Iran Focus: Baghdad, Jan. 20 Iraq’s Minister for Provincial Affairs accused Iran of spreading its “sphere of influence” throughout Iraq, in preparation for the January 30th elections. “Many Iranians are producing fake Iraqi identity cards to be
Iran Focus: Tehran, Jan. 20 There are currently “200,000 sufferers of the Hepatitis C virus in Iran”, according to the head of the Iranian Medical Association. Speaking to a state-run news agency, Dr. Iraj Khosronia warned, “One of the most dangerous viruses affecting human society is Hepatitis C
but people’s awareness about this disease is very limited”. Iran Focus: Tehran, Jan. 20 There are currently “200,000 sufferers of the Hepatitis C virus in Iran”, according to the head of the Iranian Medical Association. Speaking to a state-run news agency, Dr. Iraj Khosronia warned, “One of the most dangerous viruses affecting human society is Hepatitis C
but people’s awareness about this disease is very limited”. 
Iran Focus: Tehran, Jan. 20 – A young man who was accused of killing a member of Irans security forces when he was a minor was hanged in the notorious Evin prison in Tehran.Iran Focus: Tehran, Jan. 20 – A young man who was accused of killing a member of Irans security forces when he was a minor was hanged in the notorious Evin prison in Tehran.
The Independent: The spiritual leader of Iran has reaffirmed
Iran Focus: Tehran, Jan. 20 Homes in the city of Mashad (northeast Iran) were raided over the past few days by State Security Forces for “illegal satellite dishes”. The SSF Public Relations Office announced that two individuals were arrested, on charges of installing satellite dishes, during the raids. Some 45 satellite dishes and receivers were confiscated thus far. Iran Focus: Tehran, Jan. 20 Homes in the city of Mashad (northeast Iran) were raided over the past few days by State Security Forces for “illegal satellite dishes”. The SSF Public Relations Office announced that two individuals were arrested, on charges of installing satellite dishes, during the raids. Some 45 satellite dishes and receivers were confiscated thus far. 
AFP: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has labelled British author Salman Rushdie an apostate whose killing would be authorised by Islam, according to message carried by Iranian media Wednesday. Khamenei’s reference to Rushdie was made in a message to Muslims making the annnual pilgrimage to Mecca, and was part of a lengthy tirade against “Western and Zionist capitalists” and the US-led “war on terror”. 
Reuters: Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice articulated a firm U.S. line against Iran’s ruling mullahs, whose nuclear ambitions the Bush administration considers a major threat, in testimony at her Senate confirmation hearings. In two days of Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings that ended on Wednesday, Rice repeatedly emphasized differences with Tehran’s clerical leaders, saying: “It’s really hard to find common ground with a government that thinks Israel should be extinguished.” 
