The Latest from Iran (22 February): Rafsanjani Far from Finished?

1905 GMT: Economy Watch. Iran's Statistics Center has said that the unemployment rate is 11.8%. Among 15- to 29-year-olds, the rate is 23.9%.

The unemployment rate at this time last year was officially 12.1% and was 11.1% in autumn 2011.

Unemployment is higher for women than men and in cities versus rural areas.

1715 GMT: Nuke Watch. More on the tension between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran, after Tehran restricted the movement of inspectors on a two-day visit --- a diplomat in Vienna says that the Islamic Republic asked the IAEA team to sign a document regulating their activists. They refused.

1707 GMT: Mehr runs a set of photographs of police seizing satellite dishes in a neighbourhood in eastern Tehran:

1641 GMT: Picture of the Day. Student Hamed Yazerlou, free after three years in Evin Prison, is welcomed by Professor Mohammad Maleki, the former Chancellor of Tehran University who is under the threat of a one-year sentence:

1637 GMT: Loyalty Watch. Ayatollah Jannati, the head of the Guardian Council, said that if a President elected by people is not installed by the Supreme Leader, he is "taghout" and should not be obeyed.

The term "taghout", meaning to rebel, is often applied to the Shah and his followers.

1630 GMT: Supreme Leader Watch. Ayatollah Khamenei, besides the photographs of five assassinated scientists connected with the nuclear programme, addresses their colleagues. In a nationally-televised speech, the Supreme Leader said that, despite pressure from the US and other countries, Tehran will persist with its research and development: "With our talents and natural human capacities, we can shatter the power that relies on nuclear weapons".

1625 GMT: The House Arrests. Opposition Mir Hossein Mousavi, under strict house arrest for more than a year, has told his daughters in a telephone conversation that he stands by his political views and has not retreated from his criticism of the Government.

Mousavi, held with his wife Zahra Rahnavard since last February, was allowed a phone call for the first time in recent months. His daughter summarised his comments, “Nothing has changed...dear children; I want you to know that I still firmly stand by my former political stance.”

1620 GMT: Press Watch. Mohammad Hossein Zakeri, the political editor of the weekly 9th Dey, has been arrested for his comment, "What does Larijani fear?"

Zakeri had claimed that Speaker of Parliament Larijani abused the popularity of the Supreme Leader and senior clerics to cover up his own lost popularity amongst the public.

The managing editor of the weekly is the pro-Ahmadinejad MP Hamid Rasaei.

1140 GMT: Nuke Watch. Speaking on State TV, the Supreme Leader Ayatollah said today that the Islamic Republic will continue its nuclear programme: "With God's help, and without paying attention to propaganda, Iran's nuclear course should continue firmly and seriously....Pressures, sanctions and assassinations will bear no fruit. No obstacles can stop Iran's nuclear work."

Khamenei spoke soon after the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that its inspectors had been prevented, during a two-day visit, from seeing a military facility which may be involved in nuclear development (see 0800 GMT).

1100 GMT: Rumour of the Day. Rah-e Sabz posts the claim that the head of the Basij militia, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, has told his commanders that Gholam Ali Haddad Adel should be the next Speaker of Parliament, as he is the father-in-law of the Supreme Leader's son Mojtaba Khamenei and the "closest candidate" to Ayatollah Khamenei.

1028 GMT: Elections Watch. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Reza Bahonar has criticised "extremist" MPs who, "a week after the 2009 Presidential election", said "that we should execute [opposition figures Mir Hossein] Mousavi and [Mehdi] Karroubi". He claimed, "Because we were against them on this matter, they accuse us of supporting the 'sedition current'."

The Guardian Council has disqualified a number of prominent candidates, including Abbas Amirifar, an advisor to President Ahmadinejad who has been imprisoned; Bahman Sharifzadeh; Shahaboddin Sadr, the leader of a Principlist list; and Hojatoleslam Alavi.

On the All Is Well front, Fars has claimed that 9130 university professors have asked people to turn out for the vote, adding that the names of the academics will be published in a few days: “Due to the sensitive current situation and the importance of people unity, we should participate in the election in order to make the enemies disappointed.”

An EA correspondent notes that Fars may have been prompted to act by photographs showed small numbers attending campaign talks at universities.

1010 GMT: Rafsanjani Watch. A couple more items on former President Hashemi Rafsanjani....

A member of Parliament's Education and Research Committee has criticised Rafsanjani for the delay in signing the mandate for the new head of Islamic Azad University, Farhad Daneshjoo, saying that the agreement should given before the Parliamentary elections.

Rafsanjani has been in a battle with President Ahmadinejad, who appointed Daneshjoo, for control of Iran's largest private university system.

