حزب مردم بلوچستان  Balochistan People’s Party  بلوچستانءِ اُستمانءِ گــَل

Israel: US Report on Iran May Spark War

December 15, 2007 ; By LAURIE COPANS ; Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's public security minister warned Saturday that a U.S. intelligence report that said Iran is no longer developing nuclear arms could lead to a regional war that would threaten the Jewish state.

In his remarks - Israel's harshest criticism yet of the U.S. report - Avi Dichter said the assessment also cast doubt on American intelligence in general, including information about Palestinian security forces' crackdown on militant groups. The Palestinian action is required as part of a U.S.-backed renewal of peace talks with Israel this month.

Dichter cautioned that a refusal to recognize Iran's intentions to build weapons of mass destruction could lead to armed conflict in the Middle East.

He compared the possibility of such fighting to a surprise attack on Israel in 1973 by its Arab neighbors, which came to be known in Israel for the Yom Kippur Jewish holy day on which it began.

``The American misconception concerning Iran's nuclear weapons is liable to lead to a regional Yom Kippur where Israel will be among the countries that are threatened,'' Dichter said in a speech in a suburb south of Tel Aviv, according to his spokesman, Mati Gil. ``Something went wrong in the American blueprint for analyzing the severity of the Iranian nuclear threat.''

Dichter didn't elaborate on the potential scenario but seemed to imply that a world that let its guard down regarding Iran would be more vulnerable to attack by the Islamic regime.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had disputed the U.S. intelligence assessment this month, saying that Iran continues its efforts to obtain components necessary to produce nuclear weapons. Tehran still poses a major threat to the West and the world must stop it, Olmert said.

Israel has for years been warning that Iran is working on nuclear weapons and backed the United States in its international efforts to exert pressure on Iran to stop the program. Israel considers Iran a significant threat because of its nuclear ambitions, its long-range missile program and repeated calls by its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for the disappearance of Israel.

Iran says its nuclear program is for purely peaceful purposes.

Israel will work to change the American intelligence agencies' view of Iran, said Dichter, a former chief of Israel's Shin Bet secret service agency.

``A misconception by the world's leading superpower is not just an internal American occurrence,'' Dichter said.

Any future faulty U.S. intelligence on the actions of Palestinian security forces could damage peace efforts, Dichter said.

``Those same (intelligence) arms in the U.S. are apt to make a mistake and declare that the Palestinians have fulfilled their commitments, which would carry with it very serious consequences from Israel's vantage point,'' Dichter said.
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British suspect escapes in Pakistan

A Pakistani-British man suspected of involvement in an al-Qaeda plot to blow up US-bound airliners over the Atlantic has escaped from custody in the Pakistani capital, a senior official has said.

Rashid Rauf escaped on Saturday from outside an Islamabad court where police had escorted him for an extradition hearing.

"We're trying our best to re-arrest him," Brigadier Javed Iqbal Cheema, interior ministry spokesman, said.

Cheema gave no details about how Rauf escaped but he said the government had set up an inquiry to investigate the incident and report back within 48 hours.


Bomb plot

Rauf, who is of Pakistani origin, was arrested in August 2006, on a tip-off from British investigators.

He has been described as a key suspect in a purported plot to blow up aeroplanes flying from Britain to the United States which prompted a major security alert at airports worldwide and increased restrictions on carry-on items.

Rauf was arrested and charged in Pakistan with possessing chemicals that could be used in making explosives and for carrying forged travel documents.

The prosecution later withdrew the case against him, though he remained in jail awaiting a decision on a British extradition request against him.

Britain had asked Pakistan to hand him over in connection with a murder inquiry in Britain in 2002 which is separate from the alleged terrorism plot.

But Rauf's lawyer, Hashmat Habib, has sought to block the move, saying the two countries do not have an extradition treaty and that Rauf had been cleared of any terrorism charges.

Habib said on Saturday that his client had been brought to court in connection with the extradition proceedings, but said he had no knowledge of Rauf's escape.

Secret deal

Meanwhile, the British government this week denied media reports that Rauf was to be extradited from Pakistan as part of a secret deal involving the arrest in Britain of suspects wanted by Pakistan.

Two men accused of inciting terrorism and murder in Pakistan and of having links with an international terrorist group were detained in London on Tuesday.

Faiz Baluch, 25, and Hyrbyair Marri, 39, were arrested last week and jointly charged under Britain's Terrorism Act.

