The Latest from Iran (4 June): Remembering Khomeini...Without Ahmadinejad

1940 GMT: The security presence blocking the silent protest for Haleh Sahabi at a religious complex in north Tehran this afternoon:

1925 GMT: Preventing Haleh's Memorial. Witnesses say Iranian security forces fired in the air to disperse several hundred people who had gathered for silent protest over the death of activist Haleh Sahabi (see 1505 GMT).

The forces reportedly used batons as well to disperse the crowd outside the Hosseini Ershad mosque in northern Tehran.

Kalemeh reports that a "few dozen" protesters were arrested and some were "severely beaten".

1615 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Human rights activist Abdolreza Ahmadi has been sentenced to three years in prison.

1610 GMT: Ahmadinejad Watch. Hojatoleslam Saqaee Biriya, a former advisor to the President, has declared that the aims of the "deviant current" go beyond the 2012 Parliamentary elections and 2013 Presidential ballot.

1505 GMT: Preventing Haleh's Memorial. Riot police have reportedly surrounded the religious complex Hosseiniyeh Ershad in Tehran to prevent a silent protest for activist Haleh Sahabi this afternoon.

Sahabi died on Wednesday at the funeral of her father, opposition figure Ezzatollah Sahabi, after she was accosted by security forces.

1500 GMT: Energy Watch. Hamidreza Katouzian, the head of Parliament's Energy Committee,has warned that electricity prices may rise 400% to 500% this year.

1435 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Iran's Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of Saied Malekpour.

Malekpour was condemned to die in December for "mohareb" (war against God).

1355 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Political activists and journalists Mehdi Mahmoudian, Isa Saharkhiz, Keyvan Samimi, and Rasoul Bodaghi have announced they will break their hunger strike on Monday.

The men are protesting the detentions and conditions for political prisoners.

1300 GMT: Rumour of the Day. The opposition site Kalemeh claims that the President asked Commander Rostam Qassemi, the head of the economic branch of the Revolutionary Guards, to become Minister of Oil a month ago, but Qassemi is still the considering the approach.

Earlier this week Qassemi reportedly said that the economic branch, known as Khatam al-Anbia, was "reviewing" Ahmadinejad's public selection of Mohammad Aliabadi to take over the Ministry.

1255 GMT: At the Khomeini Ceremonies. Without making any reference to the Government or the current political conflict, Seyed Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the late Ayatollah, criticised the "lies" and "slander" in Iranian society. He explained that, before becoming the leader of the Islamic Revolution, his grandfather was "committed to morality".

In a snub to Khomeini, State broadcaster IRIB did not televise his speech live but showed it 90 minutes later.

1240 GMT: Economy Watch. Kalemeh reports, from Government statistics, that the official youth unemployment rate is 22.3% and dismissals of workers are continuing.

1220 GMT: Ahmadinejad Watch. Today's shot at the President comes from Hassan Bayadi, a former Ahmadinejad confidante who is now allied with government critic Ali Motahari. In Ayande News, Bayadi reveals the political manoeuvres that propelled Ahmadinejad into the mayor's chair in Tehran.

1122 GMT: Arrests at the Funeral. There is no news of Jamal Doroodi, a member of the National-Religious Coalition, who was arrested at the funeral service of Ezzatollah Sahabi.

Hedayat Qazanfari, a Sahabi family friend, was arrested even though he recently had surgery for a brain tumour.

Amin Ahmadian, Hamed Montazeri, and Mohammad Reza Ahmadnia are among those who have now been released after detention.

1120 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Mousavi campaigner and journalist Ali Behzadian-Nejad has been released temporarily after 498 days in detention.

1115 GMT: We have posted a special analysis of this morning's speech by Ayatollah Khamenei, "Taking Apart the Supreme Leader's Speech on 'Uprisings'".

0649 GMT. The Ceremony. And with his words on Palestine (see 0643 GMT), that's it for the Supreme Leader in Tehran.

Nothing surprising in a somewhat rambling --- and, in his brief reference to Iranian politics,fumbling --- speech. Khamenei made no reference to the current internal conflicts in Iran, apart from a brief, coded reference to those who break from "spirituality" with their "deviation", and this was overshadowed by his denunciation of the "enemy" after the 2009 Presidential election.

And beyond Iran, the speech was boiler-plate rhetoric about Tehran's leadership and the perfidy of the US and the Zionist, wedging the Arab Spring --- somewhat awkwardly at points --- into that portrayal.

0645 GMT: A Different Clerical Speech. Grand Ayatollah Bayat Zanjani has spoken about the death of activist Haleh Sahabi, after a clash with security forces at her father's funeral on Wednesday: "It is a shame that a pious woman like Haleh dies like this and gets buried at night."

