Iran Focus – Editorial: Iran’s main opposition group announced last week that the Islamic Republic has been secretly constructing a new underground uranium enrichment facility in the mountains near Qazvin. The Behjatabad-Abyek site, located 120 km west of Tehran, is said to be 85% complete and can fit several thousand centrifuges, according to the People’s Mojahedin (PMOI).
Acting on new nuclear intelligence on Iran
West needs new missile shield against Iranian nuclear threat, Nato chief says
Sunday Telegraph: Nato’s Secretary-General has urged the construction of a new missile defence system to protect Europe from the threat of Iranian nuclear attack.
Iran says to release US detainee on 500,000 dollars bail
AFP: A senior prosecutor said on Sunday that Iran will release US hiker Sarah Shourd on bail, as he criticised President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government for interfering in judicial issues.
French rally to show support for Iran stoning mother
AFP: Around 1,000 people rallied in Paris on Sunday to show support for Iranian mother-of-two Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani who is facing execution by stoning, an AFP correspondent reported.
Row over UN inspectors in Iran to dominate IAEA meet
AFP: Accusations that Iran is hampering the UN atomic watchdog’s investigation into its nuclear programme by vetoing key inspectors look set to dominate the IAEA’s week-long meeting this week.
Iran says ready to free U.S. hiker Sarah Shourd on $500,000 bail
Bloomberg: Iran is ready to free the U.S. hiker Sarah Shourd on bail of $500,000, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi said, the state-run Fars news agency reported.
Up to 10 killed in Iran pipeline blast – report
Reuters: Up to 10 Iranian workers died on Saturday in hospital after being badly burnt in an explosion in a gas pipeline, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
Scott Brown: Greatest terror threat is Iran
AP: The world’s terrorists are patient and working on a long-term strategy that includes the troubling recruitment of U.S. citizens to help their extremist causes, Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown said Saturday.
‘Brutal Iranian regime’ cited as consular official defects
AP: A ranking diplomat at the Iranian Embassy in Finland said he has quit his job to protest the Islamic Republic’s treatment of its citizens.
Free them all
New York Times – Editorial: After imprisoning three Americans for more than one year, Iran raised and then dashed hopes that it would release one of them, Sarah Shourd, on Saturday. All three should be freed. Shane Bauer, Joshua Fattal and Ms. Shourd have lived lives of fear and depravation in Tehran’s infamous Evin prison for far too long.