Both claim they are peaceful activists calling for the independence of Baluchistan, a troubled province of Pakistan.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/5053E733-5C01-4E94-A728-9DC8B51406DE.htm
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PRMI: 26 Revolutionary Guards of the regime have been killed in Balochistan

15-12-2007;

Thursday 13 December; Iranian state television is reported that police killed 12 members of counter-revolutionary Jundallah group in the south of Baluchistan Province," General Ghafari, the provincial police commander, told the broadcaster.

There was confusion over the number of rebels killed. The state television rolling news channel announcer said 12 rebels had been killed while the main Channel One station said four had been killed and 10 arrested.

A local military official cited by the Fars news agency said five rebels had been killed and 15 arrested.
Ghafari said arms, explosives, communication equipment and documents were seized, showing that the rebels were planning attacks.

Although People's Resistance Movement of Iran (former Jondollah) said in a press release:
Member of PRMI in the morning of Thursday 12 of December encounter the oppressive forces of Iranian regime in the city of Iransher in Baluchistan. During the clashes which took hours the PRMI warriors have killed 26 Revolutionary Guards of the regime and unknown numbers have been injured and one of PRMI member is martyred. After the PRMI members left the spot, the regime’s forces bombed the area and attacked a school nearby where seven student including 3 female students have been killed. Regime’s forces arrested the principle of the school with more then 10 other Balochs accusing them of cooperation to anti-government Baloch groups.

In a separate interview on Friday (14 of December) with an Iranian opposition TV the PRMI leader Abdulmalik Rigi Baloch said this is a warning to Mr. Ahmadi Nezhaad who may visit Balochistan, we deny them access to Balochistan who is responsible for atrocities and killing of people in Balochistan.

Translated by Balochistan News

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PRESS RELEASE


Baluch “Terror” protest at Downing Street

Free innocent Baluch detainees

Tatchell said: Stop Pakistan’s massacres in Baluchistan

London – 16 December 2007

Baluch human rights campaigners demonstrated today (Sunday, from 2.30pm to 4pm) outside 10 Downing Street and handed in an appeal to Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

Today’s London protest is supported by the Baluchistan Action Committee (UK), the World Sindhi Congress, the Sindhi Baluch Forum and the Baluchistan Rights Movement. Large number of political activists, human rights campaigners and local politicians attended and spoke in demonstration. Main speakers were Mir Gulam Hussain (Baloch Action Committee-UK), Jamshed Amiri (Balochistan United Front), Haleem Bhatti (World Sindhi Congress), Rahim Bahndowi (Balochistan Peoples Party), and Peter Tatchell (famous human rights campaigner).

A petition was submitted to 10 Downing Street by delegates. The copy of petition is attached with this press release.

They were demanding the dropping of terrorism charges against two Baluch human rights campaigners in the UK and an end to Pakistan’s latest military operation on the people of occupied Baluchistan.

Baluchistan was an independent nation that was invaded and annexed by Pakistan in 1948.

“We are protesting against the arrest by the British police on terror charges of the former Baluchistan MP and Government Minister, Mr. Hyrbyair Marri, and his fellow Baluch nationalist and human rights campaigner, Mr. Faiz Baluch,” said protester Ambreen Hisbani, who is coordinator of the Sindhi Baluch Forum.

“These terror charges follow the killing by the Pakistani military of Mr Marri’s brother, Mir Balach Marri, on 21 November”, she added.

“The men’s detention in London coincides with pressure by President Musharraf’s regime for the arrest and extradition of Baluch exiles in London. Pakistan wants to silence all of us who are campaigning against its occupation and repression of Baluchistan.

"This protest is also against Pakistan's new military offensive in Baluchistan, which has resulted in many civilian casualties. It's aim is to crush the Baluchistan people, assassinate the nationalist leaders and suppress our aspiration to restore Baluchistan as a free and independent nation," said Ms Hisbani.

Her view is echoed by Mehran Baluch, the Baluch representative to the UN Human Rights Council, Chair of the Baluchistan Rights Movement and brother of the murdered nationalist leader, Mir Balach Marri:

“The arrests of Hyrbyair Marri and Faiz Baluch are likely to have been based on false information supplied to the UK by Pakistan,” said Mehran Baluch.

“At the very least, Pakistan wants these two Baluch nationalists locked away by the British authorities, in order to halt their campaigning on behalf of the Baluch nation. More likely, Musharraf’s regime wants them extradited to Pakistan. We believe that if these men are extradited they will never get a fair trial. They would be tortured and they could face a death sentence.

