The Latest from Iran (26 January): Tehran Issues an Oil Warning

See also Syria Video Special: Free Syrian Army Captures Iranian Soldiers
Iran Feature: How Do You Cope with Award-Winning Director Farhadi?
An EA Special: Taking Apart Talk of "War With Iran"
Wednesday's Egypt, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: A Year After the Uprising

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2109 GMT: An EA Special --- The Syrian Front. Some context for the claimed footage, posted on EA tonight of five Iranian soldiers who were captured by the Free Syrian Army while operating inside the country.

Hours before the footage was posted, Press TV reported, "A group of armed militants have attacked an Iranian bus on the road connecting the capital, Damascus, to the northwestern city of Aleppo."

Press TV said 11 male "pilgrims" were kidnapped and taken to an unknown destination, leaving behind the women.

The website further says, "The gunmen contacted the relatives of a kidnapped passenger in Tehran, confirming the abduction of the Iranian nationals and demanding a ransom."

No direct connection has subsequently been made to the claimed video.

2105 GMT: An EA Special. EA's Josh Shahryar has provided English subtitles to a video, in Farsi, that reportedly shows Iranian soldiers inside Syria who have been captured by the Free Syrian Army. Shahryar says that he is certain, based on their accents, that these men are Iranian.

See Syria Video Special: Free Syrian Army Captures Iranian Soldiers

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The Latest from Iran (5 August): Please Shut Up....

1520 GMT: Labour Front. An article by the Iranian Labor News Agency warns that "reform" of labour laws, reducing workers' rights, will not solve the problem of unemployment and that workers will not forgive MPs who sign the legislation.

1515 GMT: More Battle Within. Mohammad Karamirad says he and two other MP have filed a complaint against the President's right-hand man, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai, and Vice President Hamid Baghei and that Parliament is checking it.

Karamirad restated the demand made by other politicians and clerics, including hardline MP Mohammad Ali Bozorgvari: President Ahmadinejad must distance himself from the two men.

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The Latest from Iran (18 June): An Economic Squeeze?

1520 GMT: Allah and Politics. Mehr claims a newly-appointed governor in Sari Province in northern Iran has been dismissed after officials asked for guidance from God through divination.

The Ministry of Interior had appointed Ali Babaei Karnami as late last month but he was dismissed Tuesday as a formal inauguration was being organised.

“Since divination showed a bad result, we preferred to look for another choice,” current Governor Ali Akbar Tahaei said.

Tahaei said he had named a replacement and added, "Karnami should not be irritated for not taking up the post because I’ll need him to serve at a provincial municipality posting.”

Supporters of the Supreme Leader and of President Ahmadinejad clashed earlier this month over the appointment of a governor for Fars Province.

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The Latest from Iran (13 April): The Movie, The Hidden Imam, and Ahmadinejad's Right-Hand Man

2040 GMT: In an interview with RASA TV, Nooshabeh Amiri speaks about her interview with Said Tajik, the man accused of verbally assaulting Hashemi Rafsanjani's daughter Faezeh Hashemi in February.

Amiri says Tajik, who was briefly detained over the incident, was released out of fear of his supporters. She said he questioned why he had been interrogated and was "very arrogant towards the judiciary".

Amiri has also written an article in Rooz Online about the encounter.

1945 GMT: Setting the Election Rules. Conservative MP Habibollah Asgaroladi tries to set the ground rules for the 2012 Parliament elections --- those who are against the Iranian system (nezam) and the clerical supremacy of velayat-e faqih cannot run. He continues with the observation that reformists are not yet "off the record", i.e., eliminated"; they are, he says, "serious rivals" in the elections.

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The Latest from Iran (24 November): Smog and Politics

2125 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Green Voice of Freedom claims, from a source close to Hengameh Shahidi, that the journalist has been hospitalised following a hunger strike.

A group of political, academic, and human rights activists have issued a statement calling for the release of Ebrahim Yazdi, the 78-year-old former Foreign Minister.

Shahidi was returned to prison on 15 November after a 18-day leave for medical treatment.

2120 GMT: An Appeal for Refugees. Exiled attorney Mohammad Mostafaei has written to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon:

Since there are Iranians living in various countries under deplorable conditions and need support to appeal their request for asylum, with deep concerns I hereby request that the United Nations expeditiously contact all member states in order to review the affairs of asylum seekers. As a result, refugees will be able to relocate to states where they desire to live in security. It is self evident that prolonging the proceedings for the refugees is against the standards of human rights and ought to be considered as torture and punishment.

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The Latest from Iran (15 November): Watching Rafsanjani, Listening to Karroubi

2045 GMT: Dropping the Sword. Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi publicly confirmed the regime's handling of post-election detainees who are allowed out of jail: "If political prisoners hold meetings, issue statements and pursue activities within their political parties, their right to temporary leave of absence from prison will be removed."

2025 GMT: Execution Watch (Prime-Time TV Edition). Looks like the Iranian regime is feeling a bit of pressure on the "human rights" front.....

How else to explain yet another "confession" on national television by Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, condemned to death for adultery and complicity in her husband's murder.

The blurred face of a woman, claimed to be Ashtiani, said, "I am a sinner". (The "confession" was voiced over, as Ashtiani speaks only Azeri.)

The report also contained purported statements by Ashtiani's son, Sajad Ghaderzadeh, and her lawyer, Houtan Kian, both of whom were arrested last month, and of the two German journalists who were trying to interview them.

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