Iran Live Coverage: An Iranian New Year

1531 GMT: Supreme Leader Watch. The Supreme Leader delivered his annual Nowruz address today, but there are different versions depending on which outlet you read.

While Fars News -- close to the Revolutionary Guards -- focused on Ayatollah Khamenei's references to political and economic developments, English-language PressTV gave its Western readers a different message: "Iran's enemies" had failed to isolate it.

Fars described how Khamenei looked ahead to the events of the new Iranian year, including the election, and said he called on Iranians to create a "political and economic epic".

Press TV preferred the Supreme Leader's review of the events of the last year, with his declaration and how he said that Iran's enemies had been "defeated in their attempts to paralyze Iran by imposing economic sanctions". He added that Iran had been successful, for example, in its hosting of the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Both news outlets agreed on one point of presentation: the Supreme Leader's call on Iranians to turn out en masse for the June 2013 Presidential election.

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Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society --- Sanctions, Human Rights, and Israel-Iran Love (Arseh Sevom)

Iranians respond to the "Israel Loves Iran" campaign

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Celebrating Norooz Amidst "Unbelievable Inflation"

Norooz, a celebration of the new year that is marked by people from every religion and belief, was met with relief and joy by Iranians all over the world. Millions in Iran traveled in cars, buses, trains, and planes to see family and friends and to do a bit of urban camping. Iran's press was filled with stories of tourist attractions and the numbers of travellers.

However, sanctions are taking a huge bite out of the budgets of most Iranian households. The inflation is "unbelievable", sources tell Arseh Sevom.

"Prices change three times a day and the government blames it all on the embargos," an Ahwazi householder says. A Tehrani resident says that her home has lost 50% of its value this year.

With sanctions on doing business with Iran's Central Bank kicking in, inflation is expected to continue to rise. The Economist Intelligence Unit predicted further pain for the majority of Iranian households as the rial continues to plummet.

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Iran Opinion: A Counter-Message to Obama's Nowruz Video

Iran Video: President Obama's Nowruz Message

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It's that time of the year, folks, that time when President Barack Obama gets to send out a campy message to Iranians about how awesome the US is and, with the right teleprompter, demonstrate how the American Commander-in-Chief can speak Farsi --- a little. It is the Nowruz message, affectionately known among select Iranian diplomacy wonks as "Four Minutes of 'Lets-Not-Talk-About-How-We-Want-to-Bomb-You'". 

For the sake of levity, I'm responding to the message, paragraph by paragraph. After a solid plate of samanak, I think I'm ready to take on the most powerful man in the world and come out on the other end slightly amused!  

Today, Michelle and I extend our best wishes to all those who are celebrating Nowruz around the world. In communities and homes from America to southwest Asia, families and friends are coming together to celebrate the hope that comes with renewal.

Thank you for taking the time. I understand it's hard to kill US citizens in Yemen Call of Duty-style and govern a nation at the same time. Brownie points for acknowleding that Nowruz isn't just celebrated by citizens of Iran, but millions of others as well. Pat your speech writers on the back.

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Iran Video: President Obama's Nowruz Message

Iran Opinion: A Counter-Message to Obama's Nowruz Video

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President Obama has put out his fourth Nowruz message to the Iranian people. Unlike the 2009 version, this one has no "unclenched fist" extended to the regime or even a reference to the "Islamic Republic". Instead, after Obama notes that "Nowruz is a time when so many Iranian families and loved ones come together in celebration, remind[ing] us of the rich culture of the Iranian people and the extraordinary contributions that they have made to human history", he sharply criticises the leaders:

Yet even as holidays like this underscore the connections that we share as human beings, the Government of Iran is going to great lengths to isolate the Iranian people by cutting them off from the outside world.

For far too long, the Iranian regime has tried to control the flow of information and ideas to and from the Iranian people and the outside world. As people everywhere are making their voices heard through new technologies and social media, the people of Iran often find their voices stifled and their ability to connect denied. Like the Iron Curtain of the 20th century, an Electronic Curtain is descending as the Iranian regime attempts to control what its citizens see and hear.

The Latest from Iran (20 March): Happy Nowruz

1759 GMT: Tough Talk of the Day. The Supreme Leader, following his declaration of the "Year of National Production", has put out this warning, “We do not possess a nuclear weapon and we will not build one, but we will defend ourselves against any aggression, whether by the US or the Zionist regime, with the same level [of force].”

Significantly, Ayatollah Khamenei added a new line to the reasons for US-led aggression: "The real reason behind their enmity against Iran is their thirst for the nation’s oil."

He continued, "Global arrogance chiefs, those in positions of power and wealth, and their agents in our region are trying to intimidate the Iranian nation with all their financial, propaganda and political resources."

1750 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. The family of Ehsan Houshmand set up a small "haft sin" (the traditional table for Nowruz) in front of Evin Prison.

Houshmand, a Kurdish journalist, has been detained since January.

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Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society, from Women's Activism to Harsh Sentences to Cyberspace (Arseh Sevom)

One of the video testimonies in "Women Speak Out Against War"

See also Iran Video Document: Tehran's Larijani to UN "We Are a Benchmark for Human Rights"

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Arseh Sevom, the non-government organisation promoting civil society in Iran, presents its weekly review of developments in the country:

A New Year Greeted with Empty Pockets, Joy, and Trepidation

The celebration of Iranian New Year (Norooz), which falls at the moment of the Spring Equinox (5:14 am UTC or GMT, March 20), has managed to survive every political regime and every change of religion. It remains autonomous of state control and an example of “the configuration in which society stands apart from the state.” Its continuing celebration in Iran represents a requisite of a civil society.

The fast approaching new year is causing a mixture of apprehension and excitement. This will be a difficult Norooz for many suffering from the bad economic situation in Iran where a combination of run-away inflation, poor economic management, and sanctions are really taking their toll.

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Iran Snapshot: Expecting an Unhappy New Year in Tehran (Dehghan)

Woman Passes Election Posters in TehranThis is the time of year when Iranians prepare for the most important holiday of the Persian calendar, Nowruz, the ancient Zoroastrian festival marking the spring equinox. Carpets are washed, furniture wiped down, tables set with painted eggs and children are bought new clothes. Family come to visit: there are many faces you get the chance to see only once a year.

This year, the 13-day family celebration which is meant to blow away the fatigue of winter is clouded by the fear of war, exhaustion and public anger caused by political discontent at home and western economic sanctions.

"How can I keep my head held high in front of my children with an empty pocket at this time of the year?" asked Mohammad, a 35-year-old high school teacher from Tehran with two sons. "I'm supposed to give them happiness and joy. Instead I feel ashamed at not being able to fulfil their expectations."

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The Latest from Iran: Nowruz Mubarak

1905 GMT: Claimed video from Shiraz of people welcoming in Iranian New Year with political slogans such as "Death to Dictator":

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Iran Video: President Obama's Message for Iranian New Year

President Obama sends greetings to the Iranian people for Nowruz (New Year): "I believe that there are certain values that are universal --- the freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the ability to speak your mind and choose your leaders. And what we are seeing across the region is the insistence on governments that are accountable to the people....The same forces of hope that swept across Tahrir Square were seen in Azadi Square in 2009."