Iran Focus: Tehran, Feb. 24 Comments from Iran’s Oil Minister this morning raised suspicions that some $54 billion was being fraudulently used by agencies within the Iranian government, a state-run news agency reported. “I refuse to answer”, was the reply Bijan Namdar-Zangeneh gave as he was questioned by reporters after a cabinet meeting regarding four affiliate oil ministry accounts currently holding $54 billion cash. Iran oil ministry suspected of funnelling out $54 billion
Iran Focus: Tehran, Feb. 24 Comments from Iran’s Oil Minister this morning raised suspicions that some $54 billion was being fraudulently used by agencies within the Iranian government, a state-run news agency reported. “I refuse to answer”, was the reply Bijan Namdar-Zangeneh gave as he was questioned by reporters after a cabinet meeting regarding four affiliate oil ministry accounts currently holding $54 billion cash. Bush Says U.S., Russia Agree Iran Shouldn’t Have Nuclear Arms
Bloomberg: U.S. President George W. Bush said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed that Iran and North Korea shouldn’t develop nuclear weapons, in talks he described as “open and candid.” “We agreed that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon,” Bush said at a joint press conference with Putin in the Slovak capital, Bratislava. “We agreed that North Korea should not have a nuclear weapon.” Forlorn Iranians salvage belongings after quake
Reuters: Forlorn villagers picked through the ruins of their broken homes on Thursday, looking for belongings to salvage from the wreckage of Tuesday’s earthquake in southeastern Iran in which at least 549 people died. Officials said the death toll would climb as more corpses were uncovered. Some 220 of the roughly 900 injured were in a critical condition. Iran Guards tell leader forces unable to control Tehran uprising lasting more than 6 hours
Iran Focus: Tehran, Feb. 24 In a recent secret report to the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps pointed out that were a demonstration or rebellion to last more than six hours in Tehran, the security apparatus would no longer be able to control the situation. Iran Guards tell leader forces unable to control Tehran uprising lasting more than 6 hours
Iran Focus: Tehran, Feb. 24 In a recent secret report to the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps pointed out that were a demonstration or rebellion to last more than six hours in Tehran, the security apparatus would no longer be able to control the situation. Bush says Europeans agree with US on Iran nuke plans
DPA: US President George Bush focused his European touron Thursday on new NATO member Slovakia, saying that Washington’s allies, including Germany, agreed with the White House’s stance on Iran. At a news conference after talks with Slovakian Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda, Bush said his current European tour was partly aimed at discerning whether European allies “view the Iranian problem the same way” as the Americans.
European firms display wares in Iran
NBC: As President Bush pressures European allies to get tougher with Iran, NBC News got a rare glimpse inside the country at an Iranian air show attended by some of the world’s leading military contractors eager to do business with America’s adversary. On the island of Kish, mullahs mixed with Ukrainian generals amid photos of the Ayatollah Khomeini. Iran’s contempt for the United States was clear emblazoned underneath a helicopter, in Farsi: “Death to America.” Iran Says Does Not Want U.S. to Join Nuclear Talks
Reuters: Iran said on Thursday it did not want the United States to become more involved in negotiations Tehran is holding with the European Union over its nuclear program. European leaders, including French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Shroeder, urged President Bush this week to join the EU approach of offering incentives to Iran in return for scrapping some atomic work.
Parliamentarians Back Iran Opposition Plea
Press Association: Twelve United Kingdom parliamentarians today supported a call for the main Iranian opposition group, the Peoples Mojahedin, to be removed from the international list of terrorist groups.Journalist and weblogger sentenced to 14 years in prison
Reporters Without Borders: Reporters Without Borders expressed outrage after journalist and weblogger Arash Sigarchi was sentenced to 14 years in prison on 22 Februaryby a revolutionary tribunal in Gilan, northern Iran.
The worldwide press freedom organisation called on President Mohammad Khatami to intervene on behalf of 28-year-old Sigarchi, who has been in custody since his arrest on 17 January.
