Iran Live Coverage: "Viva Spring" --- Ahmadinejad Launches An Election Campaign

See also Iran Special: Ahmadinejad Declares Political War --- "My Rivals Will Rig the Presidential Election"
Sunday's Iran Live Coverage: 34th Anniversary of Islamic Revolution --- But How Many Are Celebrating?

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1525 GMT: Karroubi's Son Arrested. The website linked to detained opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi says his son Mohammad Hossein was arrested today by security forces.

Karroubi, like fellow opposition figures Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard, has been kept under strict house arrest for 23 months. Earlier today, Mousavi and Rahnavard's daughters were detained and interrogated for hours before being released.

1505 GMT: Mousavi's Daughters Released. Zahra and Narges Mousavi, daughters of the detained opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard, have been released after hours of interrogation in Evin Prison.

The Mousavi daughters were detained this morning in raids on their homes (see 0950 GMT). No reason has been given by authorities.

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Iran Special: Ahmadinejad Declares Political War --- "My Rivals Will Rig the Presidential Election"

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For at least one day --- the day of the 34th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution --- Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had seized the initiative. He had declared that he would not give way to all his "enemies", even if they led Parliament and the judiciary, even if they might include members of the Supreme Leader's camp. He had said that it was he --- not they --- who represented Iranians.

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Iran Special: What the Supreme Leader's "No Direct Talks with US" Really Means

The Supreme Leader did not kill off negotiations yesterday. Even as he laid down some tough lines --- to his officials as well as the US --- he signalled that they are alive, if only to hold far more dangerous alternatives.

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Iran Live Coverage: Supreme Leader to His Officials "Stop Your Temper Tantrums"

The Supreme Leader addresses Air Force officers on Thursday

See also Iran Special: What the Supreme Leader's "No Direct Talks with US" Really Means
Thursday's Iran Live Coverage: The Battle Within --- Ahmadinejad v. the Larijanis

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2045 GMT:Health Watch. Exports of American pharmaceuticals to Iran were halved last year, even as overall US exports to the Islamic republic rose about 9% because of grain sales.

Exports of pharmaceuticals fell to $14.8 million from $31.1 million in 2011, while sales of vitamins, medicinal and botanical drugs decreased to $4.9 million from $10.8 million.

US officials have said they tried to sanction Iran without unduly harming ordinary Iranians, granting licenses to American companies who wish to export pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food, and other humanitarian goods to Iran.

However, sanctions lawyers have said the blacklisting of the Islamic Republic's major financial institutions has made it difficult to find smaller Iranian banks able to conduct such licensed transactions as well as international banks willing to deal with them.

Overall US exports to Iran rose to $250.2 million from $229.3 million in 2011. However, most of the increase is attributable to $89.2 million in the sale of wheat and other grains.

In 2011, the United States exported no wheat or grains to Iran.

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Iran Live Coverage: The Battle Within --- Ahmadinejad v. the Larijanis

Happier Times: Head of judiciary Sadegh Larijani, President Ahmadinejad, Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani

See also Iran Opinion: Condemning the Nuclear Talks --- and Tehran --- with Ill-Informed Analysis
Wednesday's Iran Live Coverage: Nuclear Talks Resume on 26 February

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2200 GMT: The House Arrests. Grand Ayatollah Mousavi Ardebili has reportedly clashed with the Supreme Leader over the house arrests of opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi.

Mousavi Ardebili visited Ayatollah Khamenei to demand the release of Mousavi and Karroubi, held for almost two years. Khamenei replied that they must obey velayat-e faqih [the rule of the Supreme Leader] and show regret for their actions over the disputed 2009 Presidential election in which they were candidates.

Mousavi Ardebili said that Mousavi and Karroubi had obeyed the rule of the late Ayatollah Khomeini and added that President Ahmadinejad's performance "has proven they are right". When Khamenei refused to shift in his position, the Grand Ayatollah left the meeting angrily.

