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Iran – Recipe for Disaster
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In Iran , over half of the population live under the poverty line, there are 30,000 political prisoners and 84,000 women work as prostitutes in the capital city.

One would expect these statistics to fit the profile of a small country with no external concerns, but in fact, these statistics only begin to paint the horrifying picture of Iran , a nation actively involved in international terrorism - a country that is ready to threaten the world with more than just an extreme religious sermon but nuclear weapons.

Let’s take a closer look at the culture inside the country in order to understand its devastating influence over its own population, current involvement in world terrorism and nuclear aspirations.

Iran ’s fundamentalist government has created a state based on the strictest political, cultural and religious codes, claiming to be a true interpretation of Islam. In practical terms, this means that there are no elections, no free speech, no effective political opposition and no free media. The legal process is stagnant with no developments in the vital areas of women and family rights, torture or electoral reform.
Front Page Mag, SFGate.org, Human Rights Watch

Under this government, the Iranians rank as one of the most oppressed people in the Middle East . They are denied freedom, justice and the most basic human rights. More than half of Iran 's population live under the poverty line and only a fraction can afford to pursue higher education if any level of education at all.

Along with the government, the ruling Mullahs have created one of the most barbaric "judicial" systems in the world.

"The soldiers beat my hands and secured them to plumbing pipes. They beat my head and abdominal area with soldiers' shoes...[they] held me under [a drain full of excrement] for so long I was unable to breathe and the excrement was inhaled through my nose and seeped into my mouth." Ahmad Batebi, Imprisoned in 1999
Amnesty

Iranian Judges routinely hand down sentences of stoning, flogging, public amputation of limbs and execution. There are 30,000 political prisoners, many of whom are convicted without a fair trial and whose families are subjected to routine harassment. Legitimate demonstrators are frequently arrested, detained without charge and or subjected to a trial without legal representation. Many of these prisoners never see their families again.
Amnesty Report 2003, Amnesty Report 2004

In addition, judicial authorities continue to limit freedom of expression, opinion and association. The internet is censored and numerous press outlets have been forced to close. Those journalists still working in the field are unable to speak openly, honestly and without extensive self-censorship for fear of imprisonment that has claimed so many of their former colleagues.
Front Page Mag

Iran ’s extreme discrimination against women was recently described as:

“An official policy of the regime ruling Iran . Their persecution, disingenuously justified on religious pretext, is nothing more than institutionalised abuse of their human rights.”
National Committee of Women for a Democratic Iran
NCWDI

Women face restrictions in virtually every aspect of life, and are denied equal opportunity in educational, professional and legal spheres. The government has enforced a system of segregation on women including second class legal status, mandatory veiling and dress code, as well as harsh punishments of lashing and stoning to death.
Iran-e Azad, NCWDI (1), NCWDI (2)

Sex trafficking has developed into a profitable trade in Iran today. There are 84,000 prostitutes in Tehran alone, many of whom are teenage girls. But Iran does not just act locally. Their involvement in the growing global sex trafficking industry supplies thousands of Iranian women and girls to the world market. According to the head of Iran 's Interpol bureau, Iranian government officials themselves are directly involved.
Womens News , Front Page Mag

It is against this backdrop that we can begin to consider Iran ’s external affairs and their future status as a nuclear power.

Iran is currently a signatory to 5 of the 12 international conventions and protocols against terrorism however; this diplomacy does not reflect reality.

