The Latest from Iran (4 October): When You Know A Bank Fraud is Serious....
2030 GMT: Ahmadinejad Watch. Mardomak offers a summary of the President's interview on State TV tonight....
Ahmadinejad tried to make the case that he was the way forward for Iran, especially on economic issues. Saying that his provincial tours were to remedy a "weak" and "Western model" bureaucracy with the display of popular management, he declared that his subsidy cuts plan got an "A" grade and there was no 60% inflation. He insisted that employment was on a good path, with a considerable increase in jobs and investments in the first half of the year.
That is all to be expected, as was Ahmadinejad's assertion that he had out-shone President Obama in last month's statement at the UN --- "Obama's speech was weak, ours was strong and much discussed". What is intriguing is the President's declared persistence in a quest for talks with Washington: he said he was ready for discussions if the US withdraws its ships from the Persian Gulf.
And this may also be notable: there were reportedly "broadcast problems" when Ahmadinejad spoke about his provincial tours and the US.
Amir Mansour Khosravi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai, Gholam-Hossen Mohseni Ejei, Hamid Fazeli, MAyatollah Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Nader Karimian Sardashti, Sadegh Zibakalam, Seyed Reza Taghavi