“For many months the Pakistan government has been demanding that the British government agree to a prisoner swap deal, whereby alleged terrorists held in Pakistan and wanted by the UK police would be exchanged for Baluch human rights activists exiled in the UK.

“The protest is also against Pakistan’s new military offensive against Baluchistan, which has resulted in many civilian casualties. It’s aim is to assassinate our national leaders and suppress our aspiration to restore Baluchistan as a free and independent nation,” said Mehran Baluch.

“Since 6 December, civilian areas in the Kahan and Dera Bugti regions of Baluchistan have been carpet bombed by the Pakistan air force,” according to Haleem Bhatti, Chairman of World Sindhi Congress, which is supporting today’s London protest.

“In this recent attach more than 200 houses and other buildings, such as schools and clinics, have been destroyed and at least 500 people, mostly women and children, have been kidnapped and incarcerated in detention camps, where they are being tortured and ill-treated. Over 100 civilians have been killed and many hundreds more wounded, said Mr Bhatti.

“Thousands of democratic, secular Baluch and Sindhi political activists including women and children have been either kidnapped or being illegally detained and severely and inhumanely tortured by Pakistan’s military agencies, including Dr Safdar Sarki, ex-Chairman, World Sindhi Congress.”

Speaking to protesters, Baloch Action Committee’s member Samad Baloch said that “Baluchistan is under siege because of it geo-political status. Baluchistan is a gateway to oil rich Central Asia and a corridor to Middle East, Africa and Europe. Baluchistan is front line state and all its airport, sea and spaces are in constant use of NATO forces and its allies. Therefore, Pakistan is taking advantage of this situation and labeling secular Baluch leaders, who are fighting for the rights of their nation, as terrorists.”

“Baluch leaders are being detained, tortured and target killed by Pakistan army because they are demanding right of self determination and rights for their own resources. Pakistan army has abducted more then 8000 Baluch political workers, students, and intellectuals” said Mr. Samad.

Today’s protest was attended by human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, who has worked on human rights campaigns with both detained men, Mr Marri and Mr Baluch. He supports the Baluchistan independence struggle:

“I urge the Foreign Secretary to protest to the Pakistan Ambassador and President Musharraf against Pakistan’s indiscriminate military attacks on civilian areas, and its detention without trial, torture and extra-judicial murder of Baluch citizens,” said Mr Tatchell.

“The British government should propose motions in the EU and UN censuring Pakistan’s breach of international humanitarian law and affirming Baluchistan’s right to self-determination,” he said.

At 3.30pm today, a delegation from the protesters will hand in an appeal to Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street, urging him and his government to take the following action:

• “Not give in to pressure from the Pakistani military establishment. We believe the extradition of Hyrbyair Marri and Faiz Baluch would result in their torture, imprisonment and possible execution.
• “Press the Pakistan government to immediately stop its military operations in Baluchistan
• “Halt all military, economic and diplomatic support for the brutal military regime in Pakistan, which is deploying state terrorism against Baluch and Sindhi people
• “Press Pakistan government to release all Baluch and Sindhi political prisoners and human rights activists
• “Initiate and organise efforts for intentional community observers to visit the affected areas on a fact-finding mission, to establish the facts about the atrocities committed by Pakistan’s military establishment in Baluchistan
• “Urge via EU and UN institutions the condemnation of Pakistan’s military offensive in Baluchistan and the right of the Baluch people to self-determination.”

For further information:

Ambreen Hisbani, coordinator of the Sindhi Baluch Forum, in London: 07930 397 082

Mehran Baluch, the Baluch representative to the UN Human Rights Council, in London: mehranbaluch@hotmail.com

Haleem Bhatti, Chairman of WSC, in London: 07939177286

Samad Baloch, Balochistan Action Committee (UK),
London: smdbaloch@yahoo.co.uk

Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner: 020 7403 1790

Current news on the Baluch freedom struggle: www.balochvoice.com and www.balochwarna.org

Background briefing

Read this Guardian article by Peter Tatchell about Pakistan’s occupation of Baluchistan:

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/peter_tatchell/2007/08/pakistan_celebrates_baluchista.html

