Mediaboss Marketing

Globally, non-state actors and civil society organisations (CSOs) have been acknowledged as critical stakeholders in moulding and shaping of public policy and global discourse. Their support for policy setting, adoption of legislation and development cooperation is essential to promoting fundamental principles and rights.

In this context, many of these non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have initiated and partnered with governments to solve societal problems. Such is the role of CSOs to social growth and development.

Sadly, some civil society organisations have become harbingers of mischief as well as citadel for brewing confusion and anarchy. In Nigeria, operating a civil society organisation has become an all-comers affair where a man who has no business in CSO, but wants to be relevant would quickly rush to the Corporate Affairs Commission, (CAC), register mundane association and start polluting the countrys media space with baseless, frivolous and fallacious press statements. Unfortunately, instead of ignoring such charade, some online media would go ahead to publish or air their stories, thereby bloating their false ego.

This is the lowest watermark some advocacy groups have brought civil society advocacy in Nigeria to. The price for being irrational in this regard must go to the Human Right Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA). Though HURIWA had hitherto earned popularity for interrogating governments activities, its latest outburst about the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen Mohammed Babagana Monguno, and service chiefs is theatrics carried too far.

In a press statement issued recently, HURIWA called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack NSA Monguno, all his service chiefs, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Inspector-General of Police for gross incompetence and for crass dereliction of duty.

President Muhammadu Buhari ought to stop his frequent lamentations over his failings in the area of security because that is not why he was elected but to take immediate and comprehensive measures to dismiss any or all of his service chiefs now since they have manifested through their actions and inactions that they have not got what it takes to defeat terrorists just as the security Chiefs most of whom are Moslem Northerners are behaving like they are aiding and abetting the successes recorded so far by Islamic terrorists and the Fulani terrorists, the group stated.

From the above excerpts, it is clear that HURIWA is ignorant of security issues. Instead of seeking help or further clarification from proven experts, HURIWA decided to expose its gross ignorance to the wider world. Is HURIWA so bereft of knowledge of global security concerns? Perhaps, Onwubiko and his lame HURIWA may not be aware that a total of 113 terror attacks took place in Europe alone in 2021, and globally, a total of 5, 226 terror attacks took place, with 7,142 fatalities.

Come to think of it, how many security chiefs were sacked during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on Pentagon and World Trade Centre in the United States? Who was sacked during the May 22, 2017 Manchester Arena bombings in the United Kingdom where 22 people were killed?

Insecurity has become a global concern and not a Nigerian thing. Like CSOs do in the US, UK and other developed countries, instead of putting heads together with the government on how to mitigate attacks, HURIWAs preoccupation is centred on making certain persons unhealthy subjects to scapegoatism. How would sacking NSA and security chiefs help the country? How do you change a winning team in the middle of a game?

From its past track records in advocacy, HURIWA cannot be suffering from collective amnesia to have forgotten so soon how bad Nigerias security situation was before President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office on May 29, 2015. On assumption, the president appointed NSA Mongonu. As of today, is Boko Haram or any terrorist organisations holding an inch of the countrys territory unlike in the past when they captured territories, hoisted their flag and declared a Caliphate? Is Jos, the Plateau State capital, still on fire today? What about the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, where bombs were just flying and exploding everywhere?

If Europe and America, with all their Hi-Tech crime fighting gadgets and well trained police, still faces terror attacks, who are we? The security agencies are doing their best with many of them paying heavy price. The least groups like HURIWA can do is to stop inciting the people against our security. I know it is working to earn the approval of donor agencies so as to qualify for grants, but they should know that there is a country before they ply their trade.

One thing they have failed to realise is that global security architecture is so challenged. As an intelligence expert I have had the privilege of working closely with security agents in the famous MSS, which functions as Chinas intelligence, security agency and secret police, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States, the British M16, and the Russian KGB. One thing I know is that these agencies had to redouble their efforts in containing and sustaining peace and social order. Nigeria is the worst hit because of the impact of the fall of Gaddafis regime in Libya and the receding of Lake Chad which have contributed to the tense security situation in our country.

We have the models of todays administrative brochures of countries in Western and Eastern Europe, including Russia, Brazil, and Germany. No organisation in these countries will call for the sack of their national security adviser and service chiefs. Those sponsoring such calls in Nigeria must be told the bitter truth that they cant intimidate NSA Mongunu and the service chiefs to be involved in illegal financial or miscellaneous deals. It is for this reason that NSA Monguno came up with the National Security Strategy (NSS) and constituted a committee to check against small arms proliferation.

