Sunday, May 24, 2009

We Were Bankrupt Years Ago - Former Iranian Oil Minister

Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was minister for Construction in Moussavi's government, Energy Minister in Rafsanjani's government and Oil Minister under Khatami. In a gathering of Co-ordinating Council for Engineering, Trade and Professional Societies, he revealed that 'our banks went bust years before the current global banking crisis. But the officials here did not tell the people about it. The current global banking crisis was revealed because of accountability in the rest of the world, but here in Iran there is no accountability and no one realises what has become of our banks. Iran's banks have suffered a crisis unprecedented throughout Iran's banking history'

Zanganeh added, 'we are now in a crisis that apart from the sudden drop in oil prices, the current global banking crisis has nothing to do with it. Some people are happy that we have not suffered as a result of the global financial crisis, but first of all if our economy is not linked to the global economy, this is nothing to be proud of and secondly who says we are not in a crisis?'

Regarding the lack of lending facilities by the banks, Zanganeh said ' Iranian banks can no longer lend because they are in the red by millions. It is not clear to whom much of the money was lent to and the money that has been lent, to whoever that borrowed it, is not coming back. '

Zanganeh finished by taking a jibe at Ahmadinejad saying '...Our human assets have been humiliated in these years, our management institutions have been insulted, when they talk about a 14 year old girl who is enriching uranium in her cellar, [Watch Ahmadinejad claim this] this is an insult to any human being's intelligence'

So unlike those championing the Islamic Republic in UK, like Mehri Honarbin-Holiday, Baroness Haleh Afshar and their pals at the SWP, the former Iranian minister does not mention sanctions as the root cause of our problems at all but accountability. In fact throughout this election campaign, none of the candidates have claimed the kind of nonsense CASMII lackeys claim that all of Iran's problems are because of sanctions.

Under president Ahmadinejad, three governors of the Central Bank have resigned.

15 comments:

Elza S. Maalouf said...

Azarmehr,

I am interested in your reaction to Fareed Zakaria's Newsweek article on Iran http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/23/fareed-zakaria-everything_n_207117.html . I think Zakaria is talking about the majority of Iranians, forgetting the crazy few that are supporting Hezbollah and Hamas...

What are Amedinejad's chances in winning this elections? Is Khamenei truly supporting him, or it is the Ayatullah's strategy of getting rid of him?

I appreciate your response.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful job Potkin.

Azarmehr said...

Hi Elza,

First of all tell me if you are related to Amin Maalouf, one of my favourite writers?

Re: Zakaria, I read the article that you mention here in an Iranian daily : http://www.entekhabnews.com/portal/index.php?news=5032

Interestingly, Zakaria's writings are always a favourite with the regime's dailies.

Zakaria is either a complete idiot or in the pay pocket of the Islamic Republic. He brings up quotes from Ayatollah Khomeini saying if they are lying why would they constantly declare it when their fidelity lies with Islam? what???

There is so much bullshit in just the above sentence, I don't even know where to begin with!

Here is some examples of previous statements by regime officials,
'Women will not have to wear the Hijab and will be free to choose their dress' - Ayatollah Khomeini in Paris.

For more recent examples, see Ahmadinejad's claims on letting the youth dress how they want before he became president:
http://azarmehr.blogspot.com/2008/03/life-in-islamic-republic-again.html
followed by a film footage of the reality.

More on how these officials with fidellity to Islam lie:
http://azarmehr.blogspot.com/2008/09/now-kordan-sees-gods-light.html

This regime is built and is run on lies. Iranian now relaise it:
http://azarmehr.blogspot.com/2009/05/khark-islanders-at-ahmadinejad-you-are.html

Zakaria sadly still doesn't.

Zakaria being an Indian born Muslim himself should know what Taghiyeh is.

Just another point in his crap article:
'Even the so-called Supreme Leader has a constituency, the Assembly of Experts,'

But who screens the candidates to the Assembly of Experts? when was the Supreme Leader ever asked to produce a report of its performance to Assembly of Experts? when has the assembley ever challenged any of the Leader's decisions? What kind of constituency is this that should make us comfortable about a non-accountable regime with its hands on nuclear power?

Zakaria starts by saying 'Everything we know about Iran is wrong', perhaps he should have written 'Everything Fareed Zakaria knows about Iran is wrong' or as I said perhaps he knows but as an Indian Muslim, is applying taghiyeh for his greater agenda.

As far as I remember every US adminstration has tried to approach Islamic Republic, but they always look silly at the end. One major reason may be the likes of Zakaria who are pumping the administrations with such bullshit.

Hope that has answered your question.

Anonymous said...

Great answer to Elza. Thanks, Potkin.

Anonymous said...

What Fareed Zakaria fails to mention is the fact the Rafsanjani is quoted as saying that if we nuke Israel, the whole country will be gone, but if they do it, only parts of Iran will be destroyed.

He also fails to mention that Rafsanjani, Khamenie, are heads of states who have sponsored killings of jews in Argentina and are wanted men.

