Iran: Ayatollah Dastgheib returns to Qoba Mosque after attacks - Iron fences set up in response to attacks from pro-government mobs around Qoba Mosque in Shiraz where reformist cleric, Ayatollah Dastgheib, leads the prayers and sermons, were taken down today. 9/5/10
Iran's Human Rights Lawyers Increasingly Facing Their Own Days In Court - "Currently in our country there are many authorities who violate the laws and the rights of the accused. Lawyers are the only ones to defend the accused," Mostafei says, "but their protests against such violations has angered those who cannot tolerate criticism and who are abusing their powers and imposing their personal preferences in judicial cases." -RFE 9/5/10
Prominent Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh arrested in Tehran - Nasrin Sotoudeh, prominent Iranian lawyer was arrested yesterday in Tehran after being summoned to the court at Evin Prison. Sotoudeh received the summons last Saturday while her office and home were searched by the authorities. She was charged with "Activities against national security" and "propaganda against the Islamic Republic regime." -Zamaneh 9/5/10
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Deny Link to Assault on Karroubi's Residence - "Gathering of some headstrong elements outside Karroubi's home which led to shooting from his home was organized by a number of unwise and willful elements and we strongly condemn the incident ... and those who have been behind this incident have no relation with the sacred organs of Basij and Sepah (IRGC)," the statement says 9/5/10
Vatican Pressing Iran Over Stoning Case - The Vatican today said it is pressing Iran "through diplomatic channels" to spare the life of an Iranian woman condemned to death by stoning for adultery. -RFE 9/5/10
Iran's Ahmadinejad Visits Qatar - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad held talks on Sunday with Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani and other senior Qatari officials in Doha. -MNA 9/5/10
Iran-Germany trade up 14% despite sanctions - The German newspaper Hendelz Blat wrote, "Although UN and EU sanctions against Iran have intensified, trade between Iran and Germany has grown significantly." -MNA 9/5/10
Iran's power grid connected to 7 other states - Iran's electricity network has integrated to power grids of seven neighboring countries to meet their energy demands, says Iranian Energy Minister Majid Namjou. -Press TV 9/5/10
Iran resumes gas export to Turkey - Iran has resumed gas pump to Turkey on Sunday morning after it was halted for 11 days. The pause came as an explosion in a part of the pipeline that lies in Turkish territory. -ISNA 9/5/10
Heavy clashes in Qoba mosque in the city of Shiraz - After Friday's Qods Day rally, a group of organized thugs who were provoked by the remarks made by the representative of the supreme leader in the Revolutionary Guards of Fars province, and with the guidance of former hardliner governor of the city of Shiraz, using governmental resources entered the Qoba mosque 9/4/10
Iran's Supreme Leader Accountable for Violence Against Opposition Leaders - The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran holds Iran's Supreme Leader responsible for the safety of presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi and his family following attacks on Karroubi's home by dozens of armed plainclothes forces. 9/4/10
Arabic, Farsi Fluency Considered 'Critical' to US National Security - Summer vacation is ending and students at American schools and colleges are getting ready to head back to class. In previous years, many of them would have been taking French or Spanish as a second language. Knowledge of Arabic or Farsi is now considered "critical" to U.S. national security and more Americans are learning these languages today than ever before. -VOA 9/4/10
40 Tehran University professors retired in past six months - Deputy Treasurer of Tehran University announced today that about forty faculty members of the university have retired since the beginning of the Iranian year in March. He stressed that the retirement of professors must not be seen as a political issue. -Zamaneh 9/4/10
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Day of Anti-Israel Protest Reveals Iran's Internal Rift - Iran's government used annual pro-Palestinian demonstrations Friday to renew its threat to wipe Israel off the map, while dissident leaders accused the regime of using verbal attacks on Israel to divert attention from its battle with domestic political opponents. -Farnaz Fassihi, WSJ 9/4/10
Cars from the “Axis of Evil”: Iran - When George W. Bush first dubbed several countries the “Axis of Evil” in 2002, few knew what that truly meant for the future of U.S. foreign policy. But no one—not even the President himself—knew then that these evildoing countries would one day have to suffer the ultimate sanction: ridicule of their homebrewed cars by Car and Driver. 9/4/10
Archery World Cup: Iran Wins Silver In Mixed Team Compound - Iran team consisting of Vida Halimian and Reza Zamaninejad lost to Mexico 150 - 155 and came second while the U.S. defeated the Netherlands 156-152 in the bronze medal match. -MNA 9/4/10
