Middle East/Afghanistan Inside Line: Top Taliban Leader Captured?; Saudi Line on Iran Nukes

"Old Taliban" Number Two Captured? The Afghanistan Taliban's top military commander, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has been captured in Pakistan in a joint raid by Pakistani and U.S. spy agencies, a U.S. official said. Another U.S. official said: "I would call it significant. But even when you get their leaders, they've shown an amazing resilience to bounce back. It's an adaptive organization." However, the Taliban denied the capture of Baradar and said he was still at work.

Saudi Line on Iran Nukes: Following a meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said that they needed an "immediate resolution." He said:

Our talks also considered the Iranian nuclear issue. The Kingdom reiterates its support of the P-1+5 or the 1+5 group to solve the crisis peacefully through dialogue, and we call for a continuation of those efforts. We also call upon Iran to respond to these efforts to remove regional and international suspicions towards its nuclear program.

Sanctions are a long-term solution. But we see the issue in the shorter term because we are closer to the threat. We need immediate resolution rather than gradual resolution.

Today on EA (12 February 2010)

Iran: So what happens on the day after 22 Bahman? And what does it all mean?

We have three special reports and analyses this morning. Mr Verde sees the Regime's win yesterday as pyrrhic: "For any regime, especially one that claims to be a popular republic based on Islam, pointing TV cameras at the right-looking crowd while beating the “wrong crowd” with all its might, especially on the anniversary of its formation, is not a victory."

EA's Scott Lucas considers the political significance of yesterday's events, and concludes that, if President Ahmadinejad could be said to have won, then he "won ugly". EA correspondent Mr Azadi, who was in close contact with sources in Tehran throughout Thursday, gives a detailed summary from eyewitness accounts. We have also highlighted Pedestrian’s snapshot and compelling interpretation that any “defeat” for the opposition yesterday was a tactical miscalculation rather than the end of the challenge to the Government.

We now have two video specials: the claimed attack on Mehdi Karroubi and an 8+ minute clip, analysed in detail, during the President's speech in Azadi Square.

We have posted an ABC TV interview with internet activist Mehdi Saharkhiz (of "Only Mehdi" fame) and will continue to add to yesterday's video posts from Iran (set four can be viewed here), together with other TV coverage that has and will become available.

The regime's propaganda machine drones on about nukes, nukes and more nukes, trying to divert attention away from internal squabbles and human rights issues. We'll keep you updated  on all the news our live weblog throughout the day.

Afghanistan: We've re-posted a special analysis from Nick Turse, writing for TomDispatch on the number of military bases in The Afghanistan Occupation  - 700 Military Bases (and counting).

Today on EA - 5 February 2010

Iran: We wonder whether Iran is entering a tunnel in the run-up to 22  Bahman (11 February, the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution) with an escalation of arrests and reports of detentions of family members of activists. Persian2English has posted a list of 56 political prisoners at risk of execution. At Friday prayers Ayatollah Kashani repeated his "unveiled threat" to protesters not to ruin 22 Bahman "for the rest of us".

Persian2English reported that more than a thousand relatives of detainees gathered outside Evin Prison to commemorate Arbaeen, the 40th day of mourning after the religious occasion of Ashura. Demonstrators offered prayers and chanted “Allahu Akhbar (God is great)”.

The grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini, has written to the head of Iran Broadcasting to complain about the “censoring” of his grandfather’s speech. Ayatollah Khomeini’s words have allegedly been adjusted to present a more favourable view of the Government in the run-up to the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution.

Two high profile detainees (Hassan Rassouli and Abolfazl Ghadiani) were released on Thursday night on bail.

Zahra Rahnavard, the wife of Mir Hossein Mousavi, has issued a statement demanding the freeing of all political prisoners before 22 Bahman.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has issued a forceful statement on his blog on the post-election crisis, supporting protesters' calls for human rights, democracy and the fundamental freedoms which "are not western prerogatives, but universal rights to which we are all entitled".

We have new claimed video of protests in the southern city of Lars from Monday to Thursday.

Although one website (the students at Amir Kabir University) remains down,  a new Green website Mizan Khabar, has been launched.

An Italian company has announced it will cease trading with Iran. We note with derision one American commentator's agitated video "rant" about Iran's rocket launch.  Another video post shows the damage and injuries caused during the siege at Qoba Mosque in Shiraz yesterday.

All the latest news, with links to our stories and other news media sites, can be found in our live weblog.

Afghanistan: We've posted Anand Gopal's moving article for TomDispatch, which tells the story of a young government employee to open eyes to America's secret prisons in Afghanistan.

Israel and Syria: Israeli and Syrian officials have issued conflicting statements on the chances of an immediate peace between the two countries.