0655 GMT: Reformist Watch. Former President Mohammad Khatami, in a meeting with reformists in Mazanderan Province, has asked, "How can we expect dynamic elections with so many political prisoners and house arrests?"
Before the 2012 Parliamentary elections, Khatami set the condition of freedom for political prisoners for participation, but he relented and voted in the March ballot.
0645 GMT: Ahmadinejad Watch. Hossein Shariatmadari, noting President Ahmadinejad's promotion of renewed talks with the US during his trip to New York last week, gives a blunt answer to the question, "Why was this not taken seriously?": "The answer is not difficulty. Mr Ahmadinejad has no backing."
On Saturday, the Supreme Leader's senior advisor Ali Akbar Velayati, without specifically referring to Ahmadinejad, implied that the President was speaking for himself rather than the regime: "“Iran is committed to its past policies founded by Imam Khomeini and approved by the [Supreme] Leader."
0625 GMT: If you are a regular reader of EA's Live Coverage, you might think that the Islamic Republic is facing a siege of economic problems --- from inflation which is officially 27% but which is far higher in reality, to a spiral of unemployment and industries in businesses in trouble, to escalating and more costly imports as domestic production declines, to a currency which has lost more than 60% of its value in a year.
If so, you are very, very wrong.
Minister of Economy Shamseddin Hosseini set the record straight on Saturday, as he told a ceremony in Mazandaran Province, "The economic sanctions against Iran have engulfed enemies in economic crisis....Enemies are plotting against Iran every day but to no avail."
Hosseini's deputy added the claim that foreign investment in Iran is at a record high despite the US-led sanctions, rising 83% compared to a year ago.
Mesghal has not updated Saturday's figure of 28500 Rials to the US dollar, an all-time low for the Iranian currency and a drop of almost 20% in value in six days.
Posted via email from lissping
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