The Latest from Iran (5 June): The House Arrests

See also Iran Music Feature: Rapper Shahin Najafi Responds to Death Threats...With a New Song
The Latest from Iran (4 June): The Supreme Leader's "Slap in the Face" for His Officials

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Mehdi Karroubi with family on Monday1425 GMT: Nuclear Watch. Ali Akbar Velayati, the Supreme Leader's advisor on foreign affairs, has reiterated Tehran's general line two weeks before discussions in Moscow with the 5+1 Powers (US, UK, France, Germany, China, Russia): "I hope the P5+1 group recognizes Iran's inalienable nuclear right within the framework of the NPT and refrains from sitting on the sidelines. By accepting Iran's right to use peaceful nuclear energy, the forthcoming talks in Moscow should reach a favorable result."

What is not established, beyond this declaration, is whether Iran is ready to give up enrichment of uranium of 20% on its soil and, if so, in return for which concessions by the "West".

1325 GMT: Oil Watch. In a move which is more likely to be symbolic than substantial, the Deputy Minister of Oil has said that 20 European oil companies will be sued for breach of contract.

The announcement comes less than a month before the European Union's members are cutting off imports of Iranian oil.

1305 GMT: Espionage Watch. Green Voice of Freedom claims it has a letter from Gholamreza Makiyan, a former intelligence officers imprisoned for 10 years, with provocative allegations. Among them is Makiyan's assertion that his interrogators said the son of Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of the Expediency Council and 2009 Presidential candidate, was killed by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence.

Ahmad Rezaei was found dead, with a slit left wrist, in a Dubai hotel room in November 2011. Authorities ruled the death a suicide.

1229 GMT: The Battle Within. A skirmish between former President Hashemi Rafsanjani and Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi....

Recently, Rafsanjani launched an attack which was interpreted as a jab at Mesbah Yazdi, the "hard-line" cleric who led the Islamic Constancy Front in the recent Parliamentary elections:

Relying on the people and irreplaceable role of the people in historical events is extremely important. Extremism, on the other hand, is one of the pests dealing blows to the goals of the Islamic revolution. The path of moderation and renunciation of extremism have led to the progress of the revolution. But unfortunately we on some occasions witness some people who did not believe in the struggle against the Shah, or considered that futile or unnecessary, today directly or indirectly lead extremist and radical groups and present solutions [for the problems] of the country.

Mesbah Yazdi hit back in an address to Revolutionary Guards:

At the time of the revolution, there were people who did not consider the Imam [Khomeini] as the ideologue of the revolution and solely considered him an instrument to overthrow the Shah....After the revolution, some of these people gained access to important positions in the regime and are now bidding their time as well... There are today some who are trying to monopolize the revolution to the benefit of their own interests.

1218 GMT: Picture of the Day. Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, who lost his bid to become Speaker of Parliament today, hobbles about the Majlis --- the former Speaker broke his leg in a football match last week:

1115 GMT: Slap-in-the-Face Watch. Yesterday we led Live Coverage with the Supreme Leader's "slap in the face" to Iranian officials in his address on Sunday for the anniversary of Ayatollah Khomeini's death --- another extract (translation by Ali Alfoneh):

If we stop, we will be pushed back. And if we are arrogant, we will be thrown into the ground. If the authorities of the country become preys to egocentrism, arrogance....we will be dealt blows into the mouth. The path of progress is one of 'no stop.' We are still on the mountain slopes and there is a distance to the peak. The day when the Iranian nation reaches the peak, the enmities and evils will end.

And more bad news for President Ahmadinejad, as his speech on Saturday night was reportedly interrupted by chants from the crowd, "Death to [Ahmadinejad's right-hand man Esfandiar Rahim] Mashai", "Shame on you Mashai, leave Ahmadi[nejad] alone", and "This entire army has come for the sake of the Leader."

There were also slogans during the address of Seyed Hassan Khomeini, the Ayatollah's grandson, such as "Death to the opponent of the Guardianship of the Jurist" ad "The blood in our veins is a gift to our Leader".

1025 GMT: Insurgency Watch. Authorities claim that they have dismantled a group affiliated with the Baluch insurgency Jundullah in Sistan & Baluchestan province, killing a leading member.

0735 GMT: Parliament Watch. Ali Larijani has been formally re-elected as Speaker of Parliament, defeating former Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel by a 177-89 vote.

0550 GMT: In the week before the anniversary of the 2009 Presidential elections, one of the candidates, Mehdi Karroubi, has been allowed to meet his family.

Karroubi was detained with fellow candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mousavi's wife Zahra Rahnavard in mid-February 2011, as the regime attempted to limit any revival of the protests that challenged the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Karroubi's wife Fatemeh was also held under strict house arrest until last autumn.

Karroubi was moved to an apartment in another building, where he remains under the supervision of security forces.