Kimia Sanati

TEHRAN – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad can expect considerable opposition in the newly elected parliament – set to be installed on May 27 – that has a considerable number of representatives from rival hard-liners, conservatives, and a stronger reformist minority. Hard-liners and conservatives critical of Ahmadinejad’s economic and foreign policies are likely to unite with the … Continue reading “Ahmadinejad Faces Stormy New Parliament”

TEHRAN – When the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad uncharacteristically denounced the country’s police force for strictly enforcing the Islamic dress code (hijab), it was attributed to fears of losing popularity ahead of parliamentary elections in March. In an article published in the Iran newspaper, the official mouthpiece, government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham criticized the … Continue reading “Enforcing Iran’s Dress Code May Cost Votes”

TEHRAN – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who came to power two years ago, winning 62 percent of the popular vote, is rapidly losing popularity for failure to make good on election promises to improve the lives of ordinary people by sharing Iran’s vast oil revenues with them and respect their private lives. A poll run by … Continue reading “Ahmadinejad Held to Election Promises”

TEHRAN – As Iran reluctantly begins implementing Thursday a plan to reduce consumption of mostly imported gasoline by cutting massive consumer subsidies, it is with an eye to possible tightening of international sanctions for the country’s controversial nuclear program. Saeed Laylaz, economic observer and former consultant to Iran Khodro, the country’s largest automaker, told IPS … Continue reading “Fear of Sanctions Drives Gas Rationing Plans”

TEHRAN – While the Iranian regime has been categorical that negotiations with the European Union over its controversial nuclear program are isolated from planned talks with the United States over security in Iraq, the timing of the parleys are such that overlap may be hard to avoid. On Sunday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said … Continue reading “Iran Nuclear Negotiations Run Parallel to Iraq Talks”

TEHRAN – As a Shia majority country with several large ethnic groups like the Kurds, Arabs, and Baluchis that follow the Sunni faith, Iran has for years been vulnerable to unrest, riots, and terrorist attacks that officials routinely attribute to foreign powers. "Iranian intelligence services have acquired information that show the United States, Britain, and … Continue reading “Iranians Blame the West for Sunni Unrest”

TEHRAN – Whether or not the military posturing by the United States and Iran in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman actually results in armed hostilities, militarists in this country are having a field day. While politicians such as Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mohammad Khatami and Mehdi Karrubi (reformist former parliament speaker) are seeking to … Continue reading “Field Day for Iranian Militarists as Standoff with US Continues”

TEHRAN – One of Iran’s best-known intellectuals Ramin Jahanbegloo, who was released on bail this week after spending four months in prison on charges of compromising national security, has said it would be best for the United States and its institutions to avoid contacting prominent Iranians. Jahanbegloo told the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) in … Continue reading “Jailed Iran Intellectual Asks US to Butt Out”