Iran Focus: Washington, DC, May 30 – A United States Army colonel in charge of security for the enclave of the main Iranian opposition group in Iraq in 2004 joined a chorus of criticism directed at New York-based Human Rights Watch from academics, human rights activists, Parliamentarians, and Iranian exiles for its recent report that alleged the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MeK) abused some of its members.

Iran Focus: Baghdad, May 30 – Iraqi security forces in the city of Suleimaniya (Iraqi Kurdistan) yesterday arrested a drug ring that included six Iranians and confiscated large amounts of illegal drugs smuggled from Iran and Afghanistan, the Iraqi daily Al-Watan said today. A security official in the city announced that the group, who were also marketing the drugs, had been under police surveillance.

Iran Focus: Tehran, May 30 – Journalists demonstrated outside Iran’s Majlis (Parliament) in Tehran yesterday, protesting against threats and insults to fellow reporters by members of the clerical regime’s Majlis. “Freedom of thought is not
possible with this Majlis” and “Political prisoners must be freed” were among the slogans that the protestors chanted.

Iran Focus: London, May 29 – A British Parliamentarian called on the United Kingdom government to change its current policy vis-à-vis Iran and instead support the main Iranian opposition group
and its leader. David Amess, Conservative Member of Parliament from Southend West, during a debate in parliament Thursday, said, “It is to the Government’s shame that the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran, which, as far as I am concerned, is doing nothing but good, is still on the proscribed list.

Iran Focus: Tehran, May 29 – More than 300 workers in Pakdasht (suburbs of Tehran) gathered outside the offices of the Ministry of Labour, demanding they authorities take action for them to retrieve their overdue wages.