: The Security Council expressed concern about the fresh violence and urged all sides to stick to a January peace deal. Meanwhile, the Ivorians are desperately courting the Iranians to invest in their country, particularly with construction materials. The Ivorians need to build production facilities for their cocoa beans. There is also a need for as many as 15,000 houses right now, as well as 40,000 more within the next three years. While economic information can seem innocent, it can also open a door for Iranian-backed radical Islamic influence in a country already split along tribal and religious lines. - Adam Geibel

October 2, 3003: The streets of Abidjan were packed with around 70,000 pro-Gbagbo supporters, demanding the rebels disarm. Authorities closed highways leading into the skyscraper-lined downtown and local merchants closed up, fearing that youth gangs in the crowd would get out of control. - Adam Geibel