Washington Post: Iranian cleric: More opposition should be executed A senior hard-line Iranian cleric has called for more activists to be executed to silence anti-government protests, a day after two men were hanged. Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati says in a Friday prayer sermon that the clerical leadership’s opponents must be killed “for the sake of God” and that Islam permits rulers to execute “hypocrites.” He also praises the hanging on Thursday of two men who were accused of belonging to armed groups aiming to topple the ruling system.

CNN: Senate OKs sanctions on Iran The Senate passed a bill on Thursday that would allow President Obama to expand sanctions against Iran to pressure the Islamic republic to drop its nuclear weapons ambitions.The House passed its own expanded sanctions bill last year. To become law, the two versions would have to be merged and the final version approved by both chambers before going to Obama for his signature.Under the Senate measure that passed on a voice vote, Obama could impose new U.S. sanctions that would target Iran’s gasoline imports and oil refining capacity, as well as other aspects of Iran’s oil industry. It also would ban most direct imports and exports between Iran and the United States, along with other steps aimed at preventing business ties with some Iranian companies and individuals.

Washington Post: How Iran ruined a Washington friendship In this town, policy disputes can rattle friendships. Take, for example, the exceptionally nasty donnybrook about Iran policy that erupted this week between Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass, former policy planning chief for Colin Powell, and his former Foggy Bottom pals Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett.

ICHR Iran: Members of Committee of Human Rights Reporters Under Pressure for Forced confessions Different sources told the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran today that the arrested members of Committee of Human Rights Reporters are under pressure to deliver forced confessions about the Committee’s affiliation with Mojahedeen Khalgh Organization (MKO). It seems that judicial authorities are trying to connect CHRR with opposition groups outside Iran in order to make serious charges against this independent civil organization. Previously, during a meeting with Shiva Nazar Ahari’s family, Tehran Prosecutor had called CHRR “associated with MKO.”

Guardian: Dictator-lit: The poetry of Ayatollah Khomeini Better known for his contributions to religion, revolution and world politics, Iran’s supreme leader took literary criticism to new lengths. And wrote some surprising poems.

Mousavi FB: Following the suspicious assassination attacks against Seyyed Ali Mousavi, Mir… Hossein Mousavi’s nephew who was shot and killed on Bloody Ashura, and Prof. Masood Ali-Mohammadi, the university professor who was killed in a bomb plot in front of his home, as well as some comments made by some hardliners who strangely “predicted” more assassinations and terror attacks against reformist figures (!), Mojahedin of Islamic Revolution of Iran (reformist) by issuing a statement while strongly condemning these terrorist attacks and the recent remarks made by hardliners, warned about the continuation of these attacks and asked the security and intelligence authorities to do their jobs , investigate these attacks and introduce those who are behind these assassinations to the public!

CBS News: While House Condemns Iran Executions We see it as a low point in the Islamic Republic’s unjust and ruthless crackdown of peaceful dissent,” Bill Burton, deputy press secretary for the White House, told reporters. “Murdering political prisoners who are exercising their universal rights will not bring the respect and legitimacy the Islamic Republic seeks,” he continued. “It will only serve to further isolate Iran’s government in the world and from its people.”

Bloomberg: Afghanistan Denies Tensions After Iran Shuns London Conference Afghanistan’s foreign minister denied tensions with Iran after the government in Tehran stayed away from the conference on Afghanistan held in London today.“We have good relations with Iran,” Rangin Spanta said in an interview. “There is no problem between Iran and Afghanistan. Iran has cooperated with Afghanistan in the past eight years for its reconstruction.” The presidents of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan will meet soon in Tehran, he said.Speaking at a press conference following the 70-nation talks, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Miliband condemned Iran’s absence as “inexplicable” and “deeply regrettable.” Iran was invited to send a representative and declined, Miliband said.Iran has a “positive role” to play in the region and “many countries will draw their own conclusions about the dissonance between Iran’s words and deeds,” Miliband said. He added that he hopes “in the future they will realize they are not victims but authors of their own misfortune.”

ABC News: SD Bill Bars State Investment in Companies in Iran Gov. Mike Rounds said Thursday he supports the idea of restricting state investment in companies that have significant involvement in Iran.  A bill filed Thursday and sponsored by nearly half the members of the Legislature would require the state to get rid of its investments in companies that do substantial business in Iran and are subject to sanctions under the 1996 federal Iran Sanctions Act.  The measure would require the state and its public retirement system to pull money out of three oil companies that are heavily involved in projects with Iran’s national oil company, said one of the main sponsors, Rep. Dan Lederman, R-Dakota Dunes. Those companies are Petrobras, Royal Dutch Shell and Total, he said.

Going Wimax: WiMax Coming Soon to Iran Irancell began rolling out WiMax in seven cities throughout Iran during the Daheye Fajr, the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. WiMax will be availalbe in Esfaha, Ahvaz, Tabriz, Tehran, Shiraz and Mashhad.