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Tuesday
Nov152011

The Latest from Iran (15 November): After the Explosion

The Supreme Leader at the funeral of Revolutionary Guards personnel killed in a Saturday explosion

See also Iran Gift Idea Special: The Ahmadinejad Teapot
The Latest from Iran (14 November): Playing the Foreign Card


2115 GMT: Opposition Watch. The opposition website Rah-e Sabz, which appealed last month for funds, has said that it will remain live, thanks to the help and encouragement of supporters.

2110 GMT: Clerical Intervention. Grand Ayatollah Sane'i, in greetings to the people of Iran and opposition leaders for Eid Ghadir, has demanded the release of political prisoners and free speech.

2105 GMT: Foreign Affairs Watch (British Front). Tehran's Park and Green Areas Organization has ordered the British Embassy to pay 1.6 billion Toman ($1.2 million) for cutting down 310 trees in its Gholhak orchard.

Iranian MPs and demonstrators have called for the orchard, given to the British more than a century ago, to be seized. The Embassy denies the allegations.

2055 GMT: Where's Mahmoud? Well, he was not at the meeting of gas-exporting countries in Qatar today. Minister of Oil Rustam Qassemi explained that the President wanted to visit but could not.

2040 GMT: Supreme Leader Watch. Digarban reports that, unlike last year when he spoke before 110,000 Basij militia, Ayatollah Khamenei did not meet political and military officials during the Muslim celebration of Eid Ghadir this year.

2000 GMT: In the Skies. The head of Iran's airlines union has expressed concern that the number of inactive planes is rising because of sanctions, subsidy cuts, and foreign exchange fluctuations. He said that the Government must support the industry.

Analyst Alireza Dadkhah explained that Qatar Airlines, which has just received approval for domestic routes in Iran, is advantageous for Iranian passengers. He added that private Iranian airlines are de facto bankrupt.

1940 GMT: Nuke Watch. Mohammad Javad Larijani, a senior official in Iran's judiciary and the brother of the Speaker of Parliament and head of judiciary, has declared, "Iran developed a very sophisticated nuclear science and technological capability, which we are quite ready to share with...neighboring countries and friendly countries in the region."

Larijani made a special play for two countries whom Tehran has seen as friendly brokers. He asserted, "Turkey is for years trying to have a nuclear power plant but no country in the West is willing to build that for them,. This is true for our Arab (neighbours) in the region."

Then Larijani said, "In some areas Brazil is ahead of us, in some areas we are ahead of Brazil. So we can cooperate as well."

In May 2010, Turkish and Brazilian leaders put forth a joint agreement for the future of Iran's nuclear programme. The initiative did not make any headway with the US, however, and soon disappeared.

1410 GMT: Reformist Watch. Ahmad Hakimipour has said that the Minister of Interior Minister, in a clear case of discrimination, has refused to issue a permit for a conference of reformists.

1405 GMT: Assurance of the Day. Gholamreza Assadolahi of Parliament's Article 90 Commission has said that it will investigate the role of Government and ministries in the $2.6 billion bank fraud.

1345 GMT: Foreign Affairs Watch (Syrian Front). Iran's ambassador to Damascus, Mohammad Reza Raouf Shaibani, has declared, "We support Syria as a pillar of resistance." He said Syria "needs essential reforms" but slammed the Arab League's suspension of Damascus.

1335 GMT: Loyalty Watch. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, one of the Tehran Friday Prayer leaders and a member of the Assembly of Experts, explains, "Those who accepted Imam Ali will also pledge allegiance to the Supreme Leader."

1330 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Kurdish student activist Assad Bagheri has been released on bail in Sanandaj in northwest Iran.

1010 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Eight literary and cultural figures from Gilan-e Gharb in Kermanshah Province in western Iran have reportedly been sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison by a Revolutionary Court for “acting against national security”.

The detainees were seized in late August and released on bail afterone to two months.

The sentences: one year each for Sajjad Jahanfard, Ezzedin Heydari, and Maziar Mohammadi; four years for Naim Najafi; three years for Farhad Vakilinia; two years for Jamal Khani; and one year suspended for Maryam Amini. Sina Bijanpour was acquitted.

0920 GMT: Ahmadinejad Watch. In a separate feature, we offers readers a treat with the Ahmadinejad Teapot, but not sure if this competes with the President's announcement that he is launching a new social network for youth, "Heralds for Peace and Justice".

0620 GMT: After the drama and confusion of the weekend, with the explosion at the Revolutionary Guards base west of Tehran, a quieter start to today.

Sixteen of the 17 victims of the blast were buried on Monday, in a ceremony attended by the Supreme Leader. One burial was postponed because of problems in identification of the victim.

Meanwhile, Press TV highlights the news, from the Supreme Leader's office, that  Ayatollah Khamenei has pardoned or commuted the sentences of 912 prisoners for the Muslim ceremonies of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Qadir.

Apart from that, both Press TV and State agency IRNA are focused on the international front and the battle against the "West" after the IAEA report on Tehran's nuclear programme. There is an emphasis on warnings against a military attack on Iran, from French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe to Cuban leader Fidel Castro, and against Tehran's isolation, from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. And there is the continuing line that Parliament will review co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

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