Khordaad 88, February 2
Mir Hossein Mousavi ’s Interview with Kaleme
Kaleme reports that in this interview which took place close to February 11th [22 of Bahman], the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution, Mousavi stated that the main reason for the collapse of the dictatorial and unpopular regime of the Shah was its illegitimacy [in the [...]

(WashingtonTV)
Updated: Friday, November 20, 2009
Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf said on Thursday that US President Barack Obama should increase his public support for Iran’s democratic movement, and intensify sanctions on Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.
Makhmalbaf, who has become a spokesperson outside of Iran for the main opposition movement, said that the movement supports targeted economic sanctions [...]

(New York Times)
By STEVEN ERLANGER
Published: November 20, 2009
PARIS — Senior officials from Western powers discussed the possibility of new sanctions on Iran on Friday for flouting the United Nations Security Council’s demands and expressed disappointment that Iran had not yet accepted a draft agreement to export most of its enriched uranium for nuclear fuel.
The [...]

The following is a message from Barack Obama to Iran, on the 30th anniversary of the hostage crisis in which 52 Americans were held hostage in the American embassy in Tehran for 444 days:
“Thirty years ago today, the American Embassy in Tehran was seized. The 444 days that began on November [...]

While the Green Movement can’t count on Rafsanjani to support them unconditionally (far from it in fact), the situation has some light at the end of the tunnel in that Rafsanjani is likely seething with anger at how Khamenei is handling things. His interests will be aligned with those of the Green Movement insofar as sharing the goal of neutering Khamenei, Ahmadinejad and the IRGC, but they will likely diverge when this is accomplished. The people want freedom. Rafsanjani wants a comfortable life for Rafsanjani and family

Iran’s president has said that discussions over his country’s nuclear programme are “finished” and Tehran will neither back down nor negotiate further.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that Tehran’s nuclear plans were an issue of rights, declaring that the country’s uranium enrichment efforts would continue.
“From our view point [discussion of] our nuclear issue is finished … [...]

Hamid Maddah, a core member of Mousavi’s campaign in Mashhad, died in custody on Saturday. He had been arrested in Gowharshad Mosque along with many other Mousavi supporters. According to sources, he had been tortured badly and wasn’t able to recover. The official death certificate registers the cause of death as internal bleeding in the skull.

BERLIN, May 16 (Reuters) – Iran should engage with the United States and negotiate over its nuclear programme, Mohamed ElBaradei, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in a magazine interview released on Saturday.

U.S. President Barack Obama is actively seeking to engage Iran on a series of issues, from its nuclear programme to Afghanistan.

“I advise my Iranian negotiating partners: grasp the hand that Obama is extending to you,” ElBaradei told Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine.

There is no barrier for the presence of foreign companies in the Iranian oil industry, says the head of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

“The Islamic Republic has always welcomed the investment by all foreign companies in Iranian oil, gas and petrochemical projects, including US firms,” Seyfollah Jashnsaaz said Tuesday.

He said there would be no legal obstacle if US firms want to negotiate over their investment in the Iranian oil industry, adding that their return would benefit all parties.

By Carolyn Presutti
Washington
07 May 2009

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is exploring the pros and cons of talks with Iran, proposed by six major world powers including the United States. The talks would discuss Tehran’s nuclear program. US Senator John Kerry says the U.S. is not interested in promoting regime change and instead is focusing on engagement.