Iran and propaganda wars

**Aristophanes** · May 19, 2006, 11:22 AM

Experts say report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue

Chris Wattie, National Post
Published: Friday, May 19, 2006
Several experts are casting doubt on reports that Iran had passed a law requiring the country’s Jews and other religious minorities to wear coloured badges identifying them as non-Muslims.

The Iranian embassy in Otttawa also denied the Iranian government had passed such a law.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/n...e-bb91af82abb3

The following is a strory now retracted by the same source.Edited for clarity-Garb.

Strangely ignored by most major media, it appears that Iran's parliament has passed a law which will soon force a much more standardized 'Islamic' dress code on Iran's Muslims, and force Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, etc... to wear a colourful identifying mark on their clothing: yellow for Jews, red for Christians and blue for Zoroastrians.

Amir Taheri, National Post
Published: Friday, May 19, 2006

While the Iranian economy appears to be heading for recession, one sector may have some reason for optimism. That sector is the garment industry and the reason for hopefulness is a law passed by the Islamic Majlis (parliament) on Monday.

The law mandates the government to make sure that all Iranians wear "standard Islamic garments" designed to remove ethnic and class distinctions reflected in clothing, and to eliminate "the influence of the infidel" on the way Iranians, especially, the young dress. It also envisages separate dress codes for religious minorities, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians, who will have to adopt distinct colour schemes to make them identifiable in public. The new codes would enable Muslims to easily recognize non-Muslims so that they can avoid shaking hands with them by mistake, and thus becoming najis (unclean).

The new law, drafted during the presidency of Muhammad Khatami in 2004, had been blocked within the Majlis. That blockage, however, has been removed under pressure from Khatami's successor, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The new law replaces the one passed in 1982 dealing with women's clothes. That law imposed the hijab and focused on the need to force women to cover their hair in public. The emphasis on the hijab was based on the belief that women's hair emanates an "evil ray" that drives men "into lustful irrationality" and thus causes harm to Islam. The new law cannot come into effect until consensus is reached on what constitutes "authentic Islamic attire."

You can read the resthere

At a time where George Bush is being compared to Hitler, the much more Hitlerian activities of some of his international rivals appear unworthy of actual reporting or discussion by most media. For example, the huge increase in human organ exports over the last few years from China leads some to wonder just what happened to all the Falun Gong who have dissappeared, declared 'enemies of the state'.

**Garbarsardar** · May 19, 2006, 11:23 PM

I wonder how more biased can one be.
The Source

In 2001 the paper was sold to CanWest Global Communications, run by Israel Asper until his death in 2003. CanWest Global also owns the Global Television Network, and there has been heavy cross-promotion between the two since then.

CanWest Global and the Post are now managed by Asper's sons, Leonard and David. The Aspers openly admit that they control the editorial content of the paper. One of the family's most notorious positions is its longstanding view that the CBC(Canada's public broadcaster) should be dismantled because of its supposed anti-Israel reportage. The paper has become somewhat less conservative under the Aspers' watch, as they have long been strong supporters of the Liberal Party.

From Wiki

All this is probably false:
http://mparent7777.livejournal.com/8684860.html
The only source so far is the National post.

Iran report of Holocaust-style badges questioned
2006-05-19 09:06:12

The National Post is sending shockwaves across the country this morning with a report that Iran's Parliament has passed a law requiring mandatory Holocaust style badges to identify Jews and Christians.

But independent reporter Meir Javdanfar, an Israeli Middle East expert who was born and raised in Tehran, says the report is false.

"It's absolutely factually incorrect," he told The New 940 Montreal.

"Nowhere in the law is there any talk of Jews and Christians having to wear different colours. I've checked it with sources both inside Iran and outside."

"The Iranian people would never stand for it. The Iranian government wouldn't be stupid enough to do it."

Political commentator and 940 Montreal host Beryl Waysman says the report is true, that the law was passed two years ago.

"Jews should wear yellow strips, Christians red strips, because according to the Iranian mullahs, if a Mulsim shakes hands with a non-Muslim he becomes unclean."

