1800 GMT: Economy Watch. Prominent economist Saeed Leylaz has declared that the main problem of the Iranian economy is domestic mismanagement rather than foreign sanctions, adding that smuggling is $20 billion per year.
1755 GMT: Labour Front. Claimed video of a strike on 19 March at the Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex in Mahshahr in southwestern Iran:
2155 GMT: The 1 Esfand Casualty. Shiraz University students have announced a week of mourning for Hamed Nourmohammadi, who was allegedly thrown off a bridge by security forces during Sunday's protests.
2135 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Singer and composer Afshin Taheri was detained on Tuesday and is in an unknown location.
2125 GMT: 1 Esfand. Setareh Sabety offers an overview and crisp analysis of the significance of Sunday's opposition marches:
1st Esfand (Feb.20) was big enough to show that 25th Bahman (Feb.14) was not a single outburst inspired by the events in Tunis and Egypt but rather the revival of an opposition movement that continues to show signs of resilience. Iranians are pragmatists and unlike their Arab neighbors have recent experience with revolution. They will not risk life and limb unless they are sure that they are on the winning side. 1st Esfand was a step in the winning direction for the opposition in Iran.
2225 GMT: More Political Prisoners. Tehran University School of Science student Sohrab Jafari and law student Habib Farahzadi were arrested today.
2135 GMT: More 1 Esfands. In an interview with Radio Farda, Mehdi Karroubi's advisor Mojtaba Vahedi gets to the point: he is impressed with the turnout today and there will be more protests until demands are met.
Vahedi adds that mounting casualties will only have the same effect as 1979, building up a rally of mourning.
The regime knows that it must contain Mousavi and Karroubi. Karroubi and Mousavi know that they have to increase pressure on the regime. The people know that they must march. Yesterday's call for more protests finally hint that neither Mousavi or Karroubi are in a mood to compromise; the rhetoric to prosecute or execute the reformist leaders indicate that the regime is unwilling to negotiate.
Someone is going to fall off this tightrope. Someone is going to concede ground, or charge ahead further than they have ever gone. If this happens, expect widespread unrest and chaos in the streets, because this will be the minute the opposition moves from dissent to rebellion.
"I'm Going with Mom & Dad. Join Us"2210 GMT: Isolating Mousavi and Karroubi. Ardeshir Amir-Arjomand, a senior advisor to Mir Hossein Mousavi, has said that the phone lines of Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have been cut.
The cutting of Karroubi's communications had been related, along with his effective house arrest, at the end of last night, but this is the first report of an attempt to cut off Mousavi.
2040 GMT: 25 Bahman. The Mothers of Mourning, known for their weekly gatherings in Laleh Park in Tehran to remember the dead and detained of the post-election conflict, have issued a statement of support for Monday's rally.
Journalist Isa Saharkhiz, detained since July 2009, has also congratulated those challening Iranian dictators.
2240 GMT: Claimed video of "Allahu Akbar" (God is Great) from the rooftops tonight:
2225 GMT: 25 Bahman. An indication in Fars that the Minister of Interior will reject the request by Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi for a permit for Monday's rally --- Mehdi Alikhani-Sadr, deputy director of the Interior Ministry's political bureau, said, "These people are fully aware of the illegality of their demand and they know they will not receive a permit for staging a riot."
Iran's Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani summarises the situation in the Middle East for Al Jazeera in 70 seconds. Some of this is Political Rhetoric 101: "Egypt is a military dictatorship", supported by the US and Israel, who prevent the Egyptian Revolution from becoming a success.
But you gotta hand it to the guy: he has a nice line about suppression of dissent by "camels and horses" --- rather than, say, by Basij militia --- and he can keep a straight face as he declares:
In Iran, democracy is a serious matter....People vote, and politicians change according to their will."
Fun Fact: Ali Larijani reportedly called opposition figure Mir Hossein Mousavi on 12 June 2009, to congratulate Mousavi on his victory over Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the Presidential election.
2305 GMT: A Reply to the Supreme Leader. Looks like Ayatollah Khamenei's Friday Prayer has fallen flat with his target audience....
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has issued this response: "[We] regard the revolution as the Egyptian People's Revolution, not an Islamic Revolution....The Egyptian People's Revolution includes Muslims, Christians, from all sects and political [factions]."
2255 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Journalist Mehran Faraji has been released on bail after almost two months in detention.
Faraji had worked with the Presidential campaign of Mehdi Karroubi.
2015 GMT: Mousavi and Karroubi. Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have met today, issuing a joint statement that "dictators in the region should listen to people's demands for freedom in Tunisia and Egypt."
The two men called for a halt to executions, and they denounced the Government's economic policy, with hundreds of companies shut down and thousands of workers jobless because of mismanagement.
In the run-up to the forthcoming anniversary of the 1979 Revolution on 22 Bahman (11 February), Mousavi and Karroubi called the Islamic Republic its biggest achievement but one that had gone wrong because some wanted to stay in power and ignore the people.
0845 GMT: One to Watch. Today the Parliament will discuss President Ahmadinejad's open letter criticising the interference of the Majlis, the judiciary, and the Expediency Council with his plans.
0840 GMT: Diplomatic Breakthrough. The Parliament has approved the permanent appointment of Ali Akbar Salehi as Foreign Minister.
Salehi has been in the post since early December, when Manouchehr Mottaki was suddenly dismissed.
0835 GMT: And Another Pose. Hossein Sobhaninia of Parliament's National Security Council says a plan to end relations with Britain has been sent to the Majlis and will probably be discussed before consideration of the 2011 Budget.
Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani was quoted in Iranian media on Saturday, “Iran is a powerful country and I believe some of the British politicians are confused about Iran and assume that they can exercise influence in Iran using their past methods.” However, Khabar Online, linked to Larijani, asserted that while the Speaker had received the opinions of different bodies, he believed it was up to Parliament to decide on cutting ties.
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 18:25