Watch this internet TV interview with Mehran Baluch, the Baluch representative at the UN Human Rights Council:

http://doughty.gdbtv.com/player.php?h=6047f4ff19c2da48b68fed7e067a3a5f

Other Links

1. http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,2044324,00.html
2. http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/dec2007/gb20071214_317135.htm
3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5290966.stm
4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5292446.stm
5. http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2007/12/071213_rauf_invetigation_sq.shtml
6. http://iaoj.wordpress.com/2007/11/22/benazir-bhutto-condemns-murder-of-balaach-marri-says-it-is-bad-omen-for-the-federation/
7. http://www.topnews.in/hrcp-strongly-denounces-killing-balach-marri-27266
8. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C11%5C23%5Cstory_23-11-2007_pg7_30
9. http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1221/p01s04-wosc.html

ENDS
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URGENT ACTION

Rt. Honorable Gordon Brown
Prime Minister to Her Majesty’s Government
10 Downing Street
London

16 December 2007

Dear Prime Minister,

URGENT ACTION

Arrest of Baloch Human Rights Activists in the UK and their Potential Extradition to Pakistan 

Pakistan military offensive and human rights abuses against the people of Balochistan

We the Baloch and Sindhi communities in the UK are seriously concerned about the fate of Mr. Hyrbyair Marri and Mr. Faiz Mohammad Baluch, who have been arrested on 04 Dec in London by British authorities. They appeared in court on 11 December under the charges of “inciting another person to commit an act of terrorism outside the UK”, for which they remain remanded in custody.  It is our view that their arrest is probably at the behest of the Pakistan government and intelligence agencies.

Mr Marri is a former Balochistan MP and Government Minister. We are shocked that he has been arrested.

The following facts are the basis of our genuine concerns regarding the arrest of these two Baloch human rights activists, who we believe are innocent of the charges against them:

1.       For many months information has been widely disseminated in the British media that the Pakistan government is demanding a prisoner swap deal, whereby alleged terrorists held in Pakistan and wanted by the UK police for alleged terror crimes in the UK are to be exchanged for the Baloch human rights activists exiled in the UK who are wanted by Pakistan (on false, trumped-up charges).

2.       Over the last five years a full-fledged military operation is undergoing in Balochistan. The most modern artillery and air power is being used against innocent Baloch people. This has resulted in huge loss of civilian life including that of hundreds of women, children and elderly. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced. 

3.       Since December 6, the military operation has taken a turn for the worst. Civilian areas in Kahan and Dera Bugti areas of Balochistan have been carpet bombed, more than 200 houses and other buildings such as schools and medical units have been burnt and more than 500 people, mostly women and children have been kidnapped and put in concentration camps where they are being tortured and ill-treated. In addition, over 100 civilians have been killed in the recent military bombardment on Kahan alone. 

4.       Retd. General Musharaf and his government spokespersons have time and again unequivocally made their intentions clear to physically eliminate the Baloch national leadership. Nawab Akbar Bugti, 79 year veteran Baloch national leader was target killed by Pakistani army in August 2006. On 21 November 2007 brother of Hyrbyair Marri, Mir Balaach Marri, was killed in a Pakistani military operation.

5.       Hundreds of democratic, secular Baloch and Sindhi political activists have been either kidnapped or being illegally detained and severely and inhumanely tortured by Pakistan’s military agencies.  Under pressure from the forcibly removed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the Pakistani authorities acknowledged holding some of the detainees but they have been denied all rights to due process.

6.       A survey by U.N. Children's Fund counted 84,000 displaced people, including 26,000 women and 33,000 children, and recommended a $1 million emergency relief program in Balochistan. The government approved the plan only after months of stalling, and as reported by the New York Times, only after it was threatened by some Western diplomats with a war crimes investigation. Thousands of children are said to have perished because Pakistan has blocked relief efforts.

 In the light of the above we believe that Pakistan is determined to:

1.       Continue carrying out genocide of the Baloch nation (as Pakistan previously did in Bangladesh). 

2.       To secure the extradition of Baloch political and human rights activists exiled in the UK.  The extradited individuals will be subject to torture and execution. 

3.       Eliminate the national leadership of Balochistan to silence the voice of democratic and secular people of Balochistan in order to pursue their designs with potential serious threat to regional and global security and peace.

4.       Silence all the democratic and secular movements of Baloch people for their national rights in order to completely colonise and steal their resources to finance their hegemonic motives

We genuinely believe that the above acts of Pakistan’s military establishment qualify as state terrorism and are in contravention to international human rights laws under the Geneva Convention as well as all internationally recognised humanitarian laws. Therefore, Baloch and Sindhi and people, in the light of your commitment to human rights, request that Her Majesty’s government:

1         Should not cave in to pressure from the Pakistani military and extradite Mr. Hyrbyair Marri and Mr. Faiz Mohammad Baluch would result in their torture, imprisonment and possible execution.

