The significant success of Iraq's non-sectarian nationalist block during the March 7 parliamentary elections is, no doubt, a major setback for Tehran and its Iraqi proxies. Still, with Iraq entering an anticipated period of post-election political uncertainty which could last for months, the United States, the United Nations, and the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), must be vigilant and ensure that Iran rulers, through their Iraqi proxies, would not take advantage of the political instability to harm the residents of Camp Ashraf. These unarmed and defenseless Iranians, officially recognized as "Protected Persons" under the Fourth Geneva Convention by the United States in 2004, are members and supporters of Iran's main opposition group, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and their families.

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Two prisoners where hanged in the city of Qom according to state-run media on Thursday.
The state-run  newspaper Arman said the men, identified only as Hamid Kh. and Zeinolabedeen Gh., were executed on Wednesday. They were accused of drug trafficking.
The total number of executions based on media reports since the beginning of the current Iranian year (started on 21 March 2009) has passed 440.
The true figure for executions is higher as this does not include extra-judicial killings and ones not reported by the media or people killed by suppressive forces in streets .
In the past, the clerical regime has executed many political prisoners as ordinary criminals and drug traffickers to avoid international scrutiny or criticism.

 

Beginning on Wednesday 10 March, Latif Mohammadi, a Kurdish activist imprisoned for eight years has gone on hunger strike protesting his indefinite and suspended situation in detention. According to Mokrian News Agency, Mohammadi has been sentenced to death on accusations of clashing with security forces. His relatives claim that his sentence has been rejected and he is still in an indefinite suspended situation.

With Congress moving inexorably toward passage of new US sanctions on Iran, the Obama administration is changing its tack: In place of an earlier desire to stall passage while it sought international sanctions, the administration is now seeking to modify measures Congress is considering that could make international support for UN sanctions more remote.

 

The switch reflects the differences in momentum for sanctions in the two arenas the administration is working with. While Congress continues its march toward new US sanctions against Iran, the brakes are being applied internationally as more countries cast doubt on the prospects of UN sanctions.

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Hengameh Shahidi, a female journalist, was originally arrested on 30 June 2009 after the post sham-election protests and was held in solitary confinement. She was rearrested on 25 February to begin serving a six-year prison sentence. An appeal court upheld her conviction for charges related to her political and journalistic activities. She is held in Evin Prison, Tehran, and Amnesty International considers her to be a prisoner of conscience. 

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