The National Post cites Iranian expatriots living in Canada as its primary source on the story.
The Post story can be read here: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/n...b1240f&k=32073

http://www.940news.com/locale.php?news=2512

Tehran - The Iranian parliament approved on Sunday the generalities of the 'national dress code' bill which is supposed to replace current Western-style fashions, state news television IRIB reported.

According to the draft bill, which is yet to be finalized and reconfirmed by the senate-like Guardian Council, facilities should be prepared for local designers and tailors to focus on outfits in line with 'Iran's national and Islamic identification and culture.'

The form of the new outfit is to be specified by a joint committee which includes the ministries of culture and commerce, the cultural commission of the parliament and the state television and eventually finalized by local designers and tailors.

While the Commerce Ministry was ordered to put higher charges on import of foreign cloth, the Iranian banks would be obliged to approve credit facilities for local designers and tailors.

While men in Iran are dressed similar to their counterparts in the West, women have to respect the Islamic dress code and wear a long gown or coat and a scarf to hide body contours and hair in public.

Iranian women however, especially in urban areas, have so far always found a way to look fashionable even with the Islamic code by using short and tight coats, colourful scarves and even Bermuda-like pants without socks.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had last week called for introduction of an 'Iranian dress code' for men and women alike.

Ahmadinejad said that relevant experts should work on the Iranian dress code and insisted that the new outfit should have a variety of forms and colours as well as be economical.

The Iranian parliament had several times in the past raised the issue of the 'national dress bill' for replacing current Western- style fashions.

Iran plans to impose Pakistan- or Indian-style gowns on Iranian women and men but it is still unclear how exactly the national outfit is supposed to look like. http://news.monstersandcritics.com/m...nal_dress_code

This was left out of the original post:

Iranian expatriates living in Canada yesterday confirmed reports that the Iranian parliament, called the Islamic Majlis, passed a law this week setting a dress code for all Iranians, requiring them to wear almost identical "standard Islamic garments."

**Kara Kolyo** · May 20, 2006, 12:16 AM

An iranian parliamentarist who is jewish denounced the story of National post as lie. his name is Moris Motamed, he was in the parliament when the law was passed and there was no such thing. i got it from AFP which is payed so can't give you link, but i think pretty soon other media will publish it too.

**Garbarsardar** · May 20, 2006, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Kara Kolyo

An iranian parliamentarist who is jewish denounced the story of National post as lie. his name is Moris Motamed, he was in the parliament when the law was passed and there was no such thing. i got it from AFP which is payed so can't give you link, but i think pretty soon other media will publish it too.

You are right. The strory has been retracted by the originating source but still some people don't get it, like say Jerusalem Post an hour ago... It will take another news circle, I guess...

**Ahiga** · May 20, 2006, 02:42 AM

A topic that might make it a bit offtopic but constructive -

They say that the religious minorities have representation in parliment. Does anyone have sources on the treatment of non muslim's in Iran? That they would grant jewish minorities representation in parliment (If it's true) would be a suprise. It could be that they have ire only for the israeli jews and not jews in their own country, or it could be that they are discriminated against but not in state-sponsored or very open policy. Until we have sources claiming to the fact, it'd be speculation based on our opinions. I would doubt they are relished, but I doubt that they might be persecuted similiar to Nazi Germany, as the false information suggested.

I for one do find the thought interesting. Does anyone have information on the treatment of religious minorities in Iran?

Edit: Ah well. Found in a wiki search that they are discriminated against.

**Garbarsardar** · May 20, 2006, 02:56 AM

Originally Posted by Ahiga

A topic that might make it a bit offtopic but constructive -

They say that the religious minorities have representation in parliment. Does anyone have sources on the treatment of non muslim's in Iran? That they would grant jewish minorities representation in parliment (If it's true) would be a suprise. It could be that they have ire only for the israeli jews and not jews in their own country, or it could be that they are discriminated against but not in state-sponsored or very open policy. Until we have sources claiming to the fact, it'd be speculation based on our opinions. I would doubt they are relished, but I doubt that they might be persecuted similiar to Nazi Germany, as the false information suggested.

