Iran Live Coverage: The Oil Squeeze Renewed

See also Iran Video Feature: 50 Iranians Answer, "What's Your Wish?"
Iran Feature: The Fear in the Corridors of Evin Prison
Friday's Iran Live Coverage: "Widespread and Systematic Violations of Human Rights"

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1758 GMT: The Battle Within. Prominent MP Ahmad Tavakoli --- who is also a relative of Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani and head of judiciary Sadegh Larijani --- has criticised both President Ahmadinejad and Mir Hossein Mousavi, the candidate in the 2009 Presidential election who has been under strict house arrest for more than two years, for "social mobilisation against the Supreme Leader".

1708 GMT: Oil Watch. Another problem for Iran's sagging oil exports, as Mercator Lines has stopped offering a ship for transporting Iranian oil to India because of US political pressure.

The Omvati Prem was the only ship backed by local emergency insurance and available for charter by Indian refiners, after US and European Union sanctions blocked cover for tankers carrying Iranian crude.

The National Iranian Oil Corp (NIOC), which does not have smaller ships like the Omvati Prem, will now have to use its Suezmax ships --- partially loaded --- to deliver to Indian plants.

1358 GMT: Foreign Affairs Watch (Syrian Front). Hosting his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moallem in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has said, "The only solution is dialogue between the Syrian opposition and government.”

Salehi condemned foreign intervention and backing of the insurgency, “Mercenaries and non-Syrian armed forces are deepening the Syrian crisis and unfortunately certain countries are supporting them....If other countries stop supporting mercenaries, situation in Syria will swiftly progress towards stability.”

1104 GMT: Picture of the Day. Journalist Milan Fadai Asl, recently released from Evin Prison, with his wife:

0738 GMT: In the Skies. The head of the Iranian Airlines Association, Abdolreza Mousavi, has said the carriers are applying to raise fares 100% if the Government fails to offer subsidies.

The announcement comes three months after fares rose 65%.

Mousavi said airlines have not received any foreign currency at the subsidised, official rate --- under the Iranian Rial purchases three times as many dollars and Euros, compared to the open market --- in the past six months.

The Association has already announced that, due to lack of foreign currency, they have grounded many airplanes.

0735 GMT: Econpmy Watch. Ali Akbar Khabazha, the head of the Pensioners, claims that the elderly have not yet received their New Year's payments from the Government because of a lack of cash.

0715 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch (Journalist Edition). Pouria Alemi, one of 18 journalists detained in late January, has been released.

Alami has already returned to his humourous column in the reformist newspaper Shargh newspaper. An extract:

Q. Bro, how come they say you pay a cost with going to prison? Here everything is free. Lunch, dinner, breakfast, water, electricity, and bathing is free.

A. There are other things that you didn't mention.
What else?
Here the doors are locked. People don’t come to your house for lunch or dinner unexpectedly.
So I should call home and say to my wife that our children should start political activity, since it benefits them!?