2         Press Pakistan to immediately cease its military operation against the Baloch, and release Baloch and Sindhi human rights activists.

3         Immediately stop military, economic and moral support to the brutal military regime in Pakistan until it reforms its behaviour.

4         Initiate and organise efforts for intenternational observers to visit the affected areas to establish the facts about the atrocities committed by Pakistan’s military establishment in Balochistan.

We sincerely believe that your urgent intervention and decisive action can save lives not only of Mr. Hyrbyair Marri and Mr. Faiz Mohammad Baluch but also that of thousands of other innocent people in Balochistan and Sindh, it would weaken a military dictatorship that is secretly patronizing terrorism around the world and creating serious problems for regional and global security.

We look forward to hearing from you:

Balochistan Action Committee (UK)

E-mail: balochactions@yahoo.co.uk

Dr. Haleem Bhatti

World Sindhi Congress

22 Newfields, Welwyn Garden City,

Herts, AL8 6YT

E-mail: worldsindhicongress@gmail.com

Ms. Ambreen Hisbani

Sindhi Baluch Forum

38 Barbican Road,

Greenford, Middlesex UB6 9DH

E-mail: ambreenhisbani@yahoo.co.uk

Peter Tatchell

Human rights campaigner

45 Arrol House

Rockingham Street

London SE1 6QL

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Baloch protest rally in London

By M. Ziauddin ; Dawn news

LONDON, Dec 16: A large number of Baloch people living here and their sympathyisers staged a two-hour long rally in front of 10 Downing street on Sunday demanding release of Hyrbyair Marri and Faiz Baloch who they said were not terrorists but human right activists engaged in defending the rights of the oppressed people of Balochistan.

The rally was jointly organised by the Balochistan Action Committee (UK), the World Sindhi Congress, the Sindhi Baloch Forum and the Balochistan Rights Movement.

Later the group presented a memorandum to the British Prime Minister which was received by one of the officials at 10 Downing.

The memorandum called upon the British PM not to cave in to the demands of Pakistan government to extradite the two arrested Baloch leader. It also asked the PM to press Pakistan to immediately cease its military operation against Baloch nation and release Sindhi and Baloch human rights activists, immediately stop military and economic aid to Musharraf government and initiate and organise international observers to visit the affected areas in Balochitan to establish the facts about atrocities committed by Pakistan Army in the province.

Ambreen Hisbani, coordinator of Sindhi Baloch Forum, Mehran Baloch, the Baloch representative to the UN Human Rights Council, Haleem Bhatti, Chairman of World Sindhi Congress, Dr Safdar Sarki of the same organisation, Samad Baloch of Baloch Action Committee, and human rights activist Peter Tatchell spoke at the rally.Most of the speakers roundly condemned the Musharraf government for launching military campaign against the people of Balochistan. Some even talked of secession.A number of speakers noting the geo-strategic location of their province said a fight was going on there among various global and regional actors to get their foothold as a result of which they added the people of the province are suffering greatly. They specifically criticised Islamabad and Tehran in this regard saying both are treating their respective Balochistans as their colonies.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/12/17/top11.htm

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U.N. General Assembly expresses "deep concern" about human rights in Iran

UNITED NATIONS ; 19 December 2007 (BWNS)

The United Nations General Assembly yesterday adopted a resolution expressing "deep concern" about "ongoing systematic violations of human rights" in Iran.

Adopted by a final vote of 73 to 53, with 55 abstentions, the resolution took note of repression and persecution aimed by the Iranian government at groups ranging from women and women's rights defenders to the news media and labor groups, as well as various ethnic and religious minorities, including Baha'is.

"We are happy that the General Assembly, the most globally representative body of United Nations, has seen fit once again this year to call attention to the dire situation in Iran, where Baha'is and other groups continue to face oppression and persecution by the government," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.

"Our hope now is that the Iranian government will heed the opinion of the international community and stop the systematic violation of human rights directed against its own people," said Ms. Dugal.

The resolution, put forward by Canada and co-sponsored by 41 other countries, describes the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran, expressing "serious concern" about "confirmed instances" of "torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including flogging and amputations"; public executions, including stoning, and "arrests, violent repression, and sentencing of women exercising their right to peaceful assembly, a campaign of intimidation against women's human rights defenders, and continuing discrimination against women and girls."

