Iran

Opium Out, Hashish In Across Northern Province

The northern province of Balkh was deemed poppy-free, but now industrious farmers are turning to another cash crop - marijuana.

Smuggling Thrives in Basra

Rival militias, officials and police are all accused of having a stake in smuggling oil out of Iraq’s southern port.

Basra Struggles to Cope With Student Demand

As children begin returning to the classroom, the school infrastructure is in dire need of repair.

Young People Increasingly Drawn to Islam

Moderate clerics say heavy-handed authorities fail to distinguish between ordinary mosque-goers and extremists.

Images of Religion in Azerbaijan

Iraqi Kurdistan Faces Trouble on Two Fronts

The Turkish army makes war-like noises and Sunni extremists stage hit-and-run raids along the border with Iran.

Unholy War in Karbala

A self-made ayatollah with his own army exemplifies the fragmented politics of the main Shia towns - and the inability of government to rein such figures in.

Battling for Power in Basra

Exerting military clout and carving up lucrative businesses are the order of the day in southern Iraqi politics.

Herat Women Thirst for Education

Women in this western city are flocking to literacy classes, which are transforming their lives.

Afghanistan: June ‘07

Reuters impressed with IWPR trainees in Helmand, while local PRT press spokesman says journalists are asking him tougher questions.