The Latest from Iran (4 April): Admitting the Economic Tensions

See also Iran Snap Analysis: Is Tehran Pulling Back from the Nuclear Talks?
The Latest from Iran (3 April): Protesting Discrimination

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1952 GMT: Rafsanjani Watch. The back-and-forth over former President Hashemi Rafsanjani's call for better relations with Saudi Arabia and the US continues. Responding to criticism from conservative politicians (see 1420 GMT), Rafsanjani has insisted, "If Ayatollah Khomeini had problems with relations with US, he addressed them with me."

1942 GMT: Sanctions Watch. King Juan Carlos of Spain has travelled to Kuwait to seek oil exports to cover the shortfall from a Spanish reduction or ban of crude from Iran.

Spain, which takes about 15% of its oil from Tehran, is facing the European Union's edict to cut off Iranian imports from 1 July.

Click to read more ...

Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Scepticism About Reforms

Armoured vehicles move through Sanabis in Bahrain today

See also Bahrain Follow-Up: Humpty Dumpty and the Regime's Friends in the US Congress
Mauritania Feature: The Popular Unrest Grows
Syria Wired: The Latest from Social Media and EA's Readers
Turkey Live Coverage (4 April): A "Casus Belli" for Syria?
Tuesday's Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: 70+ Dead, 70+ Bodies Found as Homs Hospital "Liberated"

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1925 GMT: Former Formula 1 champion Damon Hill has expressed concern over the staging of the Bahrain Grand Prix, ""It would be a bad state of affairs, and bad for Formula One, to be seen to be enforcing martial law in order to hold the race. That is not what this sport should be about."

In February, Hill had appeared to support the staging of the race, "There are sincere efforts to resolve the difficulties. There has been a change. Human rights organisations say there is a process in place to help Bahrain recover its reputation."

However, Hill, who won the title in 1996, said today, "Things are different now. The protests have not abated and may even have become more determined and calculated. It is a worrying state of affairs."

1845 GMT: Over the past two days, we have raised questions about the current trip of four members of the US Congress to Bahrain, a visit used by the regime as a public-relations bonanza. Now one of the four legislators, Democrat Jim Himes, has posted messages on Twitter:

On way back from #Bahrain. Visited sailors, govt officials and opposition. Also toured villages where protestors are met with tear gas.

— Jim Himes (@jahimes) April 4, 2012

On way back from #Bahrain. Visited sailors, govt officials and opposition. Also toured villages where protestors are met with tear gas.

— Jim Himes (@jahimes) April 4, 2012

Click to read more ...

Mauritania Feature: The Popular Unrest Grows (Whitaker)

Protest in Mauritania, 12 March 2012

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Last month we posted "Mauritania Photo Feature: The Emergence of Protest?". Now Brian Whitaker removes the question mark over the demonstrations, noting and analysing the latest signs of challenge to the regime:

Has the Arab Spring reached Mauritania? Popular unrest is clearly growing and yesterday tens of thousands took to the streets of the capital, Nouakchott, calling on the president to step down.

Up to now, this has largely gone unnoticed by the rest of the world, apart from a few tweets and blog posts. Mauritania, after all, is one of the more obscure members of the Arab League and none of the big powers take much interest in it, politically or strategically.

Click to read more ...

Syria Wired: The Latest from Social Media and EA's Readers

Our regular feature where EA readers use the Comments section to bring in latest news and stories on the Syrian crisis....

US Politics: After 3 Wins, Is Romney "Almost-Certain Republican Nominee"? (Balz/Rucker)

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Mitt Romney captured presidential primaries in Maryland, the District and battleground Wisconsin, the biggest prize of the day, to complete a momentum-building, three-contest sweep Tuesday that cemented his status as the almost certain Republican nominee and put new pressure on rival Rick Santorum to reassess his candidacy.

With his campaign increasingly focused on President Obama and the general election, the former Massachusetts governor’s victories in Maryland and the District were never in doubt. He won both by crushing margins. In Wisconsin, where Romney and Santorum devoted most of their energies, the margin was narrower but nonetheless decisive.

Click to read more ...

