The Latest from Iran (26 January): Blindness, Silence, and Injustice

2100 GMT: Nuke Talks. A hat tip to Scott Peterson of the Christian Science Monitor for his article today trying to sort out the details of the failed Istanbul talks on Iran's nuclear programme....

After my initial criticism of the US media's coverage of Istanbul, Peterson followed up with a message, which we noted in our subsequent analysis. And he has continued to consider those points while other US reporters --- most of whom have not noticed the key points at issue in the talks --- have moved on.

2050 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. The Hyperactivist database of political prisoners now has 1060 names.

Two of those detainees, Hojjat Kalashi and Milad Dehghan of the Pan-Iranist Party, have been released on bail from an Ahvaz prison.

1928 GMT: Parliament v. President. MP Hamid Katouzian has struck back at Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's open letter criticising Parliament, the judiciary, and the Expediency Council. Katouzian said the letter, prompted by battles over the budget and control of the Central Bank, was "political" and the Supreme Leader would defend the independence of the Bank.

This is just a hint of what is in store for the President in the next week. On Sunday, he goes to the Parliament to defend his nomination of Ali Akhbar Salehi as Foreign Minister.

That should not present too many difficulties for Ahmadinejad. Much trickier is the warning that if the Government cannot present its 2011 budget next week, the Majlis will put forth its own proposals.

1924 GMT: Energy Watch. After falling in the weeks after subsidy cuts were announced, consumption of oil and gasoline is rising again in Iran. Domestic gas consumption rose by 17%, gasoil by 12.2%, gasoline by 7% in the last week.

1745 GMT: The Battle of Lady Ashton's Cleavage. The British media has been abuzz with its discovery that Iranian newspapers altered a picture of Catherine Ashton, the head of the delegation of the 5+1 Powers at last weekend's Istanbul talks on Iran's nuclear programme. The Times of London posted an article last night, "Iran Covers Up Peer's Neckline Diplomacy". And the BBC, both in national radio and on its website today, is abuzz: "EU's Lady Ashton Given 'Cover-up' in Iran Press".

But as I see these exclusives, something is niggling me, a sense that I have been here before.

Oh, yes. I have. On Sunday, a website that I sometimes read posted this article, "Protecting the Nuclear Talks from Lady Ashton's Cleavage".

1735 GMT: Labour Front. Radio Farda reports on the protests and clashes at the Iran Khodro automobile factory (1245 GMT). The conflict started after eight people were killed and 13 injured in an industrial accident.

1415 GMT: Inspiration. Exiled activist Parvin Ardalan explains that events abroad have raised both questions and hopes: “Some are looking to Tunisia and saying to themselves we could do this in Iran but why have we not achieved it yet?"

1355 GMT: Sedition Claim of the Day. Mashregh News explains that the British intelligence service MI6 is instructing speakers on BBC Persian to use special phrases to undermine the Government's subsidy cuts plans, whipping up opposition from the public.

1255 GMT: Sedition Watch. Minister of Intelligence Heydar Moslehi says (again) that the post-election sedition is continuing.

1252 GMT: Nuke Talks. Tabnak follows up on the story, which we reported yesterday, that Iranian officials are proclaiming they only trust Russia --- and thus not the US and other European powers --- in an uranium swap.

No indication yet of whether the divide-and-rule ploy has worked with Moscow.

1249 GMT: New Politics? The youth branch of the reformist Islamic Iran Participation Front has posted a long criticism of the agenda of the "new principlist" bloc, asking why reference to the Constitution is lacking and wondering about their principles of "Revolution".

1245 GMT: Labour Front. Workers are protesting at the Iran Khodro automobile factory, which has been closed because of an accident that killed eight employees and injured.

1220 GMT: Reformist Watch. Ahmad Hakimipour, a Tehran City Councillor, has assured that reformist camps support the former President Mohammad Khatami in his "minimum" demands --- freedom for political prisoners, adherence to the Constitution, and guarantees of a fair campaign and ballot --- for participation in the next election.

1045 GMT: Injustice Watch. Fereshteh Ghazi takes a look at the judges who ratified the regime's punishments against opposition and dissidence.

1030 GMT: We start this morning, alongside a special analysis by Dave Siavashi on executions and the regime, with a different look at recent news through the eyes of cartoonists. Maya Nayestani pictures "Justice Walking the Blind":

Ehsan Ganji sees a "Gallows Play":

And for Nikhang Kowsar, thinking about opposition figures like Mohammad Khatami, Mir Hossein Mousavi, and Mehdi Karroubi as well as executions, the conclusion is "Silence":