Con Coughlin of The Telegraph reports:
"Senior officers in Iran's Revolutionary Guards have written a letter to their commanding officer demanding assurances that they will not be required to open fire on anti-government demonstrators.
Western diplomats, who have also seen the letter and confirm its authenticity, say it has now been passed to Mr Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's Supreme Ruler, although no official response has been forthcoming."
A lot of folks are under the mistaken impression the Revolutionary Guards are the force involved in crowd control operations following the post-2009 election unrest in Iran. They're not.
NAJA, Iran's national law enforcement and its branches, is the primary agency involved in these efforts, and not the IRGC. The IRGC has not been engaged in such operations. Furthermore, NAJA is currently under orders to employ less lethal force in its antiriot operations.
So obviously the letter is a not-so-clever forgery.
(Anyone in possession of a copy of this letter is encouraged to send it to Uskowi on Iran. We could use a laugh)
"Less Lethal" only means they can't outright deliberately murder protesters YET.
ReplyDeleteThey're still killing people when they get the chance.
The headline "The Telegraph gets fooled by forged 'IRGC letter'" is far too kind to the Telegraph hacks, as it implies that they are the unwitting victims of a campaign of deception, rather than being its originators. "British media begin yet another round of anti-Iran lies and disinformation" would have been a better lead.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that basing your argument on the assumption that people think the IRG is currently involved in crowd suppression.
ReplyDeleteThe real issue is that the people can stand up to anything short of military when they are in great numbers. The regular army is composed of citizens, so it is of the people, the IRG is not quite the same.
If such a letter was actually sent it would give hope that surely the regular army and IRG asking questions implies the people only have to overcome the likes of the Basij.
If it were a fake, it would mean that there is potentially an even bigger hurdle than expected for the brave citizens to overcome.
It is my understanding the basij operate under the control of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps
ReplyDeleteThe Basij do operate under the direct control of the IRGC, and the Basij are the ones on motorcycles, going into university dorms, carrying knives, maces, and electric cattle prods. The national police forces are the ones you see with helmets and normal looking riot gear and they aren't the most brutal of the bunch. Plus, the IRGC is the most powerful security force in the country, and is therefore blamed for whatever happens on the streets--that's why this letter is not necessarily a forgery.
ReplyDeleteEven if it's fake, this letter is setting a tone. If people in Iran reads it, they will have a reaction to it. Like here the reaction varied. Also, the letter is a challenge to the Guardian Council. Basij is blind obedience, the Army says it is not. They are going in two different direction and that can mean future confrontation.
ReplyDeleteThe Basij (plainclothes and uniformed) operate under IRGC. They are the most brutal anti-protest force.
ReplyDeleteIf you have any integrity, you chould check your facts and correct your article...
I agree with Mehrdad's comment. Also important is the fact that letter was not written by senior officers. I referred to the original translation in The Telegraph where it says that signatories were ranked from major to lieutenant-colonel. The body of these ranks are more similar to the population at large. While generals are closer to leadership. Remember how Homafars defected and came to people's side while generals got executed during revolution. The authenticity of this letter begs more research and fact finding. If true, it is a major upset to the entire body of the regime in Iran.
ReplyDeleteIt is god to see some in revolutionary guard still have some concience. On basis of what can you call this website fair or informative it looks as if you are biased and can only side with evil. Shame on you and grow up! If they shoot at people they will hit my people not yours.
ReplyDeleteI see you sensor you comments. How middle eastern!
Con Coughlin has since updated his story:
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/concoughlin/100076944/irans-revolutionary-guards-appeal-for-restraint-against-demonstrators/
The Daily Telegraph is not best known for its objective coverage of events in the Middle East.
Indeed it is not. It's an Israeli propaganda machine based in the UK.
ReplyDeleteAfter the WIKIHOAX... i am not surprised about anything anymore appearing in western news papers..
ReplyDeleteI check Russian papers now, and they are very truthful about US and Middle East issues... use them and stop relying on western Party politics... sorry mean newspapers