Bahrain Follow-Up: Humpty Dumpty and the Regime's Friends in the US Congress

See also Bahrain Propaganda Special: Introducing the Regime's Best Friends in the US Congress

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Congress Staff with Bahrain Minister of JusticeYesterday we posted the feature, "Introducing the Regime's Best Friends in the US Congress", detailing the current trip by four American legislators to the kingdom and asking questions about the lobbyists, organisations, and finance behind the visit.

Now Stephen Koff of the Cleveland Plain Dealer adds information and more mystery:

Congresswoman Marcia Fudge is in Bahrain for what her office calls a cultural affairs trip, although she is visiting a nation still criticized in the West for its violent crackdown of the Arab Spring protest movement last year....

Critics say the Bahraini government still commits human rights abuses, using tear gas and, according to some reports, rubber bullets against protesters seeking democratic reforms.

Asked about this topic, Fudge's office told The Plain Dealer it could not address it now but can ask upon the congresswoman's return.

While we await Congresswoman Fudge's explanation, Koff adds more to consider about the backers of the trip:

The trip, which began Saturday and ends tomorrow, is sponsored by the Humpty Dumpty Institute. The Institute says on its website that it tries to find unique solutions to humanitarian problems. Attempts to reach a Humpty Dumpty Institute executive traveling with the delegation were unsuccessful.

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Iran Snap Analysis: Is Tehran Pulling Back from the Nuclear Talks?

Is Iran pulling back from the nuclear talks with the 5+1 Powers (US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China), only nine days before they were supposed to begin?

We thought the discussions had been agreed for Istanbul. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the meeting would be in Istanbul. The Iranian Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, had said Istanbul.

All of us may have been wrong.

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Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: 70+ Dead, 70+ Bodies Found as Homs Hospital "Liberated"

Claimed video of Syrian forces moving through the destruction in the Baba Amr section of Homs --- at the end of the clip, a soldier looks in on a family slain in their home

See also Saudi Arabia Feature: Assessing The Regime's Counter-Revolution
Bahrain Propaganda Special: Introducing the Regime's Best Friends in the US Congress
Syria Wired: The Latest from Social Media and EA's Readers
Monday's Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: What Happens After the "Friends of Syria" Meeting?

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2001 GMT: A march towards Bahrain's Ministry of Interior tonight:

1851 GMT: In the Bahraini capital Manama, prominent activist Nabeel Rajab has been protesting at the roundabout by the Ministry of Interior, holding a photo of political prisoner and hunger striker Abdulhadi Alkhawaja.

Nearby, protesters chanted "Free free Khawaja" before they were attacked by police --- one woman kept shouting, "Free Khawaja", as they ran away:

Mary Lawlor of the Irish activist group Front Line Defenders sends the message:

Leaving demo for Release of#Abdulhadi .the pent up aggression of the police was very obvious. Brave participants

— Mary Lawlor (@MaryLawlorFL) April 3, 2012

Click to read more ...

Bahrain Propaganda Special: Introducing the Regime's Best Friends in the US Congress

Members of Congress Jim Himes (second from left), Eni Faleomaveaga (third from left), and Marcia Fudge (third from right) with the President of Bahrain's Information Affairs Authority, Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa (fourth from right)

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So four Representatives, two of them long-established supporters of the Bahraini regime, are currently visiting the Kingdom and providing photo opportunities and articles praising the "sweeping and broad" reforms of King Hamad.

Who's paying? Well, let's just say that if it is not the dime of the US taxpayers, let's just speculate that the regime's quarter and half-dollar might be involved, with a helping hand from the Bahrain American Council.

And what effect might this have on US foreign policy --- and the presentation of Bahrain in the US media --- as the political conflict continues?

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The Latest from Iran (3 April): Protesting Discrimination

Young Iranian men criticise racism against Afghans, with one of the signs declaring, "I am also an Afghan" (see 0610 GMT)

See also The Latest from Iran (2 April): Talking About Oil

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1840 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Student activist Peyman Aref has been released from prison.

Aref, held on six occasions since the disputed 2009 Presidential election, was released in October 2011 after serving a year and receiving 74 lashes, but he was seized again in mid-March.

1805 GMT: Tough Talk of the Day. Masoud Jayazeri, the deputy head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has declared, "In the face of any attack, we will have a crushing response. In that case, we will not only act in the boundaries of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, no place in America will be safe from our attacks."

Jayazeri added that Iran would not strike any country first.

Click to read more ...