The lawyer for Faezeh Hashemi, Rafsanjani's daughter, has claimed that her six-month prison sentence for "propaganda against the regime" is still not definite, as the verdict has been appealed.

In January, Hashemi was also banned for five years from political activities.

The Jomhoori Islami newspapaer, close to Rafsanjani, has criticised the State broadcaster, "IRIB supports certain candidates with its programmes”.

0820 GMT: CyberWatch. Internet users in Iran reported this week that access to Gmail, Yahoo mail, and other secure websites had been blocked and that antifiltering tools were not working.

A few users contacted by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said Tuesday that they could access their Gmail accounts, but others complained that they were still cut off from e-mail and some websites.

Earlier this month, Iranian authorities blocked e-mail services such as Gmail and Yahoo for 48-72 hours.

0810 GMT: Execution Watch. The mother of American national Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, sentenced to death for espionage, visited him at Evin Prison this month, according to the family's lawyer.

Benhaz Hekmati traveled alone to Tehran on 28 January. She stayed with close relatives and saw her son on three occasions, spending roughly an hour with him each time. She said Hekmati appeared to have lost weight and remained in a state of shock about his situation.

Hekmati was detained last autumn as he visited Iran. Authorities claimed he was spying for the CIA, and he was sentenced to death in January.

Shortly before the trip of Hekmati's mother, a court-appointed lawyer filed an appeal of Mr. the sentence. The Hekmati family has since hired a private lawyer in Tehran.

0800 GMT: Nuke Watch. The International Atomic Energy Agency has said that Iranian authorities have denied IAEA inspectors access to a key military site, even as "intensive efforts were made to reach agreement on a document facilitating the clarification of unresolved issues in connection with Iran’s nuclear programme".

The IAEA said its team requested access to the Parchin military site in its last trip in late January as well as in this week's two-day visit. "It is disappointing that Iran did not accept our request to visit Parchin during the first or second meetings," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said. "We engaged in a constructive spirit, but no agreement was reached."

The IAEA said in a November report that Iran may have tested high explosives at Parchin in "a large...containment vessel".

Iran's envoy to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, said talks had been intensive and covered "cooperation and mutual understanding between Iran and the IAEA". He assured, "These negotiations will continue in the future."

0615 GMT: For 2 1/2 years, politics in Iran has been filled with stories and speculation that former President Hashemi Rafsanjani is finished as a major figure. After all, his last Tehran Friday Prayer was in July 2009, he was displaced as head of the Assembly of Experts, and the Supreme Leader brusquely rejected his appeal for action over the abuse of political detainees.

Well, for someone who is finished, Rafsanjani is making a lot of appearances these days. On Tuesday, we noted that candidates across the political spectrum were invoking his name --- some to defend him, some to declare that he and his family are unacceptable allies of sedition --- and today we begin by noting his own intervention.

Meeting Mostafa Kavakebian and the members of the Democracy Front, Rafsanjani emphasised the importance of the people’s role in Islamic government: "As long as people are supporting the system and the revolution, we will remain strong and firm."

The former President then targeted the problem within, albeit without naming names:

Unfortunately, for some time in the election campaign and debates, morality  has been ignored. To gain a few more votes,  candidates accuse others. And the worst matter is that authorities do nothing about breaches of the law. Some newly arrived officials question the past, and again no one objects. 

Rafsanjani concluded, “I hope one day these issues are resolved and reformed.”

Rafsanjani's brother and the head of his office, Mohammad Hashemi, also spoke out on Tuesday: "Even though participatio in the election is a national duty, the political atmosphere of the country is not good. This is because, since the 2009 election, candidates started insulting each other."

Hashemi said, that, in this atmosphere, the Kargozaran Party, close to Rafsanjani, had not held any meetings and would not publish any lists of candidates. 

Still, the challenges to Rafsanjani continued on Tuesday. One of them, interestingly and perhaps significantly, came from Mojtaba Zolnour, formerly the Supreme Leader's representative to the Revolutionary Guards.

Zolnour bluntly said, “We hope that Hashemi will follow the Supreme Leader again.” He claimed that the former President, during the "reformist period" and after the 2009 election, had not been supportive of Ayatollah Khamenei, citing in particular Rafsanjani's July 2009 Friday Prayer as "exactly opposite to the Supreme Leader's speech".

So is Zolnour, who also warned about the "domination of deviant current in Parliament", declaring that Rafsanjani is unacceptable? Or was he putting out the signal of a deal --- with Rafsanjani admitting past errors --- that would bring the former President back to prominence with the backing of the Supreme Leader?