Tehran, 14 January 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today urged the hard-line Guardians Council to review its decision to bar thousands of candidates from next month's parliamentary elections.
Prague, 14 January 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Among the topics discussed in some of the world's news dailies today are Iran's ongoing parliamentary standoff, a battle for what one paper calls Iran's "political soul"; a growing debate in Iraq over whether to hold direct or to implement a caucus system; the Armenian diaspora's complex relationship with the authorities in Yerevan; and the latest rivalry between Russia and the United States, as both vie for influence with Georgia's new leadership.
Reformist deputies have rejected a request by the Iranian president for parliamentarians to end their sit-in protest. The deputies are demonstrating against a decision last week by the conservative Guardians Council to bar thousands of candidates from running in next month's parliamentary election. One deputy has already resigned in protest and other deputies have said they will follow suit.
Tehran, 14 January 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Reformist Iranian parliamentarians today rejected President Mohammad Khatami's call to end a four-day sit-in protest in parliament over a decision by hard-liners to bar thousands of candidates from next month's parliamentary elections.
Iran's conservative judiciary has ordered one of the main pro-reform websites to be filtered. Ahead of the parliamentary election scheduled for 20 February, analysts say conservatives are trying to restrict the Internet, which has become one of the main platforms for reformists to challenge their conservative rivals.
Iran faces a growing political crisis following the massive disqualification yesterday of reformist candidates by the conservative Guardians Council. Many of the disqualified are among the leading pro-reform MPs holding seats in Iran's parliament. Iran's Supreme Leader today said he would only intervene if the conservatives and reformists failed to bridge their differences. President Mohammad Khatami has appealed for calm.
Iranian President Mohammed Khatami and pro-reform politicians have vowed to challenge the conservative Guardians Council's decision to disqualify a large number of liberal candidates from contesting next month's parliamentary elections.
Tehran, 12 January 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Iran's Interior Ministry says a decision by the conservative Guardians Council to prevent many reform candidates from standing in next month's parliamentary elections is "illegal."
Tehran, 11 January 2004 (RFE/RL) - Iranian President Mohammed Khatami has urged his supporters to react calmly to a move by conservatives to bar large numbers of reformists from running in next month's parliamentary elections.
Hopes for a thaw in relations between the United States and Iran due to "earthquake diplomacy" appear to be waning. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said yesterday that U.S. contributions of humanitarian aid to the victims of the Bam earthquake do not represent an improvement in relations. His comments echo those of U.S. President George W. Bush, who has said Tehran needs to do more if it wants closer relations.
Prague, 8 January 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Two weeks after an earthquake destroyed Iran's southeastern city of Bam, killing at least 30,000 people, relief workers face the massive task of housing survivors in tent encampments until the city can be rebuilt. Brendan Paddy, a spokesman for the international charity Save the Children, is in Bam helping to distribute blankets and stoves to homeless residents and to provide for needy children. Paddy spoke today from Bam with RFE/RL. The interview coincides with an expected appeal from the UN today to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to help with the reconstruction of the city.
Prague, 8 January 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Commentary and analysis in the press today takes a look at some of the world's newest democracies, liberal and otherwise; South Asia's growing wealth and secularist trends; a new report warning of the severe effects of global warming; and building a more democratic civil society in Iran, among other issues.
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