Iran: Mousavi’s Next Step, the Plight of Journalists, Obama on Biden’s Iran Comment, Mojtaba Khamenei, & more

Mousavi’s Potential Next Step: “Mousavi hinted on Monday that he may move away from the tactic of protests and create a political party to work in what he called ‘a legal framework.’ Late Monday, he met with the other top stars of the reform movement — former president Mohammad Khatami and Mahdi Karroubi, another election candidate — in a show of unity. The three warned Iran’s clerical leadership that if the security crackdown continues, it ‘will only lead to radicalization of political activities,’ Mousavi’s Web site reported on Tuesday.”

Iran is world’s top jailer of journalists: “With at least 30 journalists currently in prison, Iran replaces China as the world’s worst jailer of journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. CPJ called on the Iranian authorities to release all journalists who have been detained following the country’s disputed June 12 presidential elections.”

Obama Clarifies Biden’s Iran Comment: “Obama was asked on CNN this morning, ‘Are you giving Israel a green light?’ ‘Absolutely not,’ the president replied. ‘And I think it’s very important that I’m as clear as I can be, and our administration is as consistent as we can be on this issue.’ ‘I think Vice President Biden stated a categorical fact which is we can’t dictate to other countries what their security interests are,’ Obama added. ‘What is also true is that it is the policy of the United States to try to resolve the issue of Iran’s nuclear capabilities in a peaceful way through diplomatic channels. That is our policy, I have been talking about this for the last two years, we are going to continue to pursue this, and you know we have said directly to the Israelis that it is important to try and solve this in an international setting in a way that does not create major conflict in the Middle East.”

Khamenei’s Son Mojtaba, His Control Over the Basij, & the Internal Power Struggle: “The son of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has taken control of the militia being used to crush the protest movement, according to a senior Iranian source. The source, a politician with strong connections to the security apparatus, said that the leading role being played by Mojtaba Khamenei had dismayed many of the country’s senior clerics, conservative politicians and Revolutionary Guard generals.”

‘500 protestors to stand trial in Iran’: “Iran’s Prosecutor General says some 500 individuals arrested in the course of the post-vote unrest will be subject to court action.”

Iran opposition urges release of detainees: “During the meeting, they said that the ‘wave of arrests’ in the country must be brought to an immediate end, calling for the release of those kept in custody without being found guilty. The three opposition figures also called for an end to what they described as the ‘ultra security situation’ in the country, warning that the very continuation of such conditions could result in and benefit extreme political acts.”