idea and want a diplomatic solution. Relations with the U.S., Britain and France are worsening, but also German companies, starting with Siemens, have decided to limit their commercial relations with Iran. Germany, Italy and France are in fact the main trading partnersof the country. Italy for its part, during the recent visit of Berlusconi in Israel, has promised to limit its economic ties with Iran, but obviously we'll see if the promise of our Prime Minister will be followed by the facts. The problem still remains Russia, ready to defend the Iranian regime and also to hand over the promised long-distance missiles, and China, which continues to oppose any suggestion of tougher sanctions.
The regime's game continues as usual, including openings and threats, and the West is unable to exploit its internal difficulties to weaken it. The story will go on like this until something change, or the protests finally manage to weaken it, or its nuclear threats eventually become severe enough to convince Russia and China to intervene. But today an Iran free of religious fanatics and with normal relations with the rest of the world seems still very far away.
Francesco Defferrari
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