Iranian Pro-Government Demonstrators Turn Out for Jerusalem Day - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad condemned Israel and the US in a rally marking the annual Quds, or Jerusalem Day. Security was tight and coincided with reports that the house of opposition leader Mahdi Karroubi was under siege by pro-government militia members. 9/4/10
Iran Hails 'Serious Progress' In Armenia Ties - Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki says there has been "serious progress" in his country's relations with Armenia. Mottaki said that "we need to take concrete steps such as the elaboration of an agreement on a free-trade zone and privileged tariffs, which would help to elevate our relations to the proper level." -RFE 9/4/10
Iran imports hit $24b for first 5 months of the year - Iran imported $24.2 billion worth of goods during the first five months of current Iranian calendar year (started March 20, 2010). The amount shows 22.21 percent increase in comparison to the same period in the previous year. 9/4/10
Neocons Hope Israel Will Start a Fire the U.S. Will Be Forced to Put Out - Neocons are supporting an Israeli attack on Iran in the hope that the U.S. would be drawn into the ensuing conflict. “If the Israelis bomb now, American public opinion will probably be with them,” writes neocon Reuel Marc Gerecht. -Gareth Porter 9/4/10
Iran: Hardliners Attack House Of Opposition Leader Karrubi - The son of opposition leader Mehdi Karrubi says hardliners tried to forcefully enter his father's house tonight but were stopped by his bodyguards. Hossein Karrubi -- who was at his father's house at the time of the attack -- told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that the attackers fired shots at the house and smashed the windows and surrounding street lamps. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE 9/3/10
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Hossein Karroubi: Attack was response of Supreme Leader to my mother's letter - In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Hossein Karroubi talked about the recent attacks on his father's residence. The residence of Mehdi Karroubi was under attack by Basiji forces the night before Qhods. According to Hossein Karroubi, bullets were fired at the water pipes and the entire house was filled with water. The telephone lines in the entire building were also disconnected. 9/3/10
Iran eliminated from FIBA World Championship - Iran basketball team was eliminated from the 2010 FIBA World Championship. In the competition which is underway in Turkey, Iran failed to reach the next round after suffering four losses. 9/3/10
Iranian authorities prepare for possible street protests - Amidst rallies issued through a number of social networks for people to participate in tomorrow's demonstrations, Iranian security forces have been brandishing security maneuvers while web users report evident reduction in internet speeds and frequent interruptions. 9/3/10
Organized attacks on Karroubi condemned by groups and personalities - The Assembly of Teachers and Scholars of Qom Seminary School in a statement strongly condemned the attacks by Basij and plain-clothes militia on Mehdi Karroubi's residence. In this statement the assembly by also referring to the recent attacks on the residences, mosques and offices of Grand Ayatollah Saanei in Qom and Grand Ayatollah Dastgheyb in Shiraz 9/3/10
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Football: Iran beats China in friendly - Iran football team defeated China in a friendly match in Zhengzhou, China on Friday. In the match held at the Xinxiang Stadium, the Iranians managed to defeat the Chinese team 2-0. -MNA 9/3/10
Iran bars prominent filmmaker Jafar Panahi from attending Vencie festival - In his statement, Panahi criticizes the authorities for all the restrictions they have enforced on his filmmaking efforts in the past five years and writes: "When a filmmaker is not allowed to make films, it means that his mind is kept incarcerated. He might not be imprisoned in a small cell, but he is wandering in a bigger prison." 9/3/10
Stop the War Talk - This drumbeat must be silenced, and only President Obama can silence it. An Israeli attack on Iran would almost certainly precipitate a devastating regional war with unforeseeable global consequences. -Reza Aslan and Bernard Avishai, IHT 9/3/10
Devil Den: Anti-Israeli computer games released in Tehran - Iran released two anti-Israeli computer games on the eve of the Quds Day. "Devil Den 2" and "Freedom Convoy", which have been produced by the School Students Basij Organization, were unveiled during a ceremony on Thursday. -MNA 9/3/10
The Important Role Of Weeping In Iran's Domestic, Foreign Policy - Blogger "Kodan-e Ba Estedad" (Talented Moron) writes about the role of weeping in Iran's domestic and foreign policy. He has put together a number of examples from Iran's recent history. -RFE 9/3/10
Iranian Opposition Launches Its Own Satellite TV Channel - Ebrahim Nabavi, one of the channel's organizers, said their aim is to break the state-controlled broadcasters' monopoly on the flow of information, fight against censorship in Iran, reflect the views of all Iranian people, and frankly discuss all issues related to Iran. -RFE 9/2/10
