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Bazaari Criticism of Ahmadinejad Bursts into the Open
Nejat Bahrami
TEHRAN—Recent strikes in Tehran’s bazaar have made the unrest the center of political and economic discussions in Iran. The dispute between the government and the bazaar is more important than other political conflicts because in the eyes of most…
News Features
Iranians Blame Sanctions on the West, Says Factory Manager
Editor’s note: InsideIRAN conducted an interview with an engineer and factory manager, who is located thirty miles outside Tehran, to get his views on the effects of new sanctions. He requested anonymity for security reasons.
Q: Who do Iranians blame for the dire economic situation in Iran?
A: People complain about the conditions. Bu they don’t analyze what has brought about these conditions. They blame foreign actors such as the United States and the United Kingdom. They blame the so-called more»Q&A: Iranian Commentator on why some leaders believe isolation with the West is key to the country’s survival
Editor’s note: InsideIRAN conducted the following interview with a commentator based in Tehran, who wishes to remain anonymous.
Q: Did you see any evidence in Iran that sanctions were or were not having an effect?
A: Based on my conversations with people over the last couple of weeks, prices have gone up. Prices of basic goods have certainly increased. This is more like a panic. more»Q&A: Delbar Tavakoli on Iranian Civil Society and the West
Editor’s Note: A series of discussions were held during the week of July 1 in Brussels, as the European Parliament focused on human rights abuses and civil society in Iran. InsideIRAN conducted the following interview in Brussels with Delbar Tavakoli, a journalist who worked for thirteen years in Iran and recently fled to Paris.
Q: How does the government in Iran manipulate the Internet? Please provide some examples that you have seen of this sort of manipulation and misuse. more»- View All News Features »
Media Analysis
Basij Forces Plan 7,000 New Bases
Arash Aramesh
Brig Gen Mohammad-Reza Naghdi, the commander of Basij forces, said July 28 that his organization was going to build 7,000 new Basij bases throughout Iran. Naghdi said this was going to be an “unprecedented” expansion of the Basij and that the Iranian parliament had already appropriated sufficient funds for this massive expansion. more»Kadivar Writes Letter to Assembly of Experts: ‘Impeach Khamenei’
Mahour S.
Mohsen Kadivar, the exiled cleric, professor and activist, has written a forty-three page letter to the head of the Assembly of Experts, former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, citing the reasons why Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei should be impeached. more»Jannati: The U.S. Paid Opposition Leaders $1 billion
Arash Aramesh
Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, the secretary of the Council of Guardians, said July 27 that he had evidence the United States offered $50 billion to leaders of the opposition in Iran, if they manage to topple the Islamic Republic. He claimed that the U.S. already paid $1 billion to opposition leaders. more»- View All Media Analysis »