Thursday, September 15th 2011
Protest against the head of the Iranian nuclear program and Iranian propaganda in Vienna
STOP THE BOMB will be demonstrating against Mastermind of Iran's nuclear weapons program; protests against event of Iranian embassy in Vienna
On Monday, September 19th, 9:00 AM,, the STOP THE BOMB coalition will be demonstrating against the head of the Iranian nuclear program, Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani in front of the Vienna International Center/UNO City at Wagramer Strasse. Abbasi was appointed by Ahmadinejad and became one of his deputy vice presidents in Febuary this year. He is meant to be taking part in the annual IAEA general conference in Vienna, taking place between the 19th and 23rd of September. Abbasi, who has been member of the Iranian revolutionary guards since 1979, faces UN sanctions due to his direct involvement in the Iranian nuclear weapons and missile program. His name is also mentioned in the EU sanctions resolution passed in 2010. Nevertheless, the travelling restrictions were lifted for his second visit to Vienna this year. He already attended the IAEA conference in July, when STOP THE BOMB organized protests as well.
In the middle of this year, Abbasi-Davani announced that Iran will tripple its capacities of uranium enrichment, in continued disregard of UN security council resolutions. Even before his appointment as head of the Iranian nuclear program, the nuclear phycisist acted as the mastermind of the nuclear weapons program. STOP THE BOMB spokesperson Simone Dinah Hartmann points out that the fact that travel restrictions are lifted for such a figure is yet another proof that previously adopted sanctions are insufficient: "Not only regarding travelling restrictions, tougher sanctions are neccessary. Since the EU has finally agreed to sanction oil products from Iran's ally Syria, it is about time to sanction Iranian oil products. Earnings from the oil and gas sector make up to 80 percent of Iranian export gains." It is known what Iran is aiming at, Hartmann continues: "In the of August, Ahmadinejad repeatedly denied the Holocaust and called it a 'big lie'. Numerous regime officials demanded the annihilation of Israel during the so called 'Al Quds Day'. It is unacceptable that representatives of such a regime are moving freely in Austria."
While this regime is brutally prosecuting the Iranian opposition and participating in the crackdown of protests in Syria, Vienna is providing premises for the regime's self staging. On Friday, September 16th, an event is taking place organized by the cultural department of the Iranian embassy in Festsaal Längenfeldgasse which was leased from the MA 56 department of the City of Vienna. Despite numerous protests, the city of Vienna sustains its plan to rent its facilities to representatives of the Iranian regime. Hiwa Bahrami of the Democratic Party Kurdistan-Iran states: "There are no 'harmless cultural events' conducted by the Iranian dictatorship. Those who provide facilities to the Iranian embassy - treating them like usual contractors - acknowledge a legitimacy which has been lost among the people of Iran." Sogol Ayrom, spokesperson of the Iranian human rights organization "Neda Iran" supports this protest: "If nevertheless the City of Vienna will allow for this event of the Iranian terror regime to take place on its premises, we will demonstrate together with STOP THE BOMB and the democratic as well as secular Iranian opposition against this inhuman policy."
Queries:
Simone Dinah Hartmann
Phone: +43 650 344 88 58
E-mail: info@stopthebomb.net
