Dariush Mirzai

Six days since the elections, the interior minister has not yet released final results. Unprecedented protest statement signed by 200 journalists.

Despite untoward delays in releasing election results, it would appear that moderates and even progressive have won. Great success for the “pragmatist” Rafsanjani.

By placing his men in top public administration and economy posts, the president is imposing lifestyles and restrictions on freedoms. In universities, “liberal” lecturers have been pensioned off. And then there are indirect methods, like fining taxi drivers if their clients are not “perfectly covered”, thus turning them into watchdogs too.

Only Muslims vote for the Expediency Council; everyone votes for mayors and municipal councils. However restrictive elections rules are, they remain a test that might bring important changes.

The organism has an influential say in Teheran’s strategic decisions. Pitted against each other are two factions led by controversial leaders: the “pragmatic” Rafsanjani and the “ultra” Yazdi. The ballot will also test Ahmadinejad’s policy.

The journalist is accused of insulting Muhammad. With a Muslim name and presumably a Muslim himself the journalist is considered an apostate.

Failing to find allies in international fora, Tehran counterattacks to avoid being charged with the repression and discrimination it practices.

As the day to renew the Assembly of Experts approaches, repression against the press, print and electronic, increases. Intimidating journalists is routine. For Reporters Without Borders, Iran is "the Middle East's biggest prison for journalists and bloggers". It ranks 162 out of 168 on the World Press Freedom Index.

Foreigners, Armenians and minorities have taken to the streets, but the "students" have not. Tomorrow, however, the Islamic Propagation Office has called a rally in Teheran to "show anger and hatred".

Teheran wants independence for nuclear energy but it does not have the structures to refine its oil production, which is dropping. The political price imposed on imported fuel is causing a hemorrhage in public funds.

Saeed Mortazavi, Tehran's attorney-general, will sit on the Iranian delegation. He is infamous for closing down newspapers and persecuting reformist intellectuals. His involvement in the "Kazemi affair" – the rape, torture and killing in prison of an Iranian-Canadian photographer – has drawn protests from Ottawa's Foreign Affairs Minister.

Police dispersed the protesters who were calling for a ban on polygamy, equal child custody rights, and within marriage, freedom for women to work where they please and to travel freely. They also appealed that the testimony of women in court be accorded equal value.