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Iran Live Coverage: Nuclear Talks Resume on 26 February

See also Iran Audio Analysis: The Downfall of Ahmadinejad, The Resumption of Nuclear Talks --- Scott Lucas with the BBC and Monocle 24
Tuesday's Iran Live Coverage: Humiliation of Ahmadinejad Continues --- Advisor Mortazavi Arrested

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2119 GMT:The Battle Within. Hamidreza Taraghi, a senior member of the conservative Motalefeh Party, hsa said that "the nezam [system] can bear Ahamadinejad, but has no problem with his dismissal either --- the,decision re bearing with him is with the Supreme Leader".

1819 GMT:Sanctions Watch. The US Treasury has sanctioned State broadcasters such as IRIB for helping the Government censor opposition.

The Treasury alsn named IRIB director Ezzatollah Zarghami in measures blocking access to the US financial system.

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Iran Analysis: Ahmadinejad's Latest Defeat --- Senior Advisor Mortazavi Arrested

On Monday night, after more than three years of political and legal controversy, the news suddenly erupted. Saeed Mortazavi --- senior Presidential advisor, head of the Social Security Funds, former Tehran Prosecutor General, "Butcher of the Press" --- had been arrested.

The arrest stemmed from the summer 2009 abuse and killing of post-election protesters in Kahrizak detention centre. Mortazavi, then Tehran Prosecutor General, was accused by his political critics and suspected by prosecutors of complicity in the crimes; however, while a few guards have been convicted and some judges charged, he has never faced trial.

So why now?

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Iran Live Coverage: Supreme Leader Declares Muslim Unity Against "Global Arrogance"

Maya Neyestani on the recent detention of 14 journalists by the regime

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1811 GMT: Press Watch. Reformist newspapers have protested the arrests of their journalists since Saturday.

On its front page, Shargh published an empty space where Pouria Alami's column would usually have appeared and explained that "it will not be printed until further notice".

The newspaper Bahar wrote, "Our journalists deserve respect." It said that it is not possible at this point to comment on the charges of "spying and ties with foreign news organizations", but added that it is not clear how 14 journalists without any such backgrounds could suddenly have been detained, since all are fully aware of the red lines that cannot be crossed in the Islamic republic.

"Therefore, it doesn't seem that they could come close to such charges," the paper wrote.

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Iran Live Coverage: Ali Larijani and The Battle Within The Regime

See also Saturday's Iran Live Coverage: The Blame Game over No Nuclear Talks

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2109 GMT. Press Watch. Iranian reporter Hadi Nili lists up to 13 journalists who have been detained today --- these are in addition to Milad Fadai Asl and Soleiman Mohammadi, who were seized earlier in the weekend:

#Iran: 13 journalists of reformist papers & websites got arrested in last couple of days. 9 of them confirmed, 3 unconfirmed & 1 is missing.

— Hadi Nili (@HadiNili) January 27, 2013

Arrested #Iran'ian journalists: Sasan Aghaei, Javad Daliri, Nasrin Takhayori, Akbar Montajabi, Pouria Alemi, Pejman Mousavi, Emily Amraei >

— Hadi Nili (@HadiNili) January 27, 2013

> Arrested #Iran'ian journalists: Motahareh Shafi'ei, Narges Judaki, Reyhaneh Tabatabaei, Sadra Mohaghegh, Ehsan Mazandarani, Saba Azarpeik

— Hadi Nili (@HadiNili) January 27, 2013

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Iran Live Coverage: The Supreme Leader's Committee Chooses the "Right Man" for the Presidential Election

See also Iran Feature: A New Crisis for the Currency and the Economy?
Wednesday's Iran Live Coverage: The Supreme Leader's Committee Chooses the "Right Man" for the Presidential Election

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1859 GMT: Justice Watch. The first hearing in the trial of judges accused of involvement in the abuses and killings at the Kahrizak detention centre will be held on 26 February, Iran Prosecutor General Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei has announced.

At least three post-election protesters were slain at the centre. No senior official has yet been convicted over the incident.

There was no indication by Hossein Ejei that Presidential advisor Saeed Mortazavi, long accused of possible involvement in his then-role as Tehran Prosecutor General, will be brought to court.

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