Reuters: Chances of a breakthrough appear slim when Iran’s main nuclear negotiator meets Europe’s top diplomat on Friday in a last effort to avert tougher sanctions over Tehran’s disputed atomic program.
Iran and EU face tough nuclear talks
Iran leader dubs summit a failure
The Guardian: George Bush formally relaunched Israeli-Palestinian negotiations yesterday, inviting Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas to meet again at the White House the morning after the Annapolis summit showcased US determination to bring peace to the Middle East despite near-universal scepticism about the prospects.
Iran cracks down on ‘obscene’ rap music
AFP: Iran on Thursday said that it planned to launch a crackdown on rap music, complaining that the words used by rap artists were “obscene”, the state IRNA news agency reported.
Bush renews pledge to back Israel if Iran attacks
Reuters: President George W. Bush on Wednesday reiterated his pledge the United States would defend Israel if it was attacked by Iran, a country whose president has urged that the Jewish state be “wiped off the map.”
IAEA sealing Russian nuclear fuel bound for Iran
Reuters: Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are set on Thursday to finish sealing uranium fuel that Russia intends to send to Iran’s first atomic power station, a Russian nuclear official said.
Merkel sees “signal of hope” from Annapolis, warns Iran
DPA: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday the Middle East peace conference in Annapolis had provided ‘a signal of hope’ that Israeli-Palestinian coexistence could become a reality. The chancellor also issued a warning to Iran over its nuclear programme in a wide-ranging speech to the German parliament in Berlin.
Russian-Iranian cooperation commission to meet in December
DPA: A meeting of the Russian-Iranian cooperation commission slated for Wednesday in Moscow has been postponed as experts from the UN’s nuclear watchdog inspect intended Russian fuel deliveries to Iran.
Iran minister ready to publish details in atom spy case
Reuters: Iran’s intelligence minister said on Wednesday he was ready to publish details about the case of a former nuclear negotiator whose espionage charges were dropped but who the ministry has said is guilty, a news agency reported.
Iran talks to Taliban, unsure of al Qaeda: Germany
Reuters: Iran is talking to the Taliban but has a “very ambivalent” attitude towards al Qaeda, a third major foe of the United States, a top European security official said.
Iran launches new light submarine
Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Nov. 28 Iran launched on Wednesday on its southern shores its second domestically-produced light submarine, state media reported.