HURIWA only succeeded in stripping itself naked in the market in order to prove a shallow point. Must we go that route or to that extent? Has advocacy groups tried to engage authorities in a constructive manner, offer useful suggestions, and they were turned down? No! They wont do that because their motives are not genuine or pure.

The cabals sponsoring the calls for sack of the NSA and service chiefs are disgruntled because under Buhari, they have been caged and no more have the opportunity to feed fat from the arms deal. With NSA Monguno in the saddle, they can no longer penetrate the service chiefs to carry out illicit activities to ensure financial flow from arms deals the way they did under past administrations. What one would have expected from HURIWA is to lead a campaign to bring those involved in the arms deal scandal under the previous government to book.

Another issue raised in the statement was Buharis globetrotting. The question begging for answer is, should Buhari remain in Aso Rock and expect foreign investors to come to Nigeria? Globally, presidents are the chief marketers of their countries. The confidence of investors is boosted when the president of a country appears in business meetings and conferences. The recent visit by President Buhari to Portugal will suffice. On that trip, President Buhari and his Portuguese counterpart agreed on the need for Nigeria to take a commanding lead in addressing the energy crisis in Europe.

Let it be known to mischief makers that after seven years in the saddle, it is safe to report that never before has Nigeria witnessed a drastic modernisation of its security architecture. Never before has Nigeria seen seamless synergy between its security agencies. In such a short period, our security details have moved from the archaic model of executing operations to sophisticated and cutting edge security operations, which have pushed back crimes and criminality.

It is no wonder that Nigeria has continued to defy the projections and predictions of doomsday analysts who thought that by now the country should be history. Instead of disintegration and bloodshed as anticipated, the United Nations, European Union, African Union and governments of leading countries have continued to applaud Nigeria for holding on and waxing stronger.

Ibrahim is director, Communications and Strategic Planning, Presidential Support Committee (PSC)

Related

See the rest here:
PMB, NSA and the peril of toxic advocacy - Blueprint Newspapers Limited

*Electoral umpire recognises Akpabio-backed APC faction in Akwa Ibom*Vote-buying may mar Osun governorship poll, say INEC, NSA

Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja

As presidential candidates and other politicians seeking elective offices in the 2023 general election continue to claim that their certificates are missing, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that 216 requests have so far been received demanding the particulars of some of the candidates.

The electoral umpire and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd) have also raised the alarm on the potential dangers of vote-buying in the forthcoming July 16 Osun State governorship election.

Also barring any last-minute changes, the name of the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio will be on the ballot as the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Akwa Ibom North-West in next years general election.

This is a sequel to the recognition of the Akpabio-backed Stephen Ntukepko-led leadership of the APC in Akwa Ibom State by INEC.At a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) held yesterday in Abuja to review security arrangements for the Osun State governorship election, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated that the number of requests by Nigerians seeking a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the particulars of the candidates has risen to 216.

Before I conclude, let me seize this opportunity to once again reassure all Nigerians who applied for Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents arising from the recent party congresses, primaries and nomination of candidates that all requests are being attended to expeditiously despite the huge quantities of documents involved.

Nigerian election, especially the conduct of primaries for the nomination of candidates by political parties, is one of the most litigated in the world. As of yesterday evening (Friday, July 1, 2022), 216 requests have so far been processed involving the certification of over 1,650,000) pages of documents.Indeed, there are now far more cases challenging the breach of internal democracy within political parties than those involving the conduct of the main elections by INEC. We will continue to work round the clock, including the weekends, to ensure that we attend to all applications received at the headquarters of the commission promptly, Yakubu explained.

According to the documents submitted to INEC, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in an affidavit submitted to INEC, claimed that he changed his name from Siddiq Abubakar as it appears on his West African School Certificate (WASC), to Atiku Abubakar.While Atiku was silent on the primary school he attended, he disclosed his General Certificate Education (GCE) results obtained in 1965 and a Higher Certificate (Masters degree) obtained in 2021.

