News

It's not easy getting a clear picture of what's happening in Iran these days: correspondents from western news organisations have not been granted visas since June's disputed presidential elections; the few accredited foreign journalists still in Tehran face severe restrictions; and international attention focuses mostly on the nuclear issue, with occasional diversions like the saga of the young British yachtsmen who strayed into Iranian waters.

Yet there's no shortage of information from individual Iranians who manage to keep in touch with the wider world, by phone, email and social networking sites. Opposition websites such as Mowjcamp and Tehran Bureau do a good job of reporting and aggregating news. It's mostly bad and adds up to a big picture of continuing repression of activists associated with the opposition, still striving to keep up the protests
that began when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed victory over Mir Hossein Mousavi. National University Students Day next Monday looks likely to be marked by more rallies on campuses. The defiant mood is caught by a powerful new song by classical artistes Shajarian and Parisa demanding "justice for injustice".

It... >>>