Reuters: Survivors of a mosque fire that killed 59 people accused authorities in the Iranian capital Tehran of responding too slowly to save many of the victims.
Iran Focus: Tehran, Feb. 15 The governor of Mahabad (northwest Iranian Kurdistan province) tried to restrain public anger, admitting to serious interruptions in gas, power, and water services, amidst clashes between people and State Security Forces. Seyed Marouf Samadi, speaking to a state-run news agency, ILNA, said “Under normal circumstances gas … Iran Focus: Tehran, Feb. 15 The governor of Mahabad (northwest Iranian Kurdistan province) tried to restrain public anger, admitting to serious interruptions in gas, power, and water services, amidst clashes between people and State Security Forces. Seyed Marouf Samadi, speaking to a state-run news agency, ILNA, said “Under normal circumstances gas … 
Washington Times: Isn’t it revealing that autocrats and dictators around the globe bother to stage phony elections to claim legitimacy? Remember Saddam Hussein telling Dan Rather in 2002 he had won 99 percent of the vote? Fidel Castro routinely claims to receive overwhelming majorities in his rigged elections. And throughout Africa, various sorts of potentates adopt the title “president” with no true democratic backing. Iran, too, has staged phony elections to bolster the tyrannical regime of the mullahs. But while Iranians have voted overwhelmingly for reform, they have only got more repression. 
AFP: Nearly 60 people perished and more than 200 others suffered burns on Monday when a fire swept through a Tehran mosque crammed with worshippers, police said. The blaze broke out as the faithful packed into the Ark mosque near the main bazaar in the capital for prayers just a few days before the major Shiite Muslim religious festival of Ashura, local media reported. 
AFP: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi accused Iran’s hardline judiciary on Monday of doing all it could to prevent human rights lawyers from defending political prisoners. 
Iran Focus: Baghdad, Feb. 14 An agent from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security was caught carrying dozens of fake passports in the central Iraqi city of Al-Amara.Iran Focus: Baghdad, Feb. 14 An agent from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security was caught carrying dozens of fake passports in the central Iraqi city of Al-Amara.
Iran Focus: Tehran, Feb. 14 At least 35 people were killed and 200 more left injured after a fire blaze broke out in a mosque in central Tehran, state-run television reported. Iran Focus: Tehran, Feb. 14 At least 35 people were killed and 200 more left injured after a fire blaze broke out in a mosque in central Tehran, state-run television reported. 
