Time: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice believes U.S. and European diplomatic efforts will soon bear fruit in the form of international pressure on Iran to desist from its nuclear program. In a wide-ranging interview with TIME on Monday, the secretary of state indicated that Washington is confident of carrying the support of a majority of the 35 members of the board governing the International Atomic Energy Agency …
Rice Outlines Next Steps in Iran Showdown
Rumsfeld Warns Iran Not to ‘Overplay Hand’
Voice of America: U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has warned Iran not to try to increase its influence in southern Iraq beyond what local people will tolerate. The warning came one day after tension in the main southern Iraqi city, Basra, caused a riot and a clash between British and Iraqi forces.
Iran warns it could quit nuclear treaty, issues oil threat
AFP: Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani warned Tuesday that Tehran could quit the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if it is subjected to the “language of force” in a stand-off over its nuclear programme.
Iran has no fear of UN Security Council: Ahmadinejad
AFP: Iran has no fear of being referred to the UN Security Council and will not change its nuclear policy, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad insisted on state television Monday.
Iran will not back down in nuclear stand-off: Khamenei
AFP: Iran will “not surrender to any sort of pressure and threat”, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared Tuesday, as the country faced the threat of being referred to the UN Security Council over its nuclear programme.
Blair and Straw split by Iran nuclear crisis
Daily Telegraph: A serious rift has opened between Tony Blair and Jack Straw over whether to retain the threat of military action against Iran if it refuses to halt its nuclear programme.
Straw rules out war over Teheran’s nuclear plan
Daily Telegraph: Britain ruled out military action to halt Iran’s nuclear programme yesterday on the eve of a diplomatic battle by the West to take Teheran to the United Nations Security Council for possible political and economic sanctions.
Iran the suspect as militias step up Basra attacks
The Times – Tehran’s involvement may be linked to Britain’s hardening position on its nuclear programme: The violence that erupted on the streets of Basra yesterday was the result of a simmering struggle between British forces and the increasingly powerful Shia Muslim militias active in southern Iraq.
Majority backs referring Iran to UN
The Times: Most members of the 35- nation International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) favour referring Iran to the UN Security Council because of its nuclear programme, British diplomats said yesterday.
Clashes erupt in oil-rich southern Iran city
Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Sep. 19 Clashes erupted at night in the strategic oil-rich city of Ahwaz, southern Iran, between people and State Security Forces (SSF), residents reported on Monday.
