Selected Headlines

Center right: A young Noor Ali Shushtari during the Iran-Iraq war. More photos here.

Iranian official blames deadly bombing on 'U.S. actions'

CNN | Oct. 18, 2009

A man carrying explosives blew himself up as participants headed to a conference between Shiite and Sunni groups in southeastern Iran on Sunday, killing at least 29 people. Iranian parliament Speaker Ali Larijani calls the suicide bombing "the result of the U.S. actions."

The blast in Sarbaz in the province of Sistan-Baluchistan wounded 28 others, the semiofficial Fars news agency said.

While no one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, Iran pointed the finger at the United States without disclosing its reasons.

"We consider this recent terrorist act to be the result of the U.S. actions and this is a sign of their enmity," said parliament Speaker Ali Larijani. A U.S. State Department spokesman said the accusation was "completely false."

"We condemn this act of terrorism and mourn the loss of innocent lives. Reports of alleged U.S. involvement are completely false," Ian Kelly told CNN.

The United Kingdom also condemned the attack.

Five senior officers of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in the attack, Fars said. Other media outlets offered conflicting figures for the number of dead and wounded.

Among the officers was Nour-Ali Shoushtari, the deputy head of the Corps' ground forces, who was in the province to mediate between the two sides, Fars reported.

Newsweek reporter free on bail

The Globe and Mail | Oct. 17, 2009

Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari was freed from custody in Iran Saturday, Newsweek magazine, who employed him, confirmed in a statement.

"We are relieved that Newsweek journalist Maziar Bahari is home with his family today, the U.S. magazine said in a statement posted on its website. "We would like to thank all of those who supported Maziar through this long and uncertain period."

Mr. Bahari, 42, was arrested June 21 while covering the Iranian presidential election and charged with espionage.

Iranian authorities didn't specify the reasons for Mr. Bahari's release, but Newsweek speculated he was released on humanitarian grounds.

Mr. Bahari and his wife are expecting their first child Oct. 26 and his wife, Paola Gourley, has experienced serious health complications.

Ms. Gourley, who lives in London, England, was rushed to hospital by ambulance Monday, two weeks before her due date, after she suffered bleeding due to stress.

Khamenei's Public Appearance

Uskowi | Oct. 17, 2009

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meeting with the visiting Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade in Tehran today [ISNA, 17 October].

The meeting was the first public appearance by Khamanie since rumors of his hospitalization and even death were widely circulated last week.

Moderate Quake Jolts Tehran

Press TV | Oct. 17, 2009

A moderate earthquake measuring four on the Richter scale has shaken the historic town of Shahr-e Rey in the Iranian capital of Tehran.

According to the Geophysics Institute of Tehran University, the quake struck at 14:23 local time (10:53 GMT) on Saturday.

Officials say the quake occurred 12 kilometers inside in Shahr-e Rey, southeast of Tehran.

There has been no report of casualties or damage as of yet.

Iran suffers earthquakes on an almost daily basis, as the country is located at the juncture of some of the world's most active seismic faults.

The worst earthquake to hit the country in recent years devastated the southern city of Bam in December 2003, killing 31,000 people and destroying its ancient mud-brick citadel.