Also, the presidential flagbearer of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Sani Yabagi, in an affidavit he submitted to INEC, said that the name on his degree and WASC is different from what he currently bears.In the same manner, the Delta State governor and vice presidential candidate of the PDP, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa in an affidavit attached to his particulars, informed INEC that his WASC obtained in 1974 was missing.

Okowa, however, attached a Higher School Certificate obtained in 1976.The presidential candidate of the Young Peoples Party (YPP), Prince Abdul Malik Ado Ibrahim, in the affidavit sworn to at the Federal High Court of Justice, Maitama, Abuja, on June 3, 2022, claimed that his original BSc degree issued by American College of Los Angeles, dated 1988; High School Diploma issued to him by Langley High, Norwich, UK dated 1979 and official degree transcript was missing.

THISDAY had earlier reported that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu was silent on the primary and secondary schools he attended.Meanwhile, with less than two weeks to the governorship election in Osun State on July 16, Yakubu also raised concern over the dangers of vote-buying in the governorship election

Again, arising from the experience in recent elections, vote-buying remains a major area of concern.We appreciate the role played by the anti-corruption and security agencies in apprehending some of the perpetrators of this brazen assault on our democracy.In particular, we are working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure the prosecution of persons arrested in the recent Ekiti governorship election. Action will commence as soon as the EFCC completes its investigation. I appeal to all security agencies to continue to join hands with the Commission to tackle this menace.

The INEC chairman commended the relationship between INEC and security agencies in the Ekiti State governorship election.He announced the readiness of INEC for the Osun State election, saying, on our part, all the major activities that are supposed to be carried out at this stage have been successfully undertaken.

Yakubu added that the commission would keep a close watch on the security situation in Osun State.Also, the NSA, Monguno has raised the alarm that the July 16 Osun State governorship election may be hijacked or sabotaged by politicians through buying of voters.

Monguno who was represented by Sanusi Galadima from his office said: The NSA also urged ICCES members to build on the successes recorded from the Ekiti election as some disgruntled politicians may attempt to sabotage the process for their selfish gains, through vote-buying and other forms of voter inducement as well as political thuggery.

He also commended the INEC for the extension of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.The NSA said that records from the conduct of the last Ekiti State governorship election indicated an impressive performance by the INEC as well as the security agencies as there were no major incidents of security concern recorded during and after the election.

Electoral Umpire Recognises Akpabio-backed APC Faction in Akwa Ibom

Meanwhile, barring any last-minute changes, the name of the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Akpabio will be ballot as the senatorial candidate of the APC for the Akwa Ibom North-West election next year.

This is the sequel to the recognition of the Ntukepko-led leadership of the party in Akwa Ibom State.The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Mike Igini, had stated that the APC cannot field any candidate in next years general election following its alleged inability to conduct a valid primary election for the selection of its candidates in the state and national elections.

Akpabio had participated in the APCs presidential primary and did not feature in any senatorial primary of the APC.His name was however forwarded by the APC to INEC as its senatorial candidate in the February 2023 senatorial election, after he was said to have participated in a senatorial primary conducted by the Ntukepko-led faction, which the electoral body did not recognise.

But in a letter dated June 21, 2022, and signed by the Secretary to INEC, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the electoral umpire informed its REC in Akwa Ibom State that it would abide by a court judgment which declared Ntukepko as the authentic Chairman of the state chapter of the APC.

The letter marked: Ref: INEC/L&P/FHC/22/339/84, a copy of which was sighted by THISDAY reads, This is to formally draw your attention to the subsisting Judgment/Order of the Federal High Court, Abuja (Suit No: FCH/ABJ/CS/1635/2021) which recognised Hon, Stephen Leo Ntukekpo as the Chairman of the APC in Awka Ibom State;

The commission is to comply with the content of the judgment, please.While Igini had claimed that the APC in Akwa Ibom State did not conduct any primary monitored by INEC in the state, the APC had claimed that it re-conducted its primary at a rescheduled date wherein it informed the commission.In a letter dated June 15 and cited by THISDAY, the APC accordingly urged the commission to recognise its candidates in the forthcoming general elections in the state.

The letter signed by APCs National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore read in part, Following the judgment delivered in the above-mentioned suit which declared the Stephen Leo Ntukekpo-led state executive as the duly and democratically-elected members of the Akwa Ibom State Executive Committee, our party which has always been law-abiding, elected to obey the courts judgment and swear in Stephen Leo Ntukekpo as the State Chairman of the party in Akwa Ibom State.Our party recently conducted its primary election to nominate the governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, wherein Mr. Akan Udofia emerged victorious as the candidate of the party.