Iran Risks Crash With Record Stock Market Boom, Say Economists - A record boom in Tehran's stock market will end in a spectacular crash that could trigger a prolonged depression producing multiple bankruptcies, mass unemployment, and acute economic hardship, analysts say. -Robert Tait, RFE 9/2/10
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Attackers swarm Iranian opposition leader's home again - Iranian pro-government forces once more attacked the home of opposition leader, Mehdi Karroubi last night at 10 p.m. chanting slogans against the reformist leader and vandalizing his residence. -Zamaneh 9/2/10
Iran: Zahra Rahnavard attacked by pro-government forces - Zahra Rahnavard, Iranian opposition figure, was attacked by a group of plainclothes forces of the Islamic Republic on the streets of Tehran. Kaleme website reports that the attack occurred a few nights ago in an alley close to her residence. 9/2/10
Zionists Waiting To Kill Hidden Imam, Says Iranian Cleric - Mojtaba Zolnour, deputy representative of Iran's supreme leader in the Revolutionary Guard, has said that "Zionists" are waiting for the Hidden Imam to appear to kill him. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE 9/2/10
Energy Industry Publication Defends Proposed New York Mosque - The plan to build an Islamic Center and mosque two blocks from the former site of the World Trade Center in New York City has drawn widespread opposition and, as a result, many Muslims feel they are being unfairly blamed for the actions of the terrorists who brought down the two skyscrapers on September 11, 2001. -Greg Flakus, Houston 9/2/10
Fatemeh Karroubi Takes Iran's Supreme Leader to Task - Fatemeh Karroubi, wife of Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, in a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, condemned the attacks made on her home and family by the pro-government crowds. -Zamaneh 9/1/10
New Sanctions and Outlook of Iran-EU Relations - Relations between Iran and the European Union (EU) have followed a sinusoidal course of "continuation and change" in the past 30 years as a result of the establishment of multilateral institutions in Europe. -Behzad Khoshandam 9/1/10
Call for release of Iranian detainee, Shiva Nazar-Ahari - Chairwoman of European Parliament's Subcommittee in Human Rights issued a statement calling for the immediate release of Iranian human rights activist, Shiva Nazar-Ahari. -Zamaneh 9/1/10
Iran wins first game at FIBA world championship - Iran's national basketball team earned its first win at the preliminary round of 2010 FIBA world championship against Tunisia 71-58 in the Turkish capital, Istanbul. 8/31/10
Hossein Karroubi: My father's house is surrounded to prevent him from participating in Qods Day rally - Tens of plain clothes militias and Basij thugs gathered in front of Mehdi Karroubi's house in the past two nights and prevented Mehdi Karroubi from leaving his home. These organized pro-government thugs by chanting insulting slogans threatened that they would not allow Mehdi Karroubi to participate in Qods Day rally on Friday. 8/31/10
Controversial articles of Iran's family protection bill to be reviewed - Iranian parliament has decided to send the controversial articles 22, 23 and 24 of the family protection bill to its Legal and Judicial Commission for further review. ILNA reports that a week into the reintroduction of the family protection bill, decisions regarding the three articles that have drawn the protest of women's rights activists have been postponed. 8/31/10
One fifth of Iran's workforce unemployed - ILNA, Iran's Labour News Agency, reports that while Iran's Statistics Bureau estimated Iran's workforce at 24 million last spring, the new statistics indicates that five million people are currently unemployed in Iran and unemployment, at 18 percent, has reached its highest point in recent years. 8/31/10
Exhibition: Ahoo Hamedi at AB Gallery in Switzerland - One of Iran's promising young talents is Ahoo Hamedi. She was born in 1981 in Iran. Hamedi studied at the Azad University of Fine Arts, Tehran where she received her BA. Ahoo Hamedi's paintings are matured works of art that bear resemblance to sketches a painter would draw to start a major project. 8/31/10
Iran to Produce Fuel for Tehran Research Reactor in One Year - Iran announced on Tuesday that it would continue enriching uranium to the level of 20% and would produce the nuclear fuel needed for the Tehran research reactor within the next one year. -FNA 8/31/10
Armenians Torn Over Emigration from Iran - Tehran resident Anjik has seen her three sons emigrate to the United States in recent years, and now her daughter plans to go as well once she gets married. Anjik, 60, is a member of the Armenian community, which counts itself the world's oldest Christian nation. Although their homeland lay within the Ottoman Empire, there have also been Armenians in Iran for centuries. -Karen Stepanian 8/30/10