I for one do find the thought interesting. Does anyone have information on the treatment of religious minorities in Iran?

Edit: Ah well. Found in a wiki search that they are discriminated against.

You can see a report here:
http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/iran/

If a non-Muslim kills another non-Muslim, qisas applies. However, if a Muslim kills a non-Muslim, the law does not require qisas, and does not specify a punishment. Article 2 of the penal code makes clear that the existence of a specified punishment denotes the existence of an offense. Therefore, in the absence of a specified punishment in this instance, the judge may even rule that no offense has taken place in the willful killing of a non-Muslim by a Muslim. Therefore, the penal law applies less value to the life of a non-Muslim as compared to a Muslim and may even permit the murder with impunity of non-Muslims by Muslims.

Other lesser offenses also provide for differential sentences between Muslims and non-Muslims. For example, Article 88 of the penal code states that if a Muslim man commits adultery with a Muslim woman, the penalty is 100 lashes for the man. However, if a non-Muslim man commits adultery with a Muslim woman, his penalty is death. No penalty is specified for the Muslim man who commits adultery with a non-Muslim, woman. Similarly with homosexuality, under Article 121 of the penal code, non-penetrative sex between two Muslim men is punished by 100 lashes. However, if one of the partners is non-Muslim, the penalty for him is death. The crime of malicious accusation is punished, according to Article 147 of the penal code, by eighty lashes if the victim is a Muslim. However, if the victim is non-Muslim, the maximum penalty is set at seventy-four lashes. In this article, non-Muslims are equated in their treatment with minors and those lacking their full mental capacities. Article 494 of the Penal Code provides penalties for violating the corpse of a Muslim; no penalties are stipulated for violating the corpse of a non-Muslim.

The penal code, which is derived from traditional Islamic legal principles, is nevertheless applied fully to non-Muslims whose own traditions of penal law may be quite different.

Explicit discrimination is also found in legal texts other than the penal code. For example, Article 115 of the constitution of the Islamic Republic requires that the president should be a Shi'a Muslim, thus excluding more than 20 percent of population from taking full part in the conduct of the public affairs. Articles of the Iranian Civil Code that deal with matters of inheritance create a privileged status for Muslims. Article 881 of the civil code prohibits a non-Muslim from inheriting property from a Muslim. Moreover, it provides that if a non-Muslim dies and there is among his beneficiaries even one Muslim, this legatee, even if he is only a distant relative, inherits all the property. This article of the civil code conflicts with the constitutional provision permitting religious communities to deal with matters pertaining to personal status in accordance with their own laws and practices.

According to Article 1059 of the civil code, a Muslim man is free to marry a non-Muslim woman. However, the opposite does not apply. A marriage between a non-Muslim man and a Muslim woman is not recognized.

**bigfootedfred** · May 20, 2006, 02:15 PM

JP - Jerusalem Post.
Have posted a retraction.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...cle%2FShowFull

Its quite possible someone lost their job.

**John Wayne** · May 20, 2006, 05:30 AM

I was infering that 'Iranian Government'='Iranian President' Kaweh.

And for the report on the Iranian penal code...I am not surprised, considering that the creators of the document (I think) includs Ayatollah Kohmeini and Ayatollah Khamenei

**Kaweh** · May 20, 2006, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Americ

I was infering that 'Iranian Government'='Iranian President' Kaweh.

And for the report on the Iranian penal code...I am not surprised, considering that the creators of the document (I think) includs Ayatollah Kohmeini and Ayatollah Khamenei

Yeah, I got it after rereading, sorry.

K.K

**Mangalore** · May 20, 2006, 10:18 AM

These false and badly researched stories are very disturbing in that they wrongfully distort the western picture about Iran and thus spawn resentiment based on myths. There is enough to criticize the Iranian government for but such wrong accusation divert attention from real issues and from a rational assessment of the situation.

