Blog Layout

IRIB and Ahmadinejad

Last night TV had a report on the visit of Mr Ahmadinejad to Hormozgan province. Although such coordination and wide coverage of the news of the president’s trips by IRIB is unprecedented, it is a good act to keep people informed of the performance of their government. This is what …

Read More »

Report on the Sitting at Institute for Interreligious Dialogue in Tehran

Since January 19th to 21th, simultaneous with Eid-e-Ghadir, the second tripartite sitting of Institute for Interreligious Dialogue, Anglican Church of England and Lutheran Church of Germany was held in Tehran. We (my wife, my good friends at the institute and me) were the host and therefore we were busy from …

Read More »

The New Situation of Iraq

With its election, Iraq has entered a new atmosphere for which it should be congratulated. In my trip to Emirate, I came across an official board from Iraq in the lobby of the hotel who had come there to extend their condolence on behalf of Iraq.

Read More »

Olmert softens tone on Russia-Hamas talks

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Russia’s plans to talk to Palestinian election winner Hamas drew a low-key response on Sunday from Israeli interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, according to remarks attributed to him by a government official. “I think the Russian position is mistaken, as I have stated.

Read More »

Shiites tap Jaafari for PM

BAGHDAD (AP) — Shiite lawmakers Sunday tapped incumbent Ibrahim Jaafari to be Iraq’s new prime minister, endorsing the physician and longtime exile for a second term by a single vote — thanks in large part to support by a radical anti-US faction.

Read More »

Washington quietly backs Iran reformers

WASHINGTON — Akbar Ganji has a term for the dangers of challenging Iran’s Islamic government: “Playing with death.” Ganji is perhaps Iran’s best known political prisoner. A veteran of hunger strikes and long bouts of solitary confinement, Ganji has been imprisoned since 2001 after writing that regime allies were responsible …

Read More »

Islamists make strong showing in Kuwait gov’t

KUWAIT CITY (AFP) — Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah on Thursday issued a decree approving a 16-member new Cabinet that includes three Islamists and saw the exit of two leading liberal ministers. Six ministers in the new government are members of the ruling Al Sabah family — …

Read More »