 RFE/RL Iran Report 8/20/2009 2:20:22 PM A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about Iran.For more stories on Iran, please visit and bookmark our Iran page . |
 New Iran Cabinet Looks Set For Rough Ride In Parliament Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has unveiled his proposed new cabinet. The list was submitted to parliament overnight, and the assembly has 10 days to consider it before it goes to a vote on August 30. But some senior figures in parliament have already signaled trouble ahead for some on the list. More  Early Ramadan Raises Health Concerns For the first time in a decade, Muslims will be observing the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in what will be the peak of summer in the northern hemisphere. The timing has prompted concerns over how believers can deal with sunrise-to-sunset food and water abstention during the year's hottest days, while maintaining their health. More  Revolutionary Guards Official Calls For Musavi’s Arrest The head of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps' (IRGC) Political Bureau says that opposition leader and former presidential candidate Mir Hussein Musavi should be arrested. More  Obama Meets Mubarak, Encouraged By Mideast Progress U.S. President Barack Obama met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the White House for what was Mubarak's first visit to Washington in five years. His August 18 visit came as the Obama administration has been looking to resume the stalled Middle East peace process and win the support of Arab states in those efforts. More  Taking Over A 'Ruined Place' Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani has been appointed by Iran's supreme leader as head of the judiciary to replace Ayatollah Mahmud Hashemi-Shahrudi, whose term ended on August 16. Shahrudi took over as the head of the judiciary in 1999, when he called it a "ruined place." But what has he left to his successor? More  Fresh Faces, But Familiar Challenges Still Remain Mahmud Ahmadinejad is busily piecing together his new cabinet, promising "major changes" and the addition of fresh faces to his team for his second term in office. But below the surface, the Iranian president continues to face considerable challenges both from his reformist rivals and his fellow conservatives. More Will Ahmadinejad Be Stronger, Or Weaker, In Second Term? Iran has been in deep political crisis for two months since the June 12 presidential elections. But the nature of the crisis seems to be changing with time. The first phase pitted hard-line conservatives against reformers who say Mahmud Ahmadinejad stole the election. But that fight is increasingly being overshadowed by a second one: a public battle between Ahmadinejad’s camp and other powerful members of the conservative establishment over how powerful he will be in his second term. More  Ahmadinejad's Cabinet Highlights Possible Iran Rift As Iran's President Mahmud Ahmadinejad prepares to present his new cabinet to parliament next week, experts say there are new signs of growing rift between the hard-line president and the conservative camp that traditionally supported him. Some conservative Iranian lawmakers have criticized Ahmadinejad for refusing to consult the parliament about his candidates and are hinting his actions could have an impact on the confidence vote. More  Iran's Grim Details Will Emerge Only Slowly Beyond the anguish of those who simply want to be reunited with friends and loved ones, the uncertainty over the Iranian death toll is essential to the debate over the lengths that the Iranian government is willing to go to in order to quell a popular challenge to its legitimacy and methods. More  Two Months Later, Still Digging For The Truth Official figures indicate that about 30 people died in the wake of Iran's June 12 presidential election, but rights groups say the real number is far higher. A newly published letter by opposition leader Mehdi Karrubi alleges that women and men in detention have been violently raped, while a senior Revolutionary Guards leader has questioned why Karrubi and fellow reformist candidate Mir Hossein Musavi are not being tried for staging a "velvet coup." More  'History Shall Register All' Blogger Webriz says history will show Mahmud Ahamdinejad's true colors. More  Ahmadinejad's Special Brand Of Mysticism The president’s first term was largely about completing the hard-line backlash, approved by the Supreme Leader, against the reformist camp led by former President Mohammad Khatami. And Ahmadinejad did the job thoroughly. But now Ahmadinejad begins his second term immediately after feuding with the supreme leader. At issue was Khamenei’s backing of conservative demands that the president dismiss a top aide. More Hurdles Ahead For Ahmadinejad Iran's President Mahmud Ahmadinejad began his second term with a call for national unity, even as protesters clashed with security forces outside. With his position already weakened as a result of the postelection crisis, it appears he can expect more such difficulties in the coming weeks and months. More Just a few hours after President Mahmud Ahmadinejad was officially endorsed on August 3 by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for a second term, thousands of people protested in Tehran by honking their cars and chanting "death to the dictator." More  Hey Dictator! Watch Me Confess! A new website is using video satire contributed by participants around the world as a tool to embarrass the Iranian government. The all-volunteer project "Watch Me Confess!" aims to show the world "how ridiculous the false confessions propaganda really is," by airing the satirical "confessions" of ordinary people. More  Amid Trials, Hard-Liners Go After Musavi And Khatami The main leader of Iran's opposition, defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Musavi, so far remains a free man. But that could change if some allies of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad have their way. As some 100 reformers face charges of inciting the postelection unrest, hard-liners are now calling for the prosecution of Musavi as well as former President Mohammad Khatami. More  What A Difference Four Years Can Make Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, today formally endorsed Mahmud Ahmadinejad for a second term as president in a ceremony that was snubbed by prominent critics of the disputed election, including former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. More |