According the US State Department’s “Patterns of Global Terrorism” report (April 2004), Iran was the most active state sponsor of terrorism in 2003; an involvement that reaches the highest levels of their government. The report identifies The Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security personnel as actively involved in planning and supporting terrorist acts.
US Dept of State

In 1994, the Director of Central Intelligence, James Woolsey declared that Iranian terrorist attacks are "not acts of rogue elements," but rather are "authorized at the highest levels of the Iranian regime."
The Washington Institute

The Iranian government has even budgeted for terrorism. According to investigation conducted by Dr. Patrick Clawson, Deputy Director of research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Iran allocated approximately $75 million annually for terrorist activities.
The Washington Institute

9/11

The terrorists of the September 11 attacks on The World Trade Center and Pentagon frequently received active support from Iran , using the country as a safe transit point in their travels to and from Afghanistan . In the trial of Abdelghani Mzoudi (January 2004), an alleged 9/11 conspirator, German intelligence discovered within Iranian governmental structures, an office specifically created to plan and execute terror attacks, and mount joint operations with Al-Qaeda.
GPO Access, Front Page Mag, MSN

An Iranian defector, Hamid Reza Zakeri, told Reuters in a telephone interview that Al-Qaeda had forewarned Tehran of the attacks in expectation of safe shelter. Some sources even indicate that Osama bin Laden was employed by Iran to carry out the attacks.
Expatica

Both, Osama bin Laden’s eldest son and deputy, Saad Bin Laden, came to Iran in the months prior to the attack to discuss logistics with Iranian intelligence officers. According to the American administration, Iran has continued to give Saad refuge.
Pakistan Daily Times, MSN

Repeated requests to the Iranian government to hand Saad over for trial have gone unanswered. After the fall of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan , many al-Qaeda members fled to Iran where they have found asylum. The country refuses to extradite them.
Middle East Online

Iraq

Saddam Hussein’s fall did not diminish Iran ’s involvement in the continuing security situation in the area. Rebels with strong ties to the Revolutionary Guard may have attempted to infiltrate southern Iraq . In addition, the Iranian Government has granted safe passage and refuge to members of Ansar al-Islam, a Kurdish Islamist group with connections to Al Qaeda.

Guardian Council member Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati had no reservations in using his Friday prayer sermon in May to publicly encourage Iraqis to participate in suicide operations against Coalition forces.
BBC , Global Security

Palestinian Terror and Karine A

Supreme Leader Khamenei continues to praise Palestinian terrorism. Iran provides them with funding, asylum, training, and weaponry. Groups such as Hamas, the Palestine Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine operate out of the country. In August 2003 Iran even hosted a conference supporting the Palestinian resistance, in which an unnamed Iranian official announced that the continued success of the Palestinian battle depended on suicide operations.
Human Rights Watch, Dept of State

Iran is giving terrorists the basic tools they need to carry out their deadly operations. On January 3, 2002, the Karine-A was intercepted carrying 50 tons of sophisticated weaponry bound for the Palestinian Authority sent by Iran.

Vice President Cheney concluded, "The Palestinian Authority, and Yasser Arafat [and] key people around him, [are] working now with Iran ."

The Washington Institute

Financing Terrorism: The Iranian Payroll

Iran has given the oppressive Sudanese regime $300 million to purchase Chinese weapons.
Asante

It supports and finances Hezbullah, a Lebanese fundamentalist movement faithful to Iran 's revolution who claims to be involved in a jihad against American and French forces. It has a long relationship with Iran and depends upon the country for material support, expertise training, and asylum.
ME Inteligence Bulletin

Also on Iran ’s Payroll are Hamas and Islamic Jihad. These two groups have collectively claimed responsibility for a large number of suicide operations.

Hamas receives 10 percent of their $20 million budget directly from Iran . According to the U.S. State Department, Iran's assistance to Islamic Jihad totals 2 million dollars per year.s
US Dept of State, ME Forum, Global Security

In fact, in June 2002 it was reported that the Iranian Government moved to increase “financial aid” to Hamas and Islamic Jihad by 70%.
World Net Daily

In the words of United States District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth:
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is so brazen in its sponsorship of terrorist activities that it carries a line item in its national budget for this purpose."
Perles Law

United States President George W. Bush is so concerned with Iran ’s weapons capability and open support for terrorism that he included Iran within his ‘Axis of Evil’. He accuses Iran of supporting terrorism and seeking chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.
The Whitehouse