It is similar to the "wipe Israel from the map" myth. Amahidnedjad is no friend of Israel and no doubt would have no trouble seeing the Israelian nation collapse but he never said the above. According to several Middle Eastern experts the most striking thing about this sentence is that such an idiom doesn't exist in Persian and thus someone freely reinterpreted the Iranian president's wording to this provocative version.
What the Iranian president really said however was: "The occupation regime over Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time." which is a direct quote of a speech from revolutionary leader Khomeini and as such already quite some time old.

gee, how are citizens supposed to make up a clear mind if they are delivered such crap as 'news'? An interesting interview with a Middle Eastern expert in the "Deutsche Welle" also came to the conclusion that the current behaviour of the West towards Iran is entirely misplaced and must be thought over. He esspecially emphasized that the Western reaction to Amahidnedjad's speeches completely distorts the reality of the Iranian governement because in reality the Iranian president is at best a third rank policy maker. Amahidnedjad's immflaming speeches actually helps him to compensate for the insignificance of his governemental post by at least seeming significant even though he actually has absolutely no say in wether and how Iran employs certain national policies.
Which begs the question: Is the West listening to the wrong guy concerning these issues?

**Søren** · May 20, 2006, 10:37 AM

This does, essentially, appear to be an intentionally libellous attack on another government.

Hopefully this is reported sufficently for the National Post to be discredited.

**Garbarsardar** · May 20, 2006, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by The Burgundian Noble

This does, essentially, appear to be an intentionally libellous attack on another government.

Hopefully this is reported sufficently for the National Post to be discredited.

The good thing is that it is already effectively refuted, and that all major papers and networks avoided to run it. It will stil make some rounds on the net though...

**Custor** · May 20, 2006, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by The Burgundian Noble

This does, essentially, appear to be an intentionally libellous attack on another government.

Hopefully this is reported sufficently for the National Post to be discredited.

You'd of thought everyone would be congratulating the Mods for picking such a bogus story so quickly? But no. Lies that agree with my prejudice are preferable to truth.

**Garbarsardar** · May 20, 2006, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by greek302

Thats quite disturbing. I agree somthing needs to be done by the world community to ensure the safty of people in his country & the people of isreal. I included I link the the Iranian presidents letter to President Bush.

Letter to President Bush from Iranian Pres.
just scroll down alittle bit and you will see a hyperlink on the right side of the page

It would be disturbing if it was true. Read the thread more carefully and you'll see it was a fake story...

**danzig** · May 20, 2006, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by Mangalore

It is similar to the "wipe Israel from the map" myth. Amahidnedjad is no friend of Israel and no doubt would have no trouble seeing the Israelian nation collapse but he never said the above. According to several Middle Eastern experts the most striking thing about this sentence is that such an idiom doesn't exist in Persian and thus someone freely reinterpreted the Iranian president's wording to this provocative version.
What the Iranian president really said however was: "The occupation regime over Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time." which is a direct quote of a speech from revolutionary leader Khomeini and as such already quite some time old.

The Iranian leader and its goverment is certainly capable of disputing something that isnt true if that is the case, after all they were rather quick to dismiss this story but yet to see any comments from them disputing the President's comments.

This does, essentially, appear to be an intentionally libellous attack on another government.

Boy guess western goverments should get busy filing all those lawsuits against various middle eastern media for all the crap they publish then too.

**Mangalore** · May 20, 2006, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by danzig

The Iranian leader and its goverment is certainly capable of disputing something that isnt true if that is the case, after all they were rather quick to dismiss this story but yet to see any comments from them disputing the President's comments.

Where did you gather that the Iranian government was directly approached? A clarification was put forth to an ambassador and a Jewish member of parliament refuted the story, one of the most likely sources to address if you want clarification of a certain news message concerning a bill concerning Jews and other minorities passing the Iranian parliament.

If you kind of want to question the story about this famous remark by the Iranian president never occuring, just check out sites and sources of Middle East experts who speak or have access to native speakers capable to translate the Iranian version of the president's speeches. They are pretty in tune about this distortion and given their qualifications are in a better position to argue than you or me.

