Iran Political Scene

Iran system seen resilient despite election rifts Reuters — Iran's disputed election has exposed rifts in a political and religious elite facing its gravest internal challenge since the 1979 Islamic revolution, but the system is likely to survive, by fair means or foul. "This is a critical point that will decide whether Iran can move a little bit more towards democracy or whether it will be brutally turned back to a sort of Islamic dictatorship," said Udo Steinbach, a Berlin-based Middle East scholar. click to read complete article

Ahmadinejad stresses need for a new world order Iran Press TV — Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calls for the creation of a new world order in dealing with the many challenges arising in the international political arena. "What we need now is a dramatic change in world political thought," said President Ahmadinejad in a Tuesday address to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Moscow. click to read complete article

Iran's internet-savvy youth sidestep the regime London Guardian — Iran's draconian internet filtering is no match for young Iranians who are interconnected and politicised by virtual social networks In October 1978, Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of the Islamic Revolution, ordered his supporters to stand atop their roofs and chant, Allahu Akbar or "God is great" to bring the masses onto the streets. For the first time since the mantra was then heard echoing through the streets of Tehran, Mir Hussein Mousavi, the self-declared president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, called for the same action. And, for the first time since the Iranian Revolution, a surge of popular outrage that has festered over 31 years brought many thousands of people onto the streets with the organisational power of the internet. click to read complete article