He alos fails to mention that Khomeini extended the Iran-Iraq war needleslly for 6 more years because he wanted to go to Jerusalem via Karbala.

He also fails to mention that Hamas, shia death squads in Iraq, Hizbollah in Lebanon are Iran's proxies to destalize the region against he US interest and establishing an Islamic government across the Middle East.

He also forgets the mention the many assassination of Iranian dissidents abroad through their network of spies...what a piece of work this stupid guy is.

barmakid said...

Azarmehr,

Do you just enjoy hating people, is that it? Did you even read Farid's article past the first paragraph, or did you just dwell on that sentence about "Islamic fidelity" that your feeble little mind did not have the capacity to understand.

Zakaria is an academic, he is not taking sides. He is analyzing Iranian politics in the best fashion you can in a Newsweek article; and he highlights some good points.

1. Ahmadinejad has no ties to the ruling mullahs. - "He is a layman with no family connections to major ayatollahs—which makes him a rare figure in the ruling class. He was not initially the favored candidate of the Supreme Leader in the 2005 election. Even now the mullahs clearly dislike him, and he, in turn, does things deliberately designed to undermine their authority."

2. Why would the regime constantly bring up Khomeini's words against nuclear proliferation, and why would Khamenei issue a fatwa against nuclear proliferation if they were actually trying to build a bomb - but yes, they could be lying (as Farid says).

3. "One of Netanyahu's advisers said of Iran, 'Think Amalek.' The Bible says that the Amalekites were dedicated enemies of the Jewish people. In 1 Samuel 15, God says, 'Go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.' Now, were the president of Iran and his advisers to have cited a religious text that gave divine sanction for the annihilation of an entire race, they would be called, well, messianic.

4. The IRI is not suicidal; they are very shrewd and calculating - let's stop thinking that they are willing to blow themselves away with mutual nuclear attacks.

Farid is an analyst, and all the points he brings up are worth listening to - even if you disagree with him, which is hard to because IS NOT TAKING SIDES OR ADVOCATING ONE POSITION OVER ANOTHER.

Peace,
barmakid

p.s. Open your mind. It's been thirty years and your thoughts haven't changed. Maybe you can learn something from Abdol Karim:))

Azarmehr said...

Barmakid,

What can I say, you are the type who as soon as hears the words, analyst, academic, iran expert, wets his pants with excitement and I am not.

Re your school boy points:
1. How much can you talk out of your arse?
Ahmadinejad is a devotee of Messbah Yazdi and he was Supreme Leader's favourite in 2005. How else do you think he became the president. Oh of course you think people voted for him :)))

2. ' but yes, they could be lying (as Farid says).' What an understatement!!!

3. Did I ever defend Netanyahu??

4. 'The IRI is not suicidal;' I refer you to anonymous's points above. But also to add that IRI always act through proxy groups and test the waters first.

Nadir said...

Barmakiri

Ask your daddy to read this and translate it for you
http://www.22khordad.info/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/ansar.jpg

It is a reply from the representative of the supremo leader to the revolutionary guard commander, stating that the supremo leader explicitly wants ahmadinejad to be reinstated.
So here is a big BILAKH to you and Fareed Zakaria

barmakid said...

Jeez, you guys don't know how to read.

1. The main point is he has no FAMILY TIES. And also, if you knew how to read (anonymous) Farid says he was not "initially" favored.

2. I agree, it is an understatement.

3. It doesn't matter

4. Anonymous is an idiot, he's talking about attacks that ttok place in the late 80s and early nineties - this is a new period of political interaction. And if the IRI always "tests the waters and acts through proxies," then this is a testament to the fact that they are shrewd and calculating as opposed to suicidal.

Peace,
barmakid

p.s. I am also not a fan of Farid's when he analyzes Mid East politics - but sometimes he can make some very good points. His stronger points are on American politics though. But you have to recognize that his NewsWeek articles are not going to be as penetrating as his analysis might be on other media.

Nadir said...

Sounds like 'Farid' has well and truly penetrated you Barmakid.

Did you read what I sent you or were you busy thinking of being penetrated by 'Farid'?

barmakid said...

Nadir,

Do yourself a favor, define the word "initially," as in "He was not INITIALLY the favored candidate of the Supreme Leader in the 2005 election," and see where that takes you.

It might also serve you to define "reinstate," that way you can realize it means to put someone back in a position he/she has already held - which is quite different than INITIALLY not supporting someone BEFORE they had even been "elected" - if that's what you want to call it.

barmakid

Nadir said...

Barmakir,

On what evidence do you suggest ahmadinejad was not the INITIAL favourite of the Supreme Leader and if not who was it?

Anonymous said...

I live in IRAN.
I should state that the information provided at http://www.22khordad.info/ is not true.
This site registered by an unknown person on an american server (from www.bluehost.com company).
Also, they have daily censorship for comments on their website.
We like Dr Ahmadinejad and support him.

Azarmehr said...

What has 22khordad.info got to do with this post? or are you just advertising it?

John said...
This comment has been removed by the author.