“Iran insists and vigorously pursues its inalienable right to develop its nuclear, chemical, and biological industries "
4 February 2002 , Press Release Dr. Kamal Kharrazi, an Iranian representative at the UN.
United Nations

Chemical

The United States believes that Iran has maintained a chemical weapons program since 1984, including production of Sarin, mustard gas, phosgene, and hydrocyanic acid. According to U.S. government estimates, Iran may already have a stockpile of at least several thousand metric tons of these chemicals both ready to put onto a missile and in storage.
NTI

Iran has tested the Shahab-3 missile which is capable of reaching and destroying neighbouring countries. Also in the works is a longer-range missile or space launch vehicle. In military parades Shahab-3 missiles are used instead of festive floats. Banners on the missiles called for the destruction of the U.S. In September of 1999 Shehab missiles donned the English slogan:
“We will trample upon the USA .”
CNS

The U.S. is taking this threat seriously:
“[ Iran has] robust chemical warfare programs” and is “exploring biological weapons…via short-range missile systems such as Scuds or by artillery shells. Iran is making strides in developing the Shahab-3 medium-range missile and longer-range systems." Iran is able to violate its "obligations under treaties such as the Biological Weapons Convention with relative impunity."
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Marshall Billingslea, Congress, July 2002
US Embassy in Italy

Iran ’s Biological Warfare:
Iran ’s biological weapons program began during the Iran-Iraq war and international organisations believe they are in advanced stages of development.

“The Iranians have all of the necessary pharmaceutical expertise, as well as the commercial infrastructure needed to produce—and hide—a biological warfare program. The United States believes Iran probably has produced and weaponized BW agents in violation of the Convention."
6 May 2002 Heritage Foundation, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton
US Dept of State

The U.S. alleges that Iran has started to develop small quantities of agent, possibly including mycotoxins which can cause cancer, kidney damage, sickness and death, ricin causing organ damage and death, and the smallpox virus.
NTI

On May 15, 2003 , Agence France Presse reported that an Iranian opposition group had announced their work in developing warfare to spread plague and cholera. The group also stated that Iran has developed anthrax bacteria which causes fatal respiratory problems, digestive tract problems and skin lesions and now has the means to weaponize the agents.
Iran Va Jahan

Iran ’s Nuclear Warfare

Iran might be as little as two years away from nuclear weapons capability.

Investigations by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed that Iran has,
"a practically complete front end of a nuclear fuel cycle."
IAEA

U.S. intelligence learned of the existence of two secret nuclear facilities in 2002.; funded by front companies, the first site is a uranium enrichment facility in Natanz and the other a heavy water production plant near Arak .
ISIS , Time, NTI, CNS

In December 2002, after these secret nuclear facilities became public Iran submitted to inspection by the IAEA and two years later, due to massive international pressure, Iran halted the enrichment process, key to making nuclear bombs. Seals and monitoring equipment was installed at all the known nuclear sites. However, in September 2005 Iran started up its nuclear reactors again.
BBC (1) , BBC (2)

This is a developing crisis – check back for the latest information.

For an extensive history of Iran ’s nuclear weapons capability see:
CNS

Conclusions

Iran has failed its people. Oppressed, poor and terrorised by the Iranian regime, they live in fear with no basic human rights or freedoms. Disturbing and draconian punishments remain a keystone of the regime. Iran ’s reign of terror extends beyond its own borders, labelled one of the most active state sponsors of international terrorist groups in the world. It maintains a large stockpile of weapons of mass destruction and is on the brink of becoming the world’s next nuclear superpower.

The world holds its breath while this fundamentalist, unstable and fatally extreme regime, that is unable to secure even the most basic human rights for its own citizens, takes a step into a nuclear future.

Join FreeMiddleEast in our fight to return human rights to Iranians and stabilise a country out of control.