However, the news making the rounds both in print and electronic media is that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Mike Igini has been quoted as saying that our Party does not have a Governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom as no primary election took place to nominate our candidate.We respectfully request that Mr Mike Igini should be called to order and refrain from making statements that are likely to cause political turmoil in Akwa Ibom State and put our party and your commission in a bad light.

Mr Chairman you are aware that political parties have exclusive rights to nominating candidates. We would therefore insist on exercising those rights.We equally request that all rights and privileges should be accorded to the Stephen Leo Ntukekpo-led State Executive Committee in Akwa Ibom State as we do not recognise any other group or faction particularly as there is a court judgment validating the State Executives led by Stephen Leo Ntukekpo.We are confident that you will give the concerns we have raised the much-needed attention they deserve in order not to bring your commission into disrepute and unnecessary embarrassment.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo had in a judgment delivered on March 17, declared Ntukepko as the authentic Chairman of the APC in Akwa Ibom State.An appeal filed against the judgment at the court of Appeal was also dismissed following its withdrawal by the APC.

See the original post:
2023 Elections: INEC Receives 216 Requests for Particulars of Candidates - THISDAY Newspapers

Press play to listen to this article

Belgiums parliament on Tuesday will debate whether to ratify a proposed treaty with Iran that could allow an Iranian convicted of terrorism in Belgium to be sent back to Tehran.

Iran has loudly demanded that Belgium release Assadollah Assadi, an Iranian diplomat who was convicted on terrorism charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a bomb plot targeting a rally by opponents of the Iranian regime in France.

The Belgian government has refused to explain the immediate need for the treaty, although Belgian media reported Monday night that Iran has been holding a Belgian national in jail since February, potentially as leverage.

The treaty could also pave the way for a future political deal on Ahmadreza Djalali, who was sentenced to death by an Iranian court in 2017 on charges of spying for Israel. Djalali, a former researcher at the medical university Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and a guest lecturer at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), denies the charges. Belgium and Sweden have lobbied for his release for years. However, he would not immediately be covered by the treaty, as he doesnt have Belgian nationality.

Several Western citizens are detained in Iran on spurious charges. These cases have long represented one of the most difficult challenges in the problematic relationship between European nations and Iran. Earlier this year, for example, the U.K. settled a debt to Iran dating back to the 1970s effectively paying a400 million ransom to free two British-Iranian nationals.

The move by Belgium, however, which envisions the release of a terrorist convicted in the Belgian courts of attempting mass murder on European soil, is proving far more controversial drawing outrage from European critics of Iran, as well as members of the Iranian opposition living in exile.

While the treaty has been in development for many months, the action in the Belgium parliament comes as European leaders are panicking over energy prices and are increasingly eager to repair relations with Iran in the hope that the Islamic Republic can resume its role as a major supplier of oil and gas.

Doing so would require resolving continuing disagreements with the United States over the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which will not be easy. But with EU countries intent on cutting off Russian energy supplies, Iran is seen as one of the few alternative sources.

The new treaty between Belgium and Iran was signed in March and is now being pushed through parliament at speed, with legislative leaders aiming to have it ratified before the parliamentary summer break. The treaty would permit Iranians convicted in Belgium to serve their sentences in Iran, with the same happening for Belgians convicted in Iran. But the treaty also allows each party to grant amnesty and there is little doubt that Assadi, who worked as an Iranian diplomat, would quickly be set free.

Critics of the new treaty say that it will undermine the Belgian law enforcement and justice systems, literally creating a get-out-of-jail-free card for terrorists.

This is an erosion of the legal system, said Michael Freilich, a Belgian MP for the Flemish nationalists N-VA, who are in opposition in the Belgian parliament. Iran has made clear publicly that they dont see Assadi as a terrorist, but as a diplomat. He will be freed as soon as he steps foot on Iranian soil.

Our country is signing a treaty with a terrorist state purely for the purpose of extraditing terrorists to Iran, said Rik Vanreusel, a lawyer representing the Iranian opposition. Iran has a clear policy of taking foreigners hostage as leverage. This new law institutionalizes this kind of behavior via a legal framework.

