Iran Live Coverage: Ahmadinejad Refuses to Back Down

See also Iran Analysis: 4 Reasons Why Supreme Leader is Still Open to Direct Talks with the US
Iran Document: Supreme Leader's Speech on "The Battle Within" & Talks With US
Sunday's Iran Live Coverage: Admitting the Battle Within

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1855 GMT: Economy Watch. Radio Zamaneh summarises the reports from Iranian State agencies and the Central Bank that put Iran's inflation rate at the sixth-worst in the world.

The stated rate varies from agency to agency, but most estimates put the current annual rise in prices at 32 to 37%, the greatest increase since 1996. Unofficial estimates put forth an even higher figure.

1755 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch (Press Edition). Twelve local journalists have reportedly been arrested in Ilam in Iranian Kurdistan.

1748 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. VOA Persian reports on Kurdish detainee Semko Khelghati, presented by Press TV as a spy in the programme "A Time to Betray" --- Semko's mother reports that her son, an "excellent" university student in metallurgy, was tortured to confess before he received a 15-year sentence.

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Iran Feature: Who are the Mujahedin-e Khalq "Terrorists"/"Freedom Fighters"? (Bennett-Jones)

The Mujahedin-e Khalq reports on its Annual Congress, held in Camp Ashraf in Iraq, in September 2011

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The story of the People’s Mujahedin of Iran, also known as the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), is all about the way image management can enable a diehard enemy to become a cherished ally. The MEK is currently campaigning to be officially delisted in the US as a terrorist organisation. Once off the list it will be free to make use of its support on Capitol Hill in order to become America’s most favoured, and no doubt best funded, Iranian opposition group.

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Iran Special: Covering Ahmadinejad's Speech at the United Nations

James Miller of Dissected News joins EA WorldView today, travelling to New York to take in the atmosphere at the United Nations as President Ahmadinejad addresses the General Assembly. We'll be alongside, providing updates on the President's speech:

2055 GMT: A quick response from the US delegation to the UN: "Rather than representing the aspirations and goodwill of the Iranian people, Mr. Ahmadinejad has yet again chosen to spout vile conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic slurs that are as abhorrent and delusional as they are predictable." [Scott Lucas]

2014 GMT: And this time, that is it.

2013 GMT: OK, once more. God has promised the world to the pure and righteous: "all those seeking justice and all the free spirits have been awaiting this moment". True believers of Islam and of Jesus Christ anticipate this justice and "the truth of humanity".

2011 GMT: Ahmadinejad moves to general invocations of the divine, of purity, and of love.

That seems a nice point to end on, but no, he's still going, back to the not-so-nice "domineering" and injustices. I really feel like I'm being taken in circles now.

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