I also do not imply any conscious manipulation attempt on the western part but simply a fundamental urge for drama in today's news business which in cases of seriousness like the current Iran crisis is terribly misplaced if a coolheaded opinionmaking is desired.

Originally Posted by danzig

Boy guess western goverments should get busy filing all those lawsuits against various middle eastern media for all the crap they publish then too.

And here I am and thought that we westerners were supposed to be better than "them". Esspecially I thought we believe the press and the journalists are as journalists and press supposed to give us a picture of the truth and not some fairy tale. If we aren't supposed to be as good as I thought, I wholehearty agree. Though we should get off our morale highground then, too.

**Mangalore** · May 21, 2006, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by danzig

Sorry I dont have the necessary arrogance to think Im better than anyone. After all isnt it that belief that is the cause of alot of the tenison between the ME and the West?

...

That's precisely what I'm talking about. You want to act as low and childish as them while maintaining the image of western superiority. While you may for one not believe it, the majority of the western people does to a great extent which directly conflicts with such immature fingerpointing instead of acting according to ones ideals. The shortcomings of the press in the Middle East is not the issue herer, it is the shortcoming of the press in our countries that is. A good friend of mine currently residing in Australia observed the same that the reporting about the Iran crisis is extremely biased and not giving the full picture in many ways, and sadly the press often does such a bad job even without some government telling them to do so.

If a newspaper sells crap for news, they ought to get creamed, esspecially in a democracy where the press is the one part of the balance of power that informs and thus directly influences public opinion on great scale and unlike all other pillars of power in a democracy the press is unchecked which while seeming unavoidable is rather worrying when they reach another alltime low in following journalistic principles.

anyway this obviously also includes a good degree of a rant about western media in general, sometimes I wonder how I could study in that field in the first place.

**Gumpfendorfer** · May 22, 2006, 11:37 AM

The story was produced by Amir Taheri, who is Iranian whow worked for a pro- Shah newspaper until the Mullahs took over. He is currently working for a pr company Benador Association that works almost exclusively with neo conservative speakers or authors and ahum...... 'experts'. National Post is very pro Israel. Taheri is part of a small but very influential group critisizing Iran and working together with the US Goverment.

It is the classic spin or propaganda similar as with Iraq where for almost a decade a well paid pr company (forgot the name) produced bogus stories for the US Goverment. Most famous story was the looting of the childrens hospital in Kuwait City. One of their so-called independent journalist got killed in Iraq by the way.

Sad to see that the US is still relying on idiots like Taheri for their information. They have learned nothing form their dealings with Challabi. We will see more of these stories in the build up against Iran.
Nationall Post refuses to rectify.

**Aristophanes** · May 22, 2006, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Mangalore

That's precisely what I'm talking about. You want to act as low and childish as them while maintaining the image of western superiority. While you may for one not believe it, the majority of the western people does to a great extent which directly conflicts with such immature fingerpointing instead of acting according to ones ideals. The shortcomings of the press in the Middle East is not the issue herer, it is the shortcoming of the press in our countries that is. A good friend of mine currently residing in Australia observed the same that the reporting about the Iran crisis is extremely biased and not giving the full picture in many ways, and sadly the press often does such a bad job even without some government telling them to do so.

If a newspaper sells crap for news, they ought to get creamed, esspecially in a democracy where the press is the one part of the balance of power that informs and thus directly influences public opinion on great scale and unlike all other pillars of power in a democracy the press is unchecked which while seeming unavoidable is rather worrying when they reach another alltime low in following journalistic principles.

anyway this obviously also includes a good degree of a rant about western media in general, sometimes I wonder how I could study in that field in the first place.

'Crap for news' is an entirely subjective concept. Could there be an objective measure? Yes, but there aren't many people who would be suitably educated and wordly to apply it. Yes, this story is an unfortunate mistake, but as it has been repudiated, and not widely circulated, it is unlikely to be particularly dangerous.