The Latest from Iran (14 October): Watching Karroubi, Rafsanjani, and the Supreme Leader’s Health

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UPDATE 14 October 0655 GMT: According to Peykeiran, a fifth death sentence over post-election conflict and “subversion” has been handed out to a “Davoud Mir Ardebili”. The report claims that Ardebili is not a monarchist, the allegation made against three other condemned men, but merely called a radio station to report union protests.

For several days, post-election news and rumours have swirled around the death penalties being handed out to detainees. There are now four sentenced to hang: three alleged “monarchists” (Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani, Arash Pour-Rahmani, and Hamed Rouhinejad) and one alleged member of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq.

Replying to an Italian journalist on Sunday, I suggested:

A blunt description for a rather blunt move by the regime: as with the Tehran trials from early August and the raids on opposition offices in Sept., this is a flexing of muscle by the President’s office, the Revolutionary Guard, and their allies in the judiciary which says, “If you challenge us, we can crush you.”

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