The Guardian informs its readers that Iran's minister of cultural and Islamic guidance has attacked an upcoming BBC2 documentary series on the life of the founder of Islam, the prophet Muhammad, saying the "enemy" was attempting to "ruin Muslims' sanctity". The documentary makers say it seeks to "retrace the actual footsteps of the prophet" from his birthplace in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, his struggles
with his prophetic role and divine revelations, his migration to Medina and establishment of the first Islamic constitution before his final return to Mecca following armed conflicts. But the Iranian culture minister, Mohammad Hosseini, who has not seen the programme, said in an interview on Monday that he was worried about the BBC film. Speaking to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, he said: "The BBC's decision to make a documentary on the life of [the] prophet Muhammad seems dubious and if our suspicions are proved to be correct, we will certainly take serious action."
According to the article ‘Post-Gaddafi Libya 'must learn from mistakes made in Iraq' by the same news agency, Libya stabilisation report submitted by UK to Benghazi opposition outlines priorities after ceasefire. Britain is calling for a "politically inclusive settlement" in post-GaddafiLibya that will take heed of the mistakes made in Iraq after the 2003 US-led invasion. The 50-page report, which includes recommendations on infrastructure, oil exports and basic services such as education, water and health, was produced by the UK-led international stabilisation response team, and is expected to win Libyan opposition, international and Arab approval at a meeting of the Libyan contact group in Istanbul in mid-July.
The Washington Post reports that Iran’s embattled president has denounced recent arrests of his allies on corruption charges and has warned against detentions of any Cabinet members. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
said Wednesday the arrests are “politically motivated” and seek to pressure his government. Dozens of the president’s allies have been detained over the past months in an evolving power struggle between
Ahmadinejad and Iran’s clerical leaders. In the meantime, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps is conducting a 10-day series of missile tests,including the firing of medium-range missiles at targets at sea, and it has revealed a previously secret network of underground missile silos. The tests are a part of scheduled maneuvers aimed at strengthening Iran’s military doctrine of “asymmetrical warfare” in which the Revolutionary Guards would lead counterstrikes in case of an attack on Iran by the United States or Israel. The exercise is intended to send a message of “peace and friendship” to regional countries.
According to Hurriyet, Turkey’s government is looking to reduce tensions in Ankara that were raised Tuesday by the main opposition’s refusal to take their parliamentary oaths as the ruling party promised
consultations with other parties on Wednesday. The ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, has asked for an appointment with the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, on Wednesday to discuss the election of the speaker of Parliament. It is expected that the CHP’s boycott decision will also be on the agenda, Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek said. The AKP is also expected to meet with the
Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, on Wednesday. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has promised to solicit the views of both the CHP and the MHP and evaluate them in the government’s Thursday group meeting.