The resolution, the 20th on Iran since 1985, also notes "increasing discrimination and other human rights violations against persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic or other minorities" including Arabs, Azeris, Baluchis, Kurds, Christians, Jews, Sufis and Sunni Muslims and Baha'is.

Regarding Baha'is, the resolution notes particularly that there have been "attacks on Baha'is and their faith in State-sponsored media, increasing evidence of efforts by the State to identify and monitor Baha'is and prevention of (Baha'is) from attending university and from sustaining themselves economically; an increase in cases of arbitrary arrest and detention."

http://news.bahai.org/story/594
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Dubai reacts to US pressure on Iran

By Roula Khalaf, Simeon Kerr and Daniel Dombey

Published: December 20 2007 19:37 |The Financial Times Limited 2007

Mention sanctions to Iranians and their answer is, often, Dubai. As the US has tightened the squeeze on financial dealings with Tehran and other countries have slowly followed, Iranians have sought to do business through neighbouring Dubai, an open, free-wheeling emirate and transhipment hub that has long welcomed them.

But even Dubai, and the federal government in the United Arab Emirates, is now showing signs of unease as US pressure on banks to stop lending to Iran mounts and security concerns over the presence of a large Iranian community intensify.

Following the introduction of new export control laws, the UAE has stepped up the inspection of cargoes heading for Iran, confiscating last month a shipment that contravened United Nations sanctions aiming to hem in Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.

Some of the 350,000 Iranians in Dubai are also starting to face restrictions. Anecdotal reports suggest some have been unable to renew residence visas. Nasser Hashempour, vice-president of the Iranian Business Council of Dubai, says it is becoming almost impossible for new Iranian businesses to secure permits.

Such is the emerging nervousness about doing business with Iran that Dubai-based and UAE-majority owned firms underwriting Iranian merchants’ transactions are finding that international banks are “more cautious” about extending credit, says Mr Hashempour.

UAE banks, meanwhile, have stopped issuing lines of credit to Iranian banks, making it difficult for Iranian front companies to circumvent sanctions.

The restrictions suggest that politics is finally intruding on business in the emirate, despite long-standing UAE government attempts to keep the two apart.

Alarmed by Iran’s nuclear programme and upset by a territorial dispute over three islands in the Gulf, the government has long shared Washington’s concerns about Tehran. The UAE is a key US ally in the region, the largest Gulf importer of US goods and a party to the multi-billion dollar arms deals announced in July designed in part to combat the perceived Iranian threat.

Despite grumbles among Washington politicians that the UAE has not done enough to curb the financing of terrorism, US officials say co-operation over Iran has been deepening.

Since 2002 the US has built up the intelligence capacity of a “listening post” at its Dubai consulate, where a team of about five Iran specialists monitor events in the Islamic republic, while also making contacts with Iranian expatriates, many of whom hold the current regime in low regard.

However, with the large Iranian community promoting trade flows that make Iran the emirate’s single largest trading partner, the UAE has been keen to also promote business with Iran.

The UAE government dismisses suggestions that the welcome to Iranians has cooled.

Instead, officials cite a combination of factors that could affect the business relationship.

First, the government’s attitude is that it will not follow the US in adopting unilateral sanctions against Iran but will resolutely abide by UN Security Council resolutions, which have targeted three leading Iranian banks and the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard.

Second, concern over the UAE’s reputation – particularly following the embarrassing discovery that front companies working for the A Q Khan illegal nuclear procurement network were based in the UAE – has led to tighter controls on re­export trade. “Export controls are not designed against Iran but they protect the reputation of this place,” says an ­official.

Some 40 companies have been shut down over transhipment offences, a few of them allegedly involved in shadowy Iranian-related business.

“This is related to the tension in the region because security and stability are more important than trade,” says Mustafa Alani, analyst at the Dubai-based Gulf Research Centre. “Financial benefit will come second to security.”

Despite the easing of the international frenzy over the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear activities – following US intelligence findings that Tehran stopped its atomic weapons programme in 2003 – the US will continue to press its allies, including the UAE, for more action.

“We want all countries to do whatever they can to help prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons,” says Tom Casey, a State department spokesman. ”Beyond compliance with UN Security Council resolutions, each nation will have to decide for itself what other steps it can take.”

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
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Take the necessary action on releasing of innocent young Balochis who have been arrested in Chah-Jamal In Iranshahr episode