Amnesty International has also previously warned Iran was holding Djalali hostage to compel Belgium and Sweden to hand over former Iranian officials, including Assadi.

When asked for comment, the Belgian foreign affairs ministry referred questions to the office of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who is also serving temporarily as foreign affairs minister. De Croos office referred questions to Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne.

A spokesperson for Van Quickenborne insisted that the treaty was not tied to any specific case. There is no link with any individual file, the spokesperson said, adding that the vote in parliament was not just about the treaty with Iran, but also about treaties with India and the United Arab Emirates, which would help extradite criminals in the drug trade.

When asked about the treaty in the Belgian parliament last Thursday, Van Quickenborne also pointed out a need to protect Belgians who might be detained by foreign regimes. This is how we ensure that criminals cannot hide in other countries, because impunity is not an option. At the same time, however, we also want to protect our compatriots worldwide, hence the international agreement, Van Quickenborne said.

In recent days, there has been mounting global condemnation of the planned new treaty.

Nine former senior members of the U.S. law enforcement and national security community sent a letter to the Belgian parliament urging against ratification.

This pending treaty is totally disrespectful to the law enforcement officers who risked their lives to prevent the 2018 attack, the letter, seen by POLITICO, stated. It also frustrates the judicial systems ability to fulfill its mission to protect the citizens of Europe by denying it the ability to make perpetrators accountable.

The authors, who include former FBI Director Louis Freeh and an array of former U.S. military commanders, warned that the treaty would effectively establish Belgium as a sanctuary country for terrorist operations, and a safe haven for Iranian intelligence services to maintain a European central command center.

Three Republican U.S. congressmen Randy K. Weber and Louie Gohmert of Texas, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania have also written a letter to De Croo urging him to oppose the treaty. In the letter, the three U.S. lawmakers praised Belgian authorities for preventing a heinous tragedy by foiling Assadis dastardly plot, which they noted was carried out under the ploy of diplomatic immunity.

Shahin Gobadi, a spokesman for the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran, an Iranian opposition group based in Paris, said there was no doubt about the purpose of the treaty.

This legislation sets the stage for the transfer of a convicted terrorist, Assadollah Assadi, the Iranian regimes diplomat to Iran, Gobadi said in a statement to POLITICO. This disgraceful deal compromises the safety and security of Europeans including the Belgian people and rolls the red carpet for the Iranian regime and its terror apparatus. The message to the Iranian regime would be very clear: you can perpetrate mass terrorism in Europe by using your diplomats and embassies and commit the worst crimes in Europe and get away with it. It is imperative for the Belgium Parliament to reject this agreement and prevent the sacred principles of Europe from being subjected to such dirty deals.

Some Belgian critics of the treaty said there had been a marked change of tone from the Belgian government in the last couple of months, as Van Quickenborne in February had said he wanted to avoid horse-trading on a prisoner swap. That raised the possibility that Belgium was coming under pressure from other European capitals, including Paris, which are eager to ease tensions with Tehran.

Several Belgian diplomats contacted by POLITICO said they were not authorized to speak about the case or that it was above their pay grade. However, diplomats stressed that freeing Djalali, or at least setting aside the death penalty for a more lenient sentence, has long been a priority for the Belgian government.

Freilich also pointed to Benjamin Brire, a French national who has been sentenced in Iran for espionage and propaganda, and suggested that he might be part of a prisoner exchange, with Djalali alone not being sufficient to get Belgium to release Assadi. But honestly, we dont know, Freilich said. Its very sneaky. If the Belgian government really feels that such a deal should be done, it should be transparent about it.

One Belgian politician said there has been large diplomatic pressure, in particular from France.

But some senior leaders strongly defended the efforts to re-engage with Iran and further isolate Russia in the context of its war with Ukraine. Speaking at a news conference at the G7 summit in Germany, European Council President Charles Michel, a former Belgian prime minister, said the EU had consistently supported the Iran nuclear deal, and should do everything possible to revive it.

Even if it is extremely difficult even we know whats the role played by Iran in the regional context, Michel said, we think that the EU has responsibility to engage with all the actors with all the partners there to see if agreements with Iran are possible.

The treaty will first be discussed on Tuesday by the foreign affairs committee. Once it gets the green light there, which could be within hours, it will go to the full parliament, possibly later this week.But given the increasing pressure and the growing media attention the treaty is getting in Belgium, some Belgian politicians said it isnt a done deal yet.

