The ban was imposed one day after Salam published an article describing a former Iranian official's plan to introduce amendments to the Iranian Press Law that would restrict freedom of the press. Six days of bloody rioting followed, leaving at least three people dead and dozens injured. Rahbarpour also said that 1,000 suspects had been handed over to the Islamic Revolutionary Court, which was originally created to punish collaborators of the government that existed in Iran before the 1979 Islamic revolution. Uncertain future With several hundred student protestors still in custody and liberal and moderate newspapers facing threats from conservative clerics, the future of freedom in Iran looks grim. Several Iranian officials have indicated that those responsible for the bloody July demonstrations would be dealt with harshly.
Conservatives still control key Iranian institutions, including parliament.
Reformers are hoping to gain control of parliament in next year's elections. After their victory in Iran's first municipal elections last February, many liberals believed an electoral victory in 2000 was imminent, but the crackdown on reformers shows that conservatives will not go quietly.