Ayatollah vs. Ahmadinejad

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Could conservative Iranian clerics help bring about the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Iran? It sounds unlikely. But some of the country’s top clerics believe President Ahmadinejad is bringing Islam into disrepute – and they want him out. In our latest ‘Best of the BBC’ selection we feature an e-mail interview with Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri (pictured), one of Iran’s most respected clerics and an outspoken critic of Ahmadinejad. Download MP3

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Day By Day – 1989 Revisited…

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As part of its 1989 season, the BBC examines news events from twenty years ago – day by day. As John Tusa delves into the archives for October 6th, he finds Gorbachev beginning a historical visit to East Germany to help celebrate the GDR’s 40th anniversary; and acid house parties have been disturbing the peace.
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The Reunion: Release of Nelson Mandela

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The BBC reunites the core negotiators and key campaigners involved in the secret talks which ultimately led to the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990. From Archbishop Desmond Tutu to the former head of South Africa’s National Intelligence Service, it’s an encounter which may seem unlikely. But a surprisingly easy-going discussion ensues, in this fascinating piece of radio originally produced for the BBC’s domestic UK audience.Download MP3