Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Iran

Iran Denies Seizing Iraqi Coast Guards

(RFE/RL)

17 January 2006 -- Iraq today accused Iran of "kidnapping" a coast-guard patrol on their tidal border and demanded their release, but Tehran's envoy in Baghdad denies the incident ever happened.

Iran-Iraq Naval Clash Leaves One Iraqi Dead, Nine Captured

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January 17, 2006

Iraq says the nine coast-guard members were captured during a skirmish near the southern city of Al-Basrah on 14 January. One coast-guard member was reportedly killed in the clash.

The governor of Al-Basrah, Muhammad al-Waili, said the clash happened after an Iraqi navy patrol spotted a suspicious vessel flying an Iraqi flag. He said the vessel apparently radioed Iranian forces for help and an Iranian navy ship attacked the Iraqi patrol.

It was not immediately clear on which side of the Shatt Al-Arab waterway, or Arvand River, the incident reportedly took place.

(Reuters)

Iraq In Transition

THE COMPLETE STORY: RFE/RL's complete coverage of events in Iraq and that country's ongoing transition.

Iran has stepped up its pressure on activists using the Internet

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A number of Iranian activists and journalists based inside and outside the country have told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda they have been threatened in anonymous e-mails. More

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Love It (Or Hate It), It's Valentine's Day

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Many Iranians have been claiming that their access to social networks and Internet-based e-mail sites has been blocked in recent days.

Iran Tightens Internet Control

Iranians are reporting that their access to Facebook and Internet-based e-mail sites like Gmail has been blocked, without any explanation from the government. Not even the strongest antifiltering programs have penetrated the firewall, they say. Some speculate the move is related to Iran's plan to launch a national internet, which might sever Iranians' ability to access the World Wide Web. More