Iran Focus: London, Dec. 03 China has shifted from its position of outright opposing increased pressure on Iran at the UN Security Council and is now willing to accept a new set of sanctions against Tehran over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, Britains Financial Times reported on Monday.
China on board for new sanctions resolution against Iran report
U.S. says Russia, China “constructive” on Iran
Xinhua: A senior U.S. official said on Monday that Russia and China were “constructive” when they were discussing at the weekend with the United States, Britain, France and Germany to impose new sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear program.
Wary Gulf leaders host Iran’s Ahmadinejad at summit
AFP: Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said during a summit of Gulf Arab leaders on Monday that the issue of Tehran’s controversial nuclear programme was “closed” and that Iran was ready for any eventuality.
Progress made toward UN-Iran resolution
AP: A senior U.S. official suggested Monday that China and the U.S. agree on key issues involved in imposing a third set of U.N. sanctions against Iran for continuing to develop its nuclear program.
US officials: Iran has nuke capability
AP: Iran halted its nuclear weapons development program in the fall of 2003 under international pressure but is continuing to enrich uranium, which means it may still be able to develop a weapon between 2010 and 2015, senior intelligence officials said Monday.
Syria reassures Iran on Mideast: official
AFP: A top Syrian official on Sunday reassured Iran that Syria’s attendance at a US-hosted Middle East peace conference would not harm relations between the two allies, the state news agency IRNA reported.
Iran says ties with Syria rock solid
AP: Iran’s adversaries cannot harm the strong ties between Tehran and Damascus, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday, a week after Iran appeared to chide Syria for its decision to take part in a Mideast summit in the United States.
GCC chief confirms Ahmadinejad to attend Gulf summit
AFP: The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) confirmed on Sunday that it had invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to attend its summit this week, the first such invitation to the Islamic Republic.
Iran defiant after nuclear talks ‘disaster’
AFP: Iran on Sunday remained defiant in the standoff over its nuclear programme after the latest talks with the European Union ended in failure and world powers agreed to step up moves for further sanctions.
Iranian dissidents freed from Straw’s ‘perverse’ ban
Sunday Telegraph: In a street off London’s Chancery Lane on Friday 400 Iranians celebrated a court victory that has left the British Government in a deep double embarassment. Not only were ministers found to have acted illegally in outlawing the chief Iranian opposition group, the People’s Mujahideen of Iran (PMOI), as a terrorist organisation; they now face searching questions from their EU colleagues as to why they have twice incited the European Council to a unique act of defiance by ignoring a ruling from the European Court of Justice.
