Reuters: A leading hardline cleric urged Iranians on Friday to turn out in force for presidential elections next week, warning that a low turnout would be a defeat for the Islamic republic.
Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati refrained from endorsing any of the eight men vying for the job in June 17 polls, but called on people to defy Iran’s “enemies” by ensuring a high turnout.

Reuters: When Reza finishes work at his military base around 2:30 in the afternoon, he rushes to his boxy, old car, flings his uniform into the trunk and heads out into Tehran’s crowded, noisy streets. It is often 10 at night or later when the 44-year old army lieutenant finally gets home after hours of moonlighting as a driver for a telephone-taxi agency.

AFP: A top Iranian reformist said Friday he suffered a fractured skull and facial bruising when he was attacked by an extremist mob after a campaign speech in the central city of Qom. “About 30 people tried to disturb the speech from the beginning, but they failed … After the speech, I was told by police that …

Iran Focus: Strasbourg, Jun. 10 – Dozens of Euro-MPs agreed at a meeting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday that the forthcoming presidential election in Iran offered no hope for moving the country away from the policies that have hampered relations with the West and caused
anxiety among Iran’s neighbours.

Iran Focus: Tabriz, Jun. 09 – The city of Tabriz in northwest Iran was the scene of mass anti-government demonstrations last night after the Iran’s 1-0 victory over Bahrain in the football World Cup qualifying match. Young people poured into the streets following the match and, when security forces tried to disperse them by force, celebrations quickly turned into anti-government protests, an Iran Focus correspondent in Tabriz reported.