The Latest from Iran (23 August): Arrested...for Helping Earthquake Victims

Some of those arrested in East Azerbaijan Province for helping earthquake victims, in a photo before their detentions: Vahed Kholoosi (far right), Hossein Ronaghi Maleki (front row, white hat), Navid Khanjani (front row, black hat), Misagh Afshar (front row, sitting on the right of Hossein Ronaghi), Artemis Varzandeh (front row, second from left)

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2343 GMT: The Earthquakes. Back to our opening story --- activists report that all eight women and four men arrested while helping victims of the East Azerbaijan earthquake have been released on bail.

At least 23 other men remain behind bars.

A photograph of one of the detainees, blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, with a young girl while helping with the recovery:

2327 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Photos have emerged of journalists Keyvan Samimi and Masoud Bastani in Rajai Shahr Prison.

Samimi was arrested two days after the 2009 Presidential election and is serving a six-year sentence. Bastani has also been given a six-year term.

2320 GMT: Currency Watch. The Iranian Rial, after a few days of relatively stability, has resumed its slide. It finished today down 2% at 21700:1 vs. the US dollar, close to its all-time low set in early 2012.

Old gold coin has also shot up in price, reaching 8,340,000 Rials.

2100 GMT: The Battle Within. The Supreme Leader, meeting President Ahmadinejad and his Cabinet, has tried to ease tensions by declaring that the thge responsibilities of the three powers --- Executive, legislative, and judicial --- are clearly defined and they should cooperate with mutual consent.

1750 GMT: The House Arrests. Saham News reports that detained opposition figure Mir Hossein Mousavi has been transferred to a critical care unit, suffering from a heart condition.

Mousavi reportedly had an angiogram to examine his heart. According to the report, he is no longer in the CCU.

"Mousavi was taken to the hospital this morning after his blood vessels became blocked," confirmed Ardeshir Amir Arjomand, a senior advisor to Mousavi during his 2009 Presidential campaign. "He has not been feeling well since last night, but the security forces did not take him to the hospital until this morning because they wanted to install cameras there."

Mousavi has been held under strict house arrest for more than 18 months.

1005 GMT: The Non-Aligned Show. The regime has been trying to ensure that next week's Non-Aligned Summit in Tehran is at the top of all news, but it is not all cheerleading and declaration of Iran's leadership --- the official overseeing the summit, Mohammad Reza Forghani, has warned media not to spread rumours during the gathering.

0950 GMT: We are Winning Watch. General Masoud Jazayeri, the deputy commander of Iran's armed forces, has explained, “Today, the European countries on one hand, and Americans, who have a hegemonic background in the world and resisted against our [Islamic] establishment, on the other are in the weakest position possible.”

Meanwhile, Jazayeri assure, the Islamic Republic was progressing despite sanctions and threats.

0930 GMT: We begin with the aftermath of the earthquakes of 11 August in East Azerbaijan Province, which killed hundreds of people and displaced tens of thousands.

In recent days, we have noted reports of individuals being arrested in the area, such as children's rights activist Saeed Shirzad. Now the opposition site Kalemeh reports that at least 35 people have been detained. The "crime"? Failing to hand over aid to authorities, including the Revolutionary Guards.

Reports claim one of those held is the prominent blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, recently released after serving part of a 15-year sentence. Another detainee is Navid Zhanjani, arrested in March 2010 and sentenced to a 12-year prison term in January 2011.