The Latest from Iran (2 July): Winners and Losers in the Economic Crisis

See also Iran Feature: A Cleric's Best-Selling DVD Guide "Lovemaking is Like Jihad"
The Latest from Iran (1 July): The European Union Cuts Off Imports of Tehran's Oil

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2010 GMT: Diplomacy Watch. ISNA highlights an interview with Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, who declares, “The other side has no choice but to come to an agreement with Iran. Otherwise, instead of interaction, the next option will be confrontation, and I don’t believe that any rational mind is after confrontation given the latest developments in the region.”

Salehi urged Iranians to be confident, "We have been subjected to sanctions for the past 33 years “come in addition to previous ones, and it isn’t a problem....[We must] show national unity and have resistance and patience against these sanctions because one has to pay the costs for preserving one’s independence."

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Iran Letter: An Imprisoned Blogger Writes the Supreme Leader

Hossein Ronaghi MalekiI am of the belief, every human being’s silence against oppression and injustice is a betrayal of the innocent blood of the martyrs of this land....

I will repeat a quote from the Exalted Prophet Mohamad: “The land and government will survive under blasphemy but will not last under oppression.”

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The Latest from Iran (6 April): Subsidy Cuts, Oil, and Politics

2115 GMT: Labour Front. HRANA reports that a protest of Abadan refinery workers over unpaid wages was accosted by security forces.

2000 GMT: Rafsanjani Watch. Oxford University has dismissed allegations of impropriety in its acceptance of the son of Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mehdi Hashemi, for Ph.D. study.

Critics alleged last month that Hashemi had been accepted even though he had not shown adequate academic standards and language qualifications. They also said he did not meet Oxford's residency requirement.

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