Cartoonist: Jalal Al-Rifa'i

Source: Al-Dustour, Jordan, May 30, 2009

Cartoonist: Hassan Idleby

Source: Al-Bayan, UAE, May 31, 2009

In describing Iran's military power, and in particular the Sejil 2 surface-to-surface missile, Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar stated that Iran was not revealing all its capabilities, but only some of them.

Source: Mehr, Iran, May 31, 2009

On May 30, 2009, three Baluchistan residents were executed for involvement in the terrorist attack that killed 25 people in a Shi'ite mosque in Zahedan, located in the south-eastern Iranian province of Baluchistan.

Iran also protested to the Pakistani Ambassador about the activities of Jundallah, a Sunni Baluchi organization operating out of Pakistan, which opposes the Iranian government and advocates autonomy for Baluchistan, and whose members were held responsible for the Zahedan attack. Jundallah stated in response that the executed were not connected with the incident, and threatened to continue attacks against supporters of the Iranian regime in Baluchistan.

The Iranian Interior Minister stated that Israel and the U.S., rather than "Shi'ites or Sunnis," were responsible for the Zahedan attack. Iranian Chief of Staff Hassan Firouzabadi blamed the attack on "Israeli and British colonialism" and called on Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan to refrain from opening Israeli embassies in their territory, lest they become centers for conspiracies against their people.

On May 29, 2009, armed operatives also attacked Ahmadinejad's election headquarters in Zahedan, wounding two employees.

In addition, the Iranian news agency Fars reports that, on May 30, 2009, the Iranian security forces defused a hand-made bomb on a Kish Air flight from Ahwaz, capital of the Arab province of Khuzestan in southwest Iran, to Teheran.

Sources: Fars, Iran, May 30-31, 2009; IRNA, Iran, May 29-30, 2009; Irib, Iran, May 30, 2009; the Jundallah website, May 30, 2009; Mehr, Iran, May 29, 2009.

The Al-Azhar Academy of Islamic Research has expressed objection to a project involving the transliteration of the Koran into the Latin script, designed to facilitate the reading of the Koran for non-Arab Muslims. The Academy also objects to the translation of the Koran into different languages – even to literal translations – though it permits the translation of Koran commentaries.

Sources: Al-Masri Al-Yawm, Egypt, May 30, 2009; www.islamtime.net, May 30, 2009

Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, an erstwhile ally of current Somali President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, has assumed leadership of the Hizbul Islam rebel group, according to...

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Cartoonist: Amjad Rasmi

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, May 27, 2009

Arab firing cannon: "Attack!"

Cartoonist: Yazid 'Alayan

Source:Al-Sabil, Jordan, May 27, 2009

The London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reports that during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, set for June 2, U.S. President Barack Obama will discuss with King Abdallah the Middle East peace process and the Arab peace initiative, the Iranian nuclear issue, and dealing with extremism and utilizing Saudi experience in this matter.

U.S. sources said that advancing the peace process and the Iranian issue require U.S.-Saudi-Egyptian coordination.

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, May 28, 2009

Syrian Ambassador ‘Abd Al-Karim, left, meets Lebanese Foreign Ministry representative

Syria's first ambassador to Lebanon, 'Ali 'Abd Al-Karim, yesterday arrived in Beirut. Upon his arrival, he said that he was happy to work towards "deepening the warm brotherly relations between the two countries."

'Abd Al-Karim is expected to meet tomorrow with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to present to him his letter of credentials.

The first Lebanese ambassador to Syria, Michel Al-Khoury, arrived in Damascus on April 20.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Lebanon, May 28, 2009