0643 GMT: The Ceremony. In a long passage, the Supreme Leader cautions Egypt not to take US assistance, as America will try to re-assert its control.

Eventually, he reaches the theme of Palestine calling for a referendum of all its people about the Government they wish to have. "And then it is up to them what they do about the Zionists."

0640 GMT: The Ceremony. After touring the regime (except for Syria) --- the "West" wants to prolong civil war in Libya to control, people are demanding their rights in Yemen, the US backed the Saudi intervention in Bahrain --- Ayatollah Khamenei lists the three characteristics of the Arab uprisings: 1) they are Islamic; 2) they are anti-US; 3) they are popular.

He continues, "Wherever there is an anti-US popular movement, we support it." But if there is a movement "provoked by the US and by the Zionists" (Syria?), we will not support it".

0635 GMT: The Ceremony. As expected, the Supreme Leader declares that the "Arab Spring" in the Middle East and North Africa was inspired by the ideals of Ayatollah Khomeini.

He mentions Yemen, Bahrain, Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia. He does not mention Syria.

0630 GMT: The Ceremony. And with that reference to the brief disturbance caused by the enemy, the Supreme Leader is back to praising Iranian officials and their "great achievements", with "great security" that has thwarted the enemy. There is economic progress, and scientific achievement of "11- or 12-fold".

0625 GMT: The Ceremony. The Supreme Leader hits his stride about a "10-year enemy plot" --- "I don't have any specific evidence. This is just my interpretation."

And now the reference to the 2009 Presidential election: "the enemy was of the conviction that it could have made its plot work." The passage is somewhat rambling, as the Supreme Leader says "the enemy...created unrest for 2 or 3 months in Tehran".

This plot, of course, was defeated by the Iranian people, who rallied for the regime on Qods Day and Ashura in 2009. [Ed's Note: This is a bit of a revision of history, given that the Green Movement had its public high point on Ashura with mass gatherings that even pushed back security forces.]

0622 GMT: A Clerical Intervention. A different type of remembrance of Ayatollah Khomeini yesterday by Ayatollah Dastgheib, as he continues his criticism of the regime --- "The Imam didn't want to be an absolute ruler but guide people to goodness. You have defamed Islam."

0620 GMT: The Ceremony. Now it is getting a bit more interesting. The Supreme Leader takes aim at those who defy "spirituality" and "distance people from society", "keeping young people from participating in the political events".

He continues, "These people have deviated."

0610 GMT: The Battle Within. Not much happening at the Khomeini ceremony beyond the Supreme Leader's lengthy tribute, so a quick reminder of last night's LiveBlog....

Any supposed political truce was rocked on Friday by a series of statements, including the declaration by Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi --- the former "spiritual mentor" of the President --- that the Ahmadinejad camp is "trash" and the attack by a clerical representative of the Supreme Leader upon the Revolutionary Guards and Ayatollah Khamenei's office.

And this video puts a bit more fuel on the flames. Revolutionary Guards Commander Saeed Qassemi taunts Ahmadinejad, "You released the eight British spies with the help of British Ambassador."

Qassemi is referring to the detention and release in 2007 of 15 British naval personnel, seized when their boat allegedly strayed into Iranian waters.

0603 GMT: The Ceremony. Ahmadinejad is in the front row of the audience, between Khomeini's grandson Seyed Hassan and the head of judiciary, Sadegh Larijani (and two seats from his rival, former President Hashemi Rafsanjani). He is looking uncomfortable.

Other major Iranian political and religious figures are also present, including Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani.

0600 GMT: The Supreme Leader is already speaking in Tehran, paying tribute to Ayatollah Khomeini for making the "Iranian nation believe they are the real owners of the country".

0545 GMT: Iran's state media are already featuring today's ceremonies marking the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, as "millions of Iranians from across the country travel to Tehran to pay tribute to the late leader". The press and broadcasters are announcing that "Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei will address the gathering on Saturday".

What they are not saying is that President Ahmadinejad will not be addressing that gathering.

In the midst of Iran's political conflict, Ahmadinejad was rebuffed by the Khomeini Foundation last month. The organisers declared that, as the President had not met the deadline to announce his attendance, he would not be speaking.

The simple but effective rejection was another blow against the President in his contest for power with the Supreme Leader, the Guardian, Parliament, and the judiciary. It was also payback for 4 June 2010, when his supporters shouted down Khomeini's grandson at the Tehran ceremony.

And there was more embarrassment for Ahmadinejad last night. The President tried to regain ground at a memorial ceremony, but his speech was interrupted by competing chants, as critics denounced his right-hand man Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai.