The Latest from Iran (18 November): A Move on Syria

1840 GMT: Foreign Affairs Watch (Syria Front). Opening the meeting in Tehran for "national dialogue" between the Syrian regime and opposition, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has warned, "Some countries envisage arming the opposition with heavy and semi-heavy weaponry. In reality, they seek to legitimise publicly what they have been doing in secret."

On Monday, EU foreign ministers will discuss lifting a strict embargo on arms deliveries to Syria. France has publicly said it favours sending "defensive" weapons to the Syrian opposition.

Salehi said such arms deliveries would set a "dangerous precedent" and constitute "a clear interference in the affairs of an independent country": "It will spread insecurity, the risk of terrorism and organised violence in all of the region."

(Cross-posted from Syria and Beyond Live Coverage)

1820 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Prominent reformist Mostafa Tajzadeh has returned to prison after a five-day furlough.

Tajzadeh, a former Deputy Minister of Interior, was seized soon after the disputed 2009 Presidential election and is serving a six-year sentence. Despite the prison term, he has been vocal in his opposition to the regime.

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MENA Feature: Tribalism in the Arabian Peninsula --- It's A Family Affair (Al Qassemi)

The Emir of QatarAcross the Arabian Peninsula and stretching well into North Africa and Sudan, there is a common bond, perhaps only behind religion and language in importance, that binds Arabic language speakers together. Museums across the Gulf proudly display lineage maps illustrating the family trees of ruling members, linking them through lines and photos from bygone centuries up to the current leader. Major financial institutions in Dubai and Bahrain display in their offices large-scale maps detailing prominent ruling family members of the Gulf States and their marital, government, and business affiliations. Tribalism in modern day Arabia is alive and well.

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