Mir Hossein Moussavi

From Christiane:

A well placed source close to the Iranian government told me that the Revolutionary Guards and security forces have recently decided to step up security around both opposition leaders Mir Hossein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi, since any harm done to them would not be in the regime’s interest. In addition my source says that from the office of Ayatollah Khamenei there is no order to arrest either Moussavi or Karroubi.

We'll discuss this and look at the continuing riots and deadly protest in Iran tonight on CNN at 2000 GMT.

Sr. Writer Tom Evans

Happy New Year! As we begin the first work week of the first year of the new decade, we have plenty to tell you about, beginning with today’s show which is all about Iran after the worst violence since last summer. After the government crackdown during the recent holy period of Ashura, how far will President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei go to forestall a velvet revolution? Are cracks appearing in the united front presented by the Islamic Republic? Or is change even possible in an Iran where the Revolutionary Guard has its own military-industrial complex and a steadfast devotion to the status quo? And how will the Iranian opposition persist in the face of the bullets and beatings at the hands of the Basij militia? Christiane sits down with opposition supporters to look at who is really leading the protest movement: the people or the politicians.  And we are joined from Tehran by political analyst, Prof. Mohammad Marandi. That’s not the only topic in  the news today. Here are some perspectives on some other stories making headlines that resonate across the globe.

Tom Evans
Sr. Writer, AMANPOUR.

YEMEN – Can the government there successfully crack down on Al Qaeda?

-          France today joins the U.S. and Britain in closing its embassy in Yemen amid new Al Qaeda threates

-          New threats follow alleged attempt by a Nigerian man to blow up a transatlantic airliner on Christmas Day. U.S. Pres. Obama linked man to Al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen

-          Head of U.S. Central Command, General David Petraeus, met Yemeni President on Saturday. Yemeni forces today kill two suspected Al Qaeda activists

QUESTION: Will U.S. become even more closely involved in campaign against Al Qaeda in Yemen?

FULL POST