The Latest from Iran (1 April): A Burst of Green

2040 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Kalemeh reports that detained activist Fakhrossadat Mohtashamipour is in a coma after a hunger strike and has been transferred to hospital.

Mohtashamipour, the wife of imprisoned reformist leader Mostafa Tajzadeh, had said she would fast if she was not allowed to visit her husband.

2030 GMT: Your Tehran Friday Prayer Update --- An Update. Well, I guess I owe Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami an apology --- while he was making a grand tour of Egypt-Libya-Yemen-Bahrain to blame the West for distortions, manipulations, and general evil, he did have a chat with the faithful about the situation in Iran today.

Khatami took his lead from the Supreme Leader's 2011 theme of "economic jihad" to declare there would be economic growth, a narrowed gap between those with high and low incomes, and a one-digit unemployment rate.

The Ayatollah assured that Iran would have 8% economic growth rate in the 5th 5-Year Plan (2010-2015), even though that plan has not been passed by Parliament, and said officials of the country have had successful projects for employment.

But he still didn't mention Syria.

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Iran Video: Politics and Cartoons --- An Interview with Nikahang Kowsar
Thursday's Latest from Iran (31 March): Mousavi and A Funeral

1525 GMT: Your Tehran Friday Prayer Update. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami got the podium today, and he had a lot to say about Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Saudi Arabia...in fact, anywhere and everywhere except Iran (and Syria).

“The West, the US in particular, always makes instrumental use of the issue of human rights but it should be noted that they only care about their [own] interests," Khatami began, and then he got to his main target: “Obama is lying about entering 'Libya to save the people of this country'. The US unleashes dictators on people to kill them and then enters the scene under the guise of saviour."

The Ayatollah said the Western media was distorting the reality of the people's revolt in Bahrain: “This uprising pursues the same objectives as the uprising of the people of Egypt and Libya.” And he shook a finger at the Saudi monarchy over the intervention of its troops in Bahrain: “Don't think that killing and massacre will sustain your rule. Every drop of blood that is shed from an innocent will bring you closer to downfall."

1455 GMT: Economic Jihad Watch. More than 100,000 fishermen in the Bushehr area of southern Iran are reportedly on the verge of unemployment due to high energy costs.

0845 GMT: Human Rights Watch. US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said on Thursday, "We're deeply troubled by reports coming out of Iran that a 20-year sentence of the seven Bahai leaders was reinstated on appeal by the prosecutor general. We condemn this unprecedented step as a violation under the international covenant on civil and political rights."

Amnesty International said the authorities reversed a decision by an Iranian appeals court to cut the sentences to 10 years.

0755 GMT: The Battle Within. Another clerical challenge to President Ahmadinejad's right-hand man Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai....

Hossein Daghighi, in an article carried by Fars, claims that Rahim-Mashai has caused division among clerics by paying some to form a parallel "Society of Velaie Preachers" to challenge the established "Society of Preachers" over the delivery of prayers.

Another cleric, Hojatoleslam Shojouni, claimed last year that more than 100 "renegade" preachers would being paid to support President Ahmadinejad.

0750 GMT: Illegal Viewing. State broadcaster IRIB reports that, despite a ban on satellite dishes, there has been a 10% increase over the last year.

0715 GMT: The Real Message of Syria. The pro-regime Iran News Network posts an article setting out the significance of the political situation in Syria: "Activists believe the Syrian Parliament's impressive action in strong support of their President...can be a very good model for some in Iran's Parliament."

0710 GMT: The House Arrests. Three leading clerics --- Grand Ayatollahs Sane'i and Bayat Zanjani and Ayatollah Dastgheib --- used condolence messages to opposition figure Mir Hossein Mousavi, on the occasion of his father's death, to restate their demand for an end to the house arrests of Mousavi, his wife Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi and Fatemeh Karroubi.

0645 GMT: VIP Alert. Parazit, the high-profile satirical television programme (think The Daily Show in Persian) on Voice of America, will be welcoming US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as a guest next week.

0640 GMT: Sneak Preview. A celebration of a different kind --- Ayande News says a film is being made about President Ahmadinejad's provincial tours.

The director says there will be "comical elements", such as "people trying to give the President letters with demands".

0630 GMT: A picture of Thursday's funeral of the father of opposition figure Mir Hossein Mousavi, claiming to show security officers filming the event:

0620 GMT: With Iranians preparing for the festival of Sizdah Bedar (13 Bedar) on Saturday, leaving the home and enjoying nature, there are competing announcements today. State news agency IRNA highlights the declaration of the President's office of a "Day of Freedom" for "national and revolutionary aspirations" based on the Islamic system.

The opposition, meanwhile, sends out this video making Green connections: