2150 GMT: Pep Talks. It is not just Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi talking up 22 Bahman. Ayatollah Bayat-Zanjani has issued his second declaration in days, reiterating that “mohareb” (enemies of God) are those beating and injuring people bloodily, not peaceful protesters, and asserting that the military should not interfere in politics.
And Nasrullah Torabi, the prominent reformist member of Parliament, has reassured that 22 Bahman is a national holiday and people do not fear the warnings of hardliners.
2140 GMT: Rafsanjani’s Children and the Regime. Rah-e-Sabzhas an article considering the political and psychological battle around the threat of criminal charges against the children of Hashemi Rafsanjani.
2130 GMT: The Relay of Opposition. Radio Zamaneh has added details of Mehdi Karroubi’s denunciation of the Government and call to march on 22 Bahman (see 1100 GMT). Karroubi has called on fellow clerics to “come to the aid of the people…reach[ing out to the people before all these atrocities [of the Government] are attributed to Islam, Shiites and the clergy” and declared that Iranians on 11 February will try to “stop their promising achievements and goals from falling into oblivion, and demand them with fortitude and an aversion of physical and verbal violence”.
Karroubi asserted, “From one side petty flatterers and from another side worthless extremists have closed the arena onto our scholars, thinkers and learned.” In contrast, the common ground for groups in the Green Movement is their demand for “open elections, freedom of the press, unconditional release of all political prisoners, reform of governance and the judiciary as well as respecting citizens’ rights.”
Significantly, given that the “Western” media was distracted earlier today by the Iran rocket launch (see 1325 GMT), CNN’s website is now featuring the Karroubi statement.
2125 GMT: Blowing Smoke or Playing for Time? Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari Doulatabadi has said that death sentences for nine political prisoners have not been “finalised”. Doulatabadi’s statement adds to the confusion surrounding conflicting statements between the head of Iran’s judiciary, Sadegh Larijani, who said he would not be pushed into speeding up executions, and his deputy, Ebrahim Raeesi, who gave assurances that the nine would be killed.
2035 GMT: And Another “Monarchist” Death Sentence. Mehdi Eslamian has been condemned to execution on charges of involvement in a bombing in Shiraz and ties to a monarchist group.
2025 GMT: Another Arrest. Kaveh Ghasemi Kermanshahi, a leading human rights activist, member of the Central Council of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan, and journalist, has been detained. Read the rest of this entry »
2150 GMT: A Final Note. We’ll know more tomorrow, after Iranian state media kicks into high gear, but the Ahmadinejad statement on the nuclear talks — which had effectively gone into the freezer — could be big. All of a sudden, the move of Iran’s uranium stock outside the country is A-OK: “If we allow them to take it, there is no problem. We sign a contract to give 3.5 percent enriched uranium and receive 20 percent enriched one after four or five months.”
But — and watch this, because it will probably be missed by Western media more concerned with the West-Iran dynamic — Ahmadinejad may have re-opened a fight with Iran’s “conservatives” over his nuclear strategy. As the Associated Press notes, “He dismissed concerns by what he called ‘colleagues’ that the West would not return the uranium.”
2135 GMT: Hamlet and 22 Bahman. Let’s close tonight on a high literary note.
Rah-e-Sabz, unsurprisingly, is jabbing away at the Government. For example, it is claiming that the Revolutionary Court has stepped back in its latest bulletin by not connecting the two executions last week to the post-election demonstrations. However, its cheekiest story is a summary of Seyed Hassan Khomeini’s supposed comments as he cold-shouldered President Ahmadinejad yesterday: “To be or not to be a protester, that is the question.” Read the rest of this entry »
2050 GMT: A First Go at Reading Mousavi. Edward Yeranian of the Voice of America writes, “Iran Opposition Leader Mousavi Not Afraid to Die for Reform” (there is also an audio report), and kindly gives us space in the article for a few thoughts:
Scott Lucas…thinks that both the opposition and the government are digging in their heels for a confrontation:
“The five-point plan is not new. [Mousavi] said something similar in around October. [This], therefore, is still a compromise within the system. [However], the other thing that’s important is that the language he uses — before he gets to that [compromise] — about his possible martyrdom is striking: ‘My blood is no redder than those of others in the [opposition] movement, but I’m ready to die.’ [This is] a language of expected confrontation, as opposed to political compromise,” he said.
Lucas also argues that Mousavi may be trying to re-establish himself as the clear leader of the opposition after complaints in recent months that he hadn’t been showing up to lead public demonstrations. Many in the opposition, he notes, have been saying that the “opposition is leading Mr. Mousavi and not the contrary”.
2010 GMT: Explaining the Mousavi Statement (0745 GMT). We’ll ponder overnight before offering an analysis tomorrow of Mir Hossein Mousavi’s political move today. However, we may have gotten clues from Dr. Abolfazl Fateh, the head of Mousavi’s media committee in the Presidential campaign: “Mousavi’s statement is a significant goodwill gesture from his side and an important test for the authorities.” Read the rest of this entry »
2040 GMT: It’s Official: Bring It On. First we had Mir Hossein Mousavi’s statement, now we have Mehdi Karroubi’s signal that he will be joining the crowds on 13 Aban. The cleric has promised further details soon but indicated that he will be joining students at the “Polytechnic” in Tehran. This may refer to Amir Kabir University, although earlier chatter said Karroubi would be going to Sharif University.
2020 GMT: Handing Down “Justice”. The deputy head of Iran’s judiciary, Ebrahim Raeesi, has announced that sentences for 50 post-election detainees have been issued. Some detainees are appealing the verdicts, and Raeesi urged colleagues to speed up the processing of the cases.
For Raeesi, it is clear, has made his mind: “Those who have proposed the elections were fraudulent and created doubt in the public’s mind have undoubtedly committed a grave crime and naturally will have to answer for the crime they have committed.”
1930 GMT: We’ve now posted the English translation of Mir Hossein Mousavi’s statement welcoming the 13 Aban (4 November) demonstrations (see 1200 and 1215 GMT). The declaration is a spirited presentation of and for the Green movement in the context of the history of 13 Aban, Ayatollah Khomeini, and the Islamic Revolution.
And it is also a spirited criticism of Ahmadinejad’s negotiations over the nuclear programme with the United States and other countries, accusing the President of selling out Iran for the sake of his personal position: “Today, it appears that a large proportion of the product of Iran’s nuclear program, which has caused much chaos and brought a number of sanctions for the people, must be handed to another country, in hopes that they will be kind enough to offer us some fuel later on.
1740 GMT: Former President Mohammad Khatami has met with members of the Central Council of the Islamic Association of Tehran University and Tehran Medical Sciences. Khatami warned that surveillance into personal affairs of people is not allowed even in the cases of those who do not believe in the Establishment or in God, as long as they do not use weapons.
The former President emphasised that the Green movement is against violence but in the opposite side there are some who only think and act violently. Khatami said it must first be accepted that there is a crisis in the society, and then one can find the solution; if there are mistakes in analysing the current situation, there will be more problems in the future. Read the rest of this entry »
1945 GMT: The English-language website of Mowj-e-Sabz has a short summary of the Mousavi-Khatami meeting (1500 GMT).
1830 GMT: After a four-day absence, fueling speculation of a connection to the ill health of the Supreme Leader (0645 GMT), the newspaper Kayhanhas reappeared today.
1515 GMT: The Battle Goes On. Yesterday Karroubi made clear his intention to stand firm against Government threats of arrests. So today the Government reiterated the warnings. The deputy head of Iran’s judiciary, Ebrahim Raeesi, has repeated to the Islamic Republic News Agency that the consideration of charges is “very serious”.
1500 GMT: Mousavi and Khatami Meet. Parleman News summarises a discussion between Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mohammad Khatami, who asserted that the Iranian nation will not be diverted from its course by “force and pressure”. The post-election movement had awakened Iran to the blessings of Islamic Revolution, especially its path toward justice, freedom, independence, and honour, and it would not deviate from its attachment to those ideals.”
1345 GMT: Nice response to today’s Friday Prayers on Twitter: “Hey Jannati, thanks for the free publicity! You told WAY more ppl about 13 Aban [4 November demonstrations] than the Greens could!”
