The Latest from Iran (21 May): A Freudian Slip on the Economy

See also The Latest from Iran (20 May): A Tip of the Hat to President Obama?

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1824 GMT:. Fraud Watch. In the 11th hearing in the trial of dozens of defendants over a $2.6 billion bank fraud, a former deputy at the Ministry of Industry has accused Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Parliament's National Security Committee, of involvement.

1813 GMT: Death to the Rapper Watch. Hojatoleslam Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the head of the Administration Court, is the latest cleric to call for the killing of rapper Shahin Najafi because of his "insult to Imams" with his song "Naqi".

1810 GMT:. Reformist Watch. Former President Mohammad Khatami, in his first major statement since his controversial decision to vote in March's Parliamentary election, has said that "restricting free thought and speech will generate huge problems". He complained that, in the current environment, "one cannot accept reforms and question the system".

At the same time, Khatami distanced himself from radical change, "Those who want to topple the system have no relationship with the people."

An EA correspondent assesses that Khatami may have been prompted to act by the recent revelation that he had expressed regret for the March vote. Many reformists had called for a boycott of the ballot to meet the former President's conditions of freedom for political prisoners, freedom for political parties, and adherence to the Constitution.

1440 GMT:. Oil Watch. Industry sources indicate that South Korea will completely cut imports of Iranian oil after a European Union insurance ban takes effect on 1 July.

A source said of South Korea's largest oil refiner, "SK Energy won't lift Iranian crude oil after lifting a 2 million barrel cargo in early June SK Energy will not import Iranian oil for July arrival."

Industry sources said last month that the only other refiner that buys Iranian oil, Hyundai Oil Bank, will stop imports from June.

SK Energy had contracts to import 130,000 barrels per day from Iran under term deals for this year. Hyundai Oil Bank purchases 70,000 bpd.

1130 GMT:. Cartoon of the Day. Maya Neyestani portrays Mehdi Ramazani, the father of a young man, Ramin Ramazani, who died at the hands of security forces soon after the disputed 2009 Presidential election. Mehdi Ramazani was arrested in December 2010 as he visited his son's grave and was given a three-year prison sentence last week.

1055 GMT:. Ahmadinejad Watch. Rah-e Sabz reports a new complaint against the President from Parliament's Article 90 Commission because of his "insufficient answers" and failure to fulfil the law.

Rah-e Sabz also writes that four members of the "deviant current" --- a term often used for allies of Ahmadinejad --- have been sentenced to prison terms of 2 to 10 years and lashes for financial fraud in the Aras and Arvand Free Trade Areas.

0915 GMT:. Political Prisoner Watch. Economist Fariborz Raisdana has been summoned to Evin Prison to serve a one-year sentence.

Raisdana was arrested in December 2010 after he criticised the Government"s subsidy cuts plan, which had just been launched, in an interview with BBC Persian.

Mohammad Reza Motamednia, a senior regime official in the 1980s, has ended a 42-day hunger strike in prison after receiving a message from the detained opposition figure Mir Hossein Mousavi.

We reported yesterday that Mousavi's note, sent from his 15-month house arrest, to Motamednia --- his aide when Mousavi was Prime Minister in the late 1980s --- had been blocked by security forces.

0604 GMT: Ahmadinejad Watch. We have often noted outspoken MP Ali Motahari's outspoken criticism of President Ahmadinejad and the Government over political and economic. Indeed, this weekend Motahari went farther in his targets, alleging that the Revolutionary Guards were involved in manipulation of this spring's Parliamentary elections.

Fars, meanwhile, claims a different type of challenge by Motahari to Ahmadinejad --- the MP, chiding the President for failing to support an Islamic dress code for women, said Ahmadinejad should follow his Presidency by opening nightclubs: "The situation of the veil is tragic....thanks to the apparent and hidden encouragement by the President."

Motahari continued that Ahmadinejad and his Chief of Staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashai] have promoted a situation in which girls now "wear trousers, and coats that don't cover the knees....They have actually allowed sexual provocation...and now, they should think of opening nightclubs and cabarets."

The pro-Ahmadinejad daily Iran has responded by calling Motahari and other critics "lunatics", presenting the MP as the owner of a cabaret.

0427 GMT: Nuclear Watch. Today's story to monitor is the visit of International Atomic Energy Agency head Yukiya Amano and two of his top officials to Tehran.

Amano's talks with Iranian officials come two days before Tehran sits down in Baghdad for formal discussions with the 5+1 Powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) on Iran's nuclear programme. Equally important, it comes after a week after technical conversations between the IAEA and an Iranian delegation that appear to have gone well.

Watch for the tone of the general "spin" that comes out today --- references to good discussions indicate the possibility of a similar outcome on Wednesday. And look for any details that might emerge of how the IAEA would support a deal on uranium enrichment through inspection and safeguards of Iran's facilities.

0415 GMT: We begin this morning with a "Freudian slip" --- "an unintentional error revealing subconscious feelings" --- from State news outlet Press TV, which has a press release from Minister of Economy Shamseddin Hosseini:

The Iranian minister of economic affairs and finance says Iran attracted some USD 4.3 billion in foreign investment during the past Iranian calendar year (ended March 19, 2012).

Shamseddin Hosseini said that, according to statistics, foreign investment in the country grew from USD 1.8 billion five years ago to USD 4.3 billion last year, demonstrating an increase of 140 percent, Mehr news agency reported.

The minister added that a total of USD 2 billion in foreign investment was approved for 18 projects in the country in the first two months of the current year (started March 20, 2012), indicating a 120-percent rise, compared to the amount for the same period last year.

He went on to say that investment service centers have been established in 31 provinces in Iran to boost foreign investment. 

Hosseini further pointed out that about 20 percent of the assets of the National Development Fund (almost USD 8 billion) can be used along with the foreign investment to boost national growth and development.

The Freudian slip? On the homepage for its Iran section, Press TV headlines, "Foreign Investment tops $4.3 in Iran".