Tempered People : Iron- Sculptures by Ahmad Nadalian - Every summer blacksmiths come to Polour. They recycle iron and make tools for workers. Most blacksmiths who travel around are Gypsies who usually widespread in Asia and Europe. Back in the days Gypsy blacksmiths followed nomad and they made tolls for them. My ancestors who were Sangsari nomad commissioned some iron tools to Gypsies. -Ahmad Nadalian, RiverArt 8/30/10
Iran to guard universities against 'plots' - Minister of Science, Research and Technology Kamran Daneshjoo says the "enemies" of Iran are plotting a cultural invasion of the country's universities. -Press TV 8/30/10
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Negotiation with US on Afghanistan Is an Opportunity - I think that the offer of negotiations by western countries is not a political gesture, but is as genuine as sanctions are; both UN sanctions and unilateral ones imposed by the United States and Europe. These are realities, not political maneuvers. -Iranian Diplomacy 8/30/10
Iran starts mass production of advanced artillery shells - Iran has inaugurated the production line for the country's longest-range artillery ammunition. During the inauguration ceremony on Sunday, Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the advanced 130mm artillery shells with a range of 42 kilometers can be used to hit enemy targets in the distance. -MNA 8/30/10
Photos: Quake Aftermath, Damghan Region, Northern Iran - PART II - An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale struck northern Iran on Friday night, killing 3 people and injuring 40 others. According to officials, 15 villages with 2,500 residents in the province have been damaged. 8/29/10
Call for Dialogue: Iranian students abroad to hold conference in Berlin - Europe-based Persian student activists are coming together for a conference in Germany in October of 2010. The three-day "Call for Dialogue" will be held at Berlin Free University on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of October 2010. 8/29/10
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Ahmadinejad: I Revealed the Names of Corrupt Politicians in the Debates - In his speech yesterday, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad implicitly referred to Hashemi Rafsanjani and Nategh-Nouri as "corrupt" politicians and announced that "overthrowers have not been punished yet." Overthrowers is the term he uses for the leaders of the reform movement in Iran. -Nazanin Kamdar, Rooz 8/29/10
Iran arrests hunters in cheetah habitat - A crackdown has been launched on illegal hunters who hunt the endangered species of Asiatic Cheetah in central Iran amid rising concerns over the species' extinction. 8/29/10
'Torturer Of Tehran' Loses His Untouchable Status - With a frightening reputation and friends in high places, Said Mortazavi for years appeared to have the untouchable status that bred impunity and led his enemies to label him the "torturer of Tehran." -Robert Tait, RFE 8/28/10
Photos: Shiraz's Historical Atiq Mosque On The Verge Of Destruction - The historical Atiq mosque, which is the oldest mosque of Shiraz, is on the verge of destruction. Unless the cultural authorities act soon and implement the badly needed repairs, there will be a grim future in store for this icon. -Mohammad Hadi Khosravi 8/27/10
High Price of Flouting Iran's Marriage Rules - In spite of legal obstacles, divorce rates are on the rise in the sophisticated metropolitan areas. This includes divorces reached by consensus, which accounted for about a third of the 125,000 legal separations in Iran last year, according to data from welfare centres. -Rasa Sowlat, Mianeh 8/27/10
Hejab at the Seaside in Iran - The shores of the Caspian Sea in northern Iran is the land of my childhood, on which I still look back with nostalgia. These pictures, taken nearly 30 years after my own seaside memories, show how much things have changed, especially for women who now come to the beach in full hejab or Islamic dress where they would once have worn swimming costumes or bikinis. -Javad Montazeri 8/24/10
Photos: Teaching working children -- Growing flowers in salty land - Naser-Khosrow Children's House, located in downtown Tehran, is sponsored by the Association for Children's Rights to provide comprehensive education to working children. -Raouf Mohseni, MNA 8/16/10
Persian Carpet of Peace and Friendship wraps up in Tabriz - The Persian Carpet of World Peace and Friendship was unveiled Wednesday during a ceremony in the presence of several Iranian, foreign and UNESCO officials in Tabriz. The project began at Tehran's Sadabad Historical Complex in 2008 and took two years to accomplish during which representatives of over 100 countries visited and symbolically tied a knot on the carpet. 8/5/10
Long Live Equality - It is very encouraging and promising to hear how the bravery of Iranian women is now widely appreciated abroad. At least there are still things to be proud of for being Iranian, in addition to our long past role in human civilization. 8/4/10
Iran: The Old Cradle of Civilization - Once again they've put those papers in front of me. Once again I should confess what I did and did not do! Once again I should say: Yes, I sinned. Please, have mercy on me and forgive my youthful follies, while deep down I am furiously screaming: I have done nothing wrong. -Khorshid 7/29/10
