Women, Ahmadinejad’s Enemy

IN one of his last sermons before his death, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini warned of "three threats" to his vision of Islam: the US, the Jews and women.

Two decades later, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad thinks he has the United States and the Jews in hand - and is moving on the third "enemy."

Women were the first to demonstrate against ... Read More

Soccer-Nekounam's late header earns draw for Iran

RIYADH, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Javad Nekounam scored with a late header to earn Iran a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia in Asian World Cup qualifying on Saturday.

The Osasuna midfielder seized on a flicked header from Masoud Shojaei eight minutes from time, nodding home from close range to give Iran a share of second place in Group Two.

The Saudis, ... Read More

Libya deal may be model for others

WASHINGTON—As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Libya on Friday, lawyers and diplomats in the U.S. were paying special attention to the claims settlement agreement that cleared the way for her trip and whether it could be a model for diplomatic leverage with other countries, such as Iran.

The agreement, approved by President George W. ... Read More

Sweden blasts Iran for sending women rights activist to jail

STOCKHOLM (AFP) — Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt on Friday criticised Iran for sentencing women's rights activist Parvin Ardalan to prison, saying it revealed Tehran's "deteriorated respect for human rights."

"The jail sentence on September 3 against Iranian human rights defender Parvin Ardalan gives rise to concern," Bildt said in a ... Read More

Iran inflation hits 27.6 percent in August

TEHRAN, Iran: Iran's Central Bank says the inflation rate hit 27.6 percent in August — a 1.8 percentage points jump from the previous month.

It's the highest figure ever released by Iranian authorities.

The figure was posted on the bank's Web site Thursday.

It reflects worsening economy under hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ... Read More