The Latest from Iran (12 August): 250+ Killed in Earthquakes in Northwest

People shelter overnight after the two earthquakes in East Azerbaijan Province

See also Iran Document: Students to the Supreme Leader "If Only You Ordered Tolerance Towards Dissent"
The Latest from Iran (11 August): US Uses Syria for More Sanctions

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2100 GMT: Oil Watch. Tanzania has admitted that its ships were reflagged to carry Iranian oil, saying that a shipping agent based in Dubai had put 36 of Tehran's tankers under the Tanzanian flag without the country's knowledge and approval.

Tanzania said it was now in the process of de-registering the vessels.

Reflagging ships masks their ownership, which could make it easier for Iran to obtain insurance and financing for the cargoes and to find buyers for the shipments despite US-led sanctions.

2025 GMT: The Earthquakes. Grand Ayatollahs Mousavi Ardebili and Bayat Zanjani have called on people to spend their donations for Eid al-Fitr, the ceremony at the end of Ramadan, on earthquake victims.

2002 GMT: Picture of the Day. An image from the rescue effort after the two earthquakes in northwestern Iran:

1945 GMT: The Battle Within. Earlier today (see 1014 GMT) we mentioned the unexpected disruption when a shouting crowd forced Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri, prominent conservative and advisor to the Supreme Leader, to halt his speech and State TV to temporarily cut its broadcast --- video of the incident has been posted, with men chanting, ""Death to those who are against velayat-e faqih (the rule of the Supreme Leader)":

1915 GMT: Earthquake Watch. The Supreme Leader has issued a statement asking for blessings for the dead and injured and patience in dealing with the disaster.

The summary of the Supreme Leader's speech earlier in the day to academics and researchers, put out by his office, had no reference to the earthquake. Instead, Ayatollah Khamenei talked about the wave of an Islamic Awakening across the Middle East and Asia and the failure of the West, led by the US, to dominate: "[This is the] direction of the future world developments...toward the transfer of the general powers and capabilities of some parts of world nations to other parts."

The Supreme Leader emphasised “America’s unsuccessful leap...which became evident in the cases of Iraq and Afghanistan" and Europe's "fundamental flaw in worldview". He continued, “Contrary to the infertile West, the Islamic Republic has new and wave-inducing suggestions for the human community in various political, administrative, ethical, cultural, social and economic spheres."

1800 GMT: Earthquake Watch. The tension over alleged lack of coverage by State outlets is escalating. Digarban summarises the attention to the earthquake on social media versus the claimed ignorance of the disaster by State broadcaster IRIB and some conservative press, while Tabnak --- a conservative publication that has been linked to Secretary of Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei, has declared a national day of mourning in protest at IRIB's position.

1500 GMT: Earthquake Watch. Criticism continues in the aftermath of the two earthquakes in East Azerbaijan Province. The MP of Varzaghan, hit by the tremors, has demanded completion of a hospital with 32 beds promised by President Ahmadinejad in 2007 --- a field hospital has been set up this weekend to deal with casualties.

Meanwhile, Grand Ayatollah Bayat Zanjani has offered to receive aid for victims.

1320 GMT: Currency Watch. Azam Veisameh of Shargh reports from East Azerbaijan that no help is reaching people, who are suffering from hunger.

1315 GMT: Currency Watch. The Iranian Rial has slipped almost 1% today, dropping to 21480:1 vs. the US dollar on the open market.

There is now a gap of almost 70% between the open-market rate and the official rate of 12260:1.

1255 GMT: Earthquake Watch. The death toll in Saturday's two earthquakes and the aftershocks is now at least 300, with 2600 injured.

In the town of Haris alone, 125 people were killed and 280 were injured.

More than 1000 villages were reportedly affected. Of these, 130 were 70% to 100% damaged and 20 "destroyed".

One of a set of photographs in Mehr:

1025 GMT: Earthquake Watch. Neither the "hard-line" Keyhan or Resalat mention Saturday's earthquake on their front pages.

1014 GMT: The Battle Within. A curious incident as a speech in Mashhad by prominent conservative Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri --- former Minister of Interior, former Speaker of Parliament, and Presidential candidate in 1997 --- was interrupted, with people throwing water bottles, TV coverage interrupted, and arrests of at least four people.

Accounts differ on what occurred. One version is that Nategh Nouri was talking about justice and criticising nepotism when youths accused him of being quiet about sedition. Another, in pro-Ahmadinejad outlets, is that people shouted at Nategh Nouri because he was insulting the President.

Baztab claims Nategh Nouri halted his speech, in the shrine to Imam Reza, as some in the crowd were yelling, "Death to those who are against velayat-e faqih (the rule of the Supreme Leader)." Safir News supports the account.

1005 GMT: Oil Watch. Iran's ambassador to China, Mahdi Safari, has denied that discounting is behind the rebound in Beijina's purchases of Tehran's output, “Iran's oil is sold to China according to standard prices and any report claiming that we sell our oil cheaper is a rumour."

China's purchases fell 40% in the first four months of 2012, but recovered by June to levels just above those of 2011. Some analysts had predicted that, as Iran dropping prices because of declining demand amid US-led sanctions, Beijing would take advantage.

0915 GMT: Economy Watch. Blogger Javad Abu-Ali has been released from Behbahan Prison after serving a one-year sentence.

0758 GMT: Economy Watch. Mehr posts a chart showing that unemployment is still more than 10% in 21 of Iran's 31 provinces and more than 17% in four of them.

The Government claims that unemployment is 12.6% and falling. Many analysts believe the true figure is far higher.

0756 GMT: The Earthquakes. Allahverdi Dehghani, the MP for Varzeghan, hit by one of Saturday's earthquakes, has said that the town has no hospital and emergency service is slow.

The MP for Ahar & Haris has said that emergency forces have yet to reach 10 to 20 villages in the district because of their remote location.

0741 GMT: Currency Watch. Mehr reports that traders and businessmen are complaining about "unclear" exchange rates as banks refuse to give them the official rate of 12260 Iranian Rials to the US dollar.

The open-market rate for the Rial is 21300:1 vs. the dollar, making it about 60% more expensive to purchase foreign currency compared to the official rate.

0733 GMT: Foreign Affairs Watch. Mohammad Raouf Sheibani, Iran's ambassador to Syria, has said that most Iranians have left the country, returning to Tehran or going to Lebanon.

Last weekend 48 Iranian men were seized by insurgents near Damascus. The Islamic Republic says they are pilgrims; insurgents claim they are with the Iranian military, assisting the Assad regime. Radio Zamaneh suggests they were sent by Iran's Basij militia to support pro-Assad rallies.

0725 GMT: The Earthquakes. Nikahang Kowsar is sceptical about coverage by State broadcaster IRIB, "Quake? Never heard of it! Listen to news re popular support for Assad!"

Asr-e Iran and opposition website Kalemeh criticise IRIB for persisting with normal programming even as the extent of the disaster was revealed.

State news agency IRNA headlines with the destruction from the earthquake. Press TV, however, puts updates in its "Society" section; its lead "Iran" story is "Situation in Syria Improving, Iranian MP Says".

0555 GMT: The death toll from Saturday's two earthquakes and more than 20 subsequent aftershocks  in the northwest is now at least 250 people, with more than 2000 others injured.

An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale struck Ahar, 60 kilometres (37 miles) northeast of the city of Tabriz, at 15:53 local time (1123 GMT). Another tremor measuring 6.3 was centred on Varzaqan and Haris, which are located near Ahar, 11 minutes later.

Twelve villages have been completely destroyed by the earthquake and about 60 others have been partially destroyed. 

Thousands of people were forced to remain outdoors overnight.