AFP: German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Friday urged Iran to completely renounce military use of nuclear power, but emphatically ruled out the use of force to ensure that Iran complies with international demands.
“We are most decisively in favour of the fact that Iran completely gives up military use of nuclear power, forever if at all possible,” Schroeder told global political and business leaders at the World Economic Forum.
Schroeder urges Iran to renounce military use of nuclear power
Journalist has spent 5,000 days in prison
Reporters Without Borders: Reporters Without Borders strongly condemned the hounding by the authorities of Taghi Rahmani, who since 1981 has spent a total of 5,000 days in prison, sentenced each time in connection with his journalistic work. Rahmani has been in jail this time for 19 months without charge and the worldwide press freedom organisation called on the Iranian authorities for his immediate and unconditional release.
Halliburton to Wind Down Iran Operations
AP: The oil services conglomerate Halliburton Co. will wind down its operations in Iran and seek to separate its engineering and construction subsidiary KBR from the parent, chairman and CEO Dave Lesar said Friday. Lesar made the disclosures Friday to analysts in a conference call after the …
U.S. warns EU firms to stay away from Iran-diplomats
Reuters: The United States, determined to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons, is piling pressure on European firms to stop them doing business with Tehran, diplomats say.
In turn this is making it harder for Europe to offer Iran economic incentives to persuade it to abandon nuclear processes that could be used to build weapons.
UN Urges Iran to Halt Execution of Young Offenders
Reuters: A United Nations human rights body called on Iran on Friday to abolish the death penalty as well as amputation, flogging and stoning for people who committed crimes as minors. The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child “deplored” the fact that during its three-week session an Iranian was executed for a killing carried out when he was …
Time to confront Iran Threat
European Voice: The West needs a radical new approach to confront the growing threat posed by the theocratic regime in Iran, as it relentlessly pursues its regional and global ambitions. Tehran remains the worlds most active state sponsor of terrorism, continues its destructive meddling in Iraq, and tops the list of states bent on nuclear proliferation. There are good reasons to mistrust the hardline ayatollahs ruling Iran. In Iraq, they have organized a Shiite list for the upcoming parliamentary elections, counting on terrorism and chaos to derail the democratic process, discredit …
Iran smuggling weapons to mercenaries, Lebanese insurgents
Iran Focus: Baghdad, Jan. 28 Iran is secretly transporting weaponry to Lebanese insurgents and its own agents carrying out operations throughout Iraq, according to a Kuwaiti daily. Al-Siasa (Politics) revealed, “The weapons, to be used by Iranian agents and terrorists in Iraq, are being transported by mercenaries via Syria”.
Iran smuggling weapons to mercenaries, Lebanese insurgents
Iran Focus: Baghdad, Jan. 28 Iran is secretly transporting weaponry to Lebanese insurgents and its own agents carrying out operations throughout Iraