Ahmadinejad sworn in, vows to ‘guard the power’

With riot police out in force on the streets of Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took the oath of office Wednesday and began a second term as Iran’s president. Ahmadinejad, 52, was formally sworn in before Iran’s parliament as security forces guarded the building and the streets nearby in anticipation of possible protests.

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Iran’s Show Trials: The Hard-Liners Build Their Case

On Sunday, Iran’s state TV broadcast a wrenching and stunning 20-minute confession from a well-known public figure. But former Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a reformist cleric, was clearly not himself. For one, he was not allowed to wear his clerical robe, and he had lost visible weight

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Ahmadinejad may face bumpy 2nd term

Four years ago, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei kissed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the cheek before he was sworn in as Iran’s new leader. Song and prayer heralded a new start for Iran with the hard-line Tehran mayor, virtually unknown to the outside world in 2005. He promised to stamp out corruption and fight for justice

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Ahmadinejad: There’s no rift with supreme leader

Iran’s controversial president defended his government’s relationship with the country’s supreme leader on Friday, disputing charges of a political rift. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking to a gathering in Mashad in northern Iran, rejected claims by people who have attempted to cast the relationship between his government and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “as tainted,” according to Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency.

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Iran: Memorials planned to mark Neda’s death

In death Neda Agha-Soltan became the face of Iran’s post-election demonstrations. On Thursday, the religiously significant 40th day after her fatal shooting, mourning ceremonies were planned in Tehran to remember her. For Iranians, a predominantly Shiite Muslim population, the 40th day marks the last official day of mourning.

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Iran reportedly frees 140 jailed election protesters

The Iranian government has released 140 people arrested in the aftermath of the Islamic republic’s disputed presidential election, a semi-official news agency reported Tuesday. Kazem Jalali, spokesman for the parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission, said the detainees posted bail and were freed from northern Tehran’s Evin Prison during an inspection of the prison by a task force made up of commission members, the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA) reported.

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Controversial figure in Iran moved from one key post into another

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has appointed Esfandyar Rahim Mashaie as his adviser, a day after the controversial political figure resigned as first vice president, Iran’s state-run news agency reported on Saturday. Ahmadinejad praised Mashaie as a pious, trustworthy, and self-sacrificing human being in his letter of appointment, the IRNA report stated

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