(Thanks to Ali Alfoneh for his compilation)
Politics: March 2008 Parliamentary Elections
- Supreme Leader: “I hope that the people, by choosing courageous, pious and caring candidates, will form a more active parliament.”
- The National Trust Party’s Mehdi Karroubi says non-participation in parliamentary elections only worsens the situation for the reformist camp.
- The Alliance of Democracy Seekers boycotts parliamentary elections.
- Ali Larijani denies that he is running for parliament from Tehran.
Politics: General
- At a meeting of families of martyrs, Ahmadinejad says the Iranian nation is carrying a divine burden on its shoulders and will not stop its struggle until all injustice is erased from the surface of the earth.
- Adds no force dares challenging Iran.
- Ahmadinejad stresses “I have traveled to many lands, and receive many different messages on daily basis, I can tell you that this caravan is reaching the final destination.”
- Ahmadinejad concludes Iran is a first class world power. In English.
- Mohammad-Reza Bahonar, addressing the officers at the Ideological/Political Bureau of the Army: “The ruling authority in the government and in the parliament should not be changed.”
- Supreme Leader: “The enemy is struggling to divide the political class into hardliners and softliners.”
- Rafsanjani meets Ahmadinejad.
Diplomacy
- The Islamic Republic of Iran government extends a $1 billion loan to the Iraqi government.
- An Iranian delegation enters Baghdad to prepare for Ahmadinejad’s visit to Iraq. More.
- Emir of Qatar delivers message to the Iranian Supreme Leader through Velayati.
- Iran’s ambassador to Tokyo: “[The Israeli prime minister Ehud] Olmert is trying to disrupt Iran/Japan relations.”
- Supreme Leader: “The Americans are totally helpless…U.S. intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq has made the U.S. helpless in the real meaning of the word.” Donya-ye Eqtesad claims the U.N. Security Council’s latest convention with regard to Iran was futile (.pdf).
- Iraqi foreign minister disputes Iran’s ownership of several oil fields in the border area between Iran and Iraq.
- Iran Freedom Movement’s Ebrahim Yazdi slams Voice of America’s Persian service.
Culture, Religion, and Society
- In an act of protest against the dean of ‘Alameh University, the top student of the university returns her prize to the dean with the words: “Mr. [Hojjat al-Eslam] Shariati, I would like to congratulate you upon the speed and expertise you have demonstrated by cleansing this university of 40 students in such a short period. This is a record and without precedent in the history of the university!” When the dean refused to take back the prize, the student placed it at his feet and left.
- Unknown martyrs from the Iran-Iraq war buried on the campus of University of Science and Technology in Tehran.
- The Iraqi city of Karbala hosts 9 million pilgrims on the occasion of the martyrdom of the Imam of the Shi’as, Hussein.
Economy and Trade
- Iran delays signing $16 billion deal with China.
- Price of gold coins rises in the Iranian market.
Human Rights and Labor
- Human Rights Watch condemns the new wave of executions in the Islamic Republic.
- Kurdish school teacher and civil society activist Farzad Kamangar is condemned to death by the Revolutionary Court.
Nuclear Issue
- Russia threatens to withdraw its support for Iran in the UN Security Council should the Islamic Republic continues to enrich uranium.
- According to Fars News Agency, IAEA Director General Elbaradei’s latest report “proved the peaceful character of Iran’s nuclear program.”
Photo of the Day
- Burying Iran-Iraq War martyrs at University of Science and Technology.
