Iran Live Coverage: Revolutionary Guards Challenge "Narcissist" Ahmadinejad

See also Iran Analysis: A Revolutionary Guard Commander is Killed in Syria --- What It Means for Tehran and the Middle East
Friday's Iran Live Coverage: The Latest Report on Tehran's Nuclear Programme

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1855 GMT: Ahmadinejad Watch. President Ahmadinejad has appeared on national TV tonight to defend the yet-to-be-presented Government budget for 2013/14.

Ahmadinejad also defended his policies on investment and tried to ease concern over problems in the health care system, hit by shortages of drugs and medical supplies amid sanctions and claims of Government mismanagement. He continued to promote his subsidy cuts plan, the second phase of which has been held up by Parliament.

The President said he would soon meet Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani and head of judiciary Sadegh Larijani, with whom he has had a high-profile clash over the last month, to discuss "current issues".

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The Latest from Iran (3 January): Will Wolves Attack?

2140 GMT: Full Circle. We started today with thoughts about the regime's threat to arrest opposition leaders and the sharp response by Mehdi Karroubi, and we'll end today there as well....

Michael Theodoulou of The National considers, "Karroubi Throws Down Gauntlet to Iranian Government", with a guest appearance from EA:

Iran's most defiant opposition leader has challenged his government to try him in an open court for the momentous unrest that swept the Islamic republic after the "stolen" presidential elections in 2009.

Theodoulou also notes the curious and still murky development of President Ahmadinejad's dismissal of up to 14 advisors.

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