We reported yesterday on the damning response of the three-member panel (Deputy Head of Judiciary Ebrahim Raeesi, Attorney General Gholam-Hosein Mohsen Ejeie, and President of the Presidential Body of the Judiciary Ali Khalaf) to the allegations of detainee abuse brought by Mehdi Karroubi. Evan Siegel of Iran Rises has translated and posted the report.
The conclusion? “Not only is there no evidence indicating the rape, as claimed by Mr. Karoubi, and the claims raised are without documentation and empty of truth, but the claims and documents presented are all forgeries and assembled to deceive public opinion.”
His Eminence Ayatollah Larijani (May his lengthy grandeur increase!)
Honorable President of the Judiciary
Greetings.
In the aftermath of Mr. Mehdi Karoubi’s sending a letter to Your Excellency alleging the persecution and rape of some persons arrested during the riots of the recent months and the forwarding of this letter to the Tribunal for earnest pursuit and it hereby announces its findings: Read the rest of this entry »
As you know, after the controversial presidential election and its painful, alarming aftermath, I wrote many letters to the officials to share with them certain points, critiques and objections and to give the necessary warnings. The last of these letters was addressed to you. You have just recently accepted responsibility [of the judiciary] and are chief justice. And now I will share with you the details of my meetings with your representatives and some of the marginal events that took place which led to my personal office and party being sealed. I do this as a religious and patriotic obligation. So that future generations do not say that Karoubi was frightened off by pressure and arrests. Even if you do not know, others do know that in the my past, pressure and threats and limitations not only did not deter me, but made me even more determined in the path I had chosen to follow.
2020 GMT: One to Watch. The last posting on the Etemade Melli (Saham News) website, a full report on Mehdi Karroubi’s Eftar dinner party for the employees of the Etemade Melli newspaper), went up at 1:10 p.m. Tehran time (0840 GMT).
2015 GMT: In the midst of developments, this from Ayatollah Bayat-Zanjani’s address to members of a reformist faction earlier today (1510 GMT): “Power is not the foundation of legitimacy; rather legitimacy is the foundation of power. Some think that by playing with words they can change this.”
1945 GMT: I don’t think we realised this morning, when we chose the title for the updates, how appropriate the question would be.
1845 GMT: Press TV’s website has acknowledged the raid on Karroubi’s office with an account lifted word-for-word from the report in Parleman News (see 1340 GMT).
1710 GMT: A Revolutionary Guard official has said that the recent comments of IRGC Commander Mohammad Ali Jafari, claiming that former President Khatami and other reformists seek to “unseat” the regime, are “backed by evidence” given to Iran’s judiciary which the IRGC is willing to publish.
1555 GMT: The family of the late Ayatollah Taleghani, whose memorial ceremony was blocked by the Government for the first time since his death in 1979, have announced an alternative site for the gathering.
1510 GMT: Ayatollah Bayat-Zanjani, speaking to reformists, has claimed that the headquarters of the Supreme Leader no longer have any shame before God or people.
1340 GMT: URGENT Mehdi Karroubi’s office has been raided by security forces on the orders of Tehran’s chief prosecutor. CDs, documents, videos, and computers have been seized.
2150 GMT: Pep Talks. It is not just Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi talking up 22 Bahman. Ayatollah Bayat-Zanjani has issued his second declaration in days, reiterating that “mohareb” (enemies of God) are those beating and injuring people bloodily, not peaceful protesters, and asserting that the military should not interfere in politics.
2050 GMT: A First Go at Reading Mousavi. 
2040 GMT: It’s Official: Bring It On. First we had Mir Hossein Mousavi’s statement, now we have Mehdi Karroubi’s signal that 
1945 GMT: The English-language website of Mowj-e-Sabz has 
Translation by Pedestrian
I do this as a religious and patriotic obligation. So that future generations do not say that Karoubi was frightened off by pressure and arrests. Even if you do not know, others do know that in the my past, pressure and threats and limitations not only did not deter me, but made me even more determined in the path I had chosen to follow.
2020 GMT: One to Watch. The 
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