Continued here:
Belgium paves way to send convicted terrorist to Iran - POLITICO Europe

Iranian economist Mohsen Renani says another revolution is unlikely in Iran, however, there is a high potential for riots and unrest because of economic crisis.

Speaking in an interview with Didban Iran [Iran Monitor] news website, the Esfahan University professor said that if protests continue in Iran they will turn out to be more dangerous for the country than a nuclear bomb.

Irans runaway inflation, currently at an annual rate of 55 percent, has impoverished a vast majority of the population and is seen as the result of a nuclear program that has brought on international and US sanctions for the past 15 years, crippling the economy.

Meanwhile, Renani added that because of the ongoing dissent, officials are losing their self-confidence and keep making hasty decisions secretly to cope with a multitude of problems.

He said revolutions have been constantly taking place in Iran for 110 years now. "The constitutional revolution of 1905, the Qajar Dynastys fall in 1920, the Iranian oil nationalization movement of the early 1950s and the Green Movement of 2009 against Islamic Republic policies have all been revolutions."

However, he added that all of those revolutions were the consequences of Iranian elites and leaders' inability to maintain dialogue among themselves and with the people.

Mohsen Renani, professor of economics in University of Esfahan

Renani warned against the declining self-confidence of decisionmakers in Iran, adding that Iran is at a stage where too many crises happen at the same time. "In such a situation, the regime is entangled in a quagmire of instability, challenge, and wrong social and economic decisions. The only thing the government can do is fight fires: Putting out fires here and there while ending up in a strange confusion as a result of its inefficiency," the economist said.

He was most likely referring to hurried decisions made by President Ebrahim Raisis administration to cope with the country's biggest economic crisis in its modern history. Those decisions including a desperate attempt to eliminate food subsidies and increase prices of essential commodities.

When these decisions led to a major crisis in early May and culminated in protests, the government announced various new measures including rationing bread, issuing coupons and promising higher cash handouts, while so far it has not able to do any one of those things. In the meantime, price kept rising and dissatisfaction has led to a situation hard to control or continue.

Since 2017, Renani has been leading a series of academic dialogues to discuss solutions to Irans problems. He says the "Development Dialogues" is an academic attempt to look for the missing give-and-take between the elites and the government during the past 110 years.

"Throughout this time, intellectuals thought that Iran can reach development only through regime change," he said. He added that Iranian academics are collecting some 50 different narratives that could determine the route to development. However, he regretted that "We have not been able to turn this into a real dialogue among those who pursue Iran's development."

"Unfortunately, many join the discussions only to prove themselves. They are not there to listen to others in order to correct their narratives. Some even refused to join the conversation to avoid possible criticism," he said, most likely pointing at lack of interest on the part of the officials to listen to critics.

Renani added that some 95 percent of private sector institutions in Iran are formed and maintained by less than five individuals each. "That is because we cannot talk to each other," he stressed.

View post:
Economist Says Revolution Is Unlikely In Iran, But Unrest Is Here To Stay -

A man cleans up rubble after an earthquake at Sayeh Khosh village in Hormozgan province in Iran, some 620 miles south of the capital Tehran on July 2, 2022. Abdolhossein Rezvani/AP hide caption

A man cleans up rubble after an earthquake at Sayeh Khosh village in Hormozgan province in Iran, some 620 miles south of the capital Tehran on July 2, 2022.

TEHRAN, Iran Five people were killed and 44 others injured in a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in southern Iran on Saturday, state television reported.

Rescue teams were deployed near the epicenter, Sayeh Khosh village, which is home to around 300 people in Hormozgan province, some 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) south of the capital, Tehran, the report said.

People went into the streets as aftershocks continued to jolt the area after the early morning quake, which also damaged buildings and infrastructure.

The earthquake was felt in many neighboring countries, the report said.

The area has seen several moderate earthquakes in recent weeks. In November, one man died following two magnitude 6.4 and 6.3 earthquakes.

Iran lies on major seismic faults and experiences one earthquake a day on average. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake flattened the historic city of Bam, killing 26,000 people. A magnitude 7 earthquake that struck western Iran in 2017 killed more than 600 people and injured more than 9,000.

Read this article:
A strong earthquake has killed at least 5 in southern Iran - NPR