VOL. XLVII

No 03

19-January-2004

The Political Scene (19 January 2004)

In a major blow to American plans to accelerate the transfer of authority to a provisional Iraqi government, the leader of Iraqs Shi'a majority, Ayatollah 'Ali Sistani, has hardened his insistence that elections, not consultations, are the way to do it. Yet another confrontation between conservatives and reformists in Iran has been provoked by the conservative Guardians Councils decision to veto the candidacy of numerous...