the Western press reported on Clinton’s statement that international sanctions have succeeded in hindering Iran’s nuclear program, Fars News portrayed the Secretary’s trip as one aimed at pleading with the Arab countries to cooperate with the U.S. in isolating a powerful Iran.

The British Ambassador to Tehran caused a public firestorm when he criticized Iran’s human rights record in a December 9 posting on his Embassy’s website. Islamic Republic officials accused the British of interfering in Iranian affairs—a common refrain for over a century. If the Majlis votes to sever ties with the U.K., it will complicate what likely will be tense talks with the P5 + 1, which are set for January 2011.

Rasaei’s direct accusation that former President Khatami committed treason by allegedly meeting in secret with foreign agents illustrates an upsurge in the vitriolic rhetoric hardliners are levying against reformists. Although hardliners have been harshly criticizing Green Movement leaders since the 2009 presidential election, recent weeks have seen a shift in the intensity and nature of threats made by senior government officials.

PERSIAN NEWS TRACKER

January 14

The Central Bank’s questionable claim that Iran’s inflation rate has not increased since last year may be an attempt to allay the criticism of opponents to the President’s subsidy plan. During the long and contentious debate between the administration and Majlis over the subsidy bill, the Majlis Research Center claimed that inflation could increase by 35 percent.

January 14

Decreases in the production of key agricultural goods such as wheat will exacerbate Iran’s economic problems at the same time that Iranian consumers are reeling from the government’s termination of key food subsidies.

January 14

In light of the Iranian regime’s paranoia about a Western-backed “soft war,” persecution of non-Shi’a religious minorities in Iran could surge should hardliners increasingly suspect these groups of facilitating the enemy’s cultural invasion. Approximately 70 Christians have been arrested in the sweep that began on Christmas morning 2010.

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"Honoring foreign celebrations is the spread of Western culture…Our country has an ancient civilization and various days to honor kindness, love and affection."
 
—Ali Nikou Sokhan, Head of Iran’s Printing Works Owners’ Union, explaining the Iranian government’s ban on selling Valentine’s Day cards, items bearing heart shapes, and red roses.

WEEK IN REVIEW

Iran Invites Foreign Diplomats to Nuclear Sites
Jan 4
Iran invited foreign diplomats to tour its nuclear facilities ahead of fresh talks with key world powers over the Iranian nuclear program.
Iran Arrests Christian Missionaries
Jan 4
Tehran’s provincial governor announced that the government has arrested a number of Christian missionaries in Tehran province, and vowed to detain more.
Parliament Speaker: Iran Will Stand by Hezbollah and Hamas
Jan 4
Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said that Iran will strongly and openly support Hezbollah and Hamas in their resistance against occupiers and arrogant powers.
Scientist Tortured After Return, According to Opposition Website
Jan 3
Opposition Web site IranBriefing.net reported that an Iranian nuclear scientist who said he had been abducted by the C.I.A. has been imprisoned and tortured since his return...
Ahmadinejad Was Slapped by General, Leaked Cable Says
Jan 3
The New York Times reported that a confidential Iranian source told an American diplomat that last January—as Iran’s leadership struggled to contain post-election protests—...
Iran Claims to Shoot Down “Western Spy Drones” in Persian Gulf
Jan 2
A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps commander claimed that Iran has shot down two “Western spy drones” flying in the Persian Gulf.
Iran May Drop Stoning Sentence
Jan 2
A senior Iranian judicial official said that authorities could block the sentence of death by stoning handed down to an Iranian woman convicted of adultery.
Iran Overhauls Education System to Erase Western Influences
Jan 1
The Washington Post reports that Iran is overhauling its education system to rid it of Western influence, the latest attempt by the government to fortify Islamic values and...

SPECIAL REPORTS

Five months after the UN Security Council, United States, and European Union passed their latest round of sanctions against the Islamic Republic, Iran continues to escape complete economic isolation due to its ability to leverage economic relations with Asian energy firms, medium-sized European companies, and Turkish financial institutions. The extent to which economic hardship can influence Iranian officials’ foreign policy decision-making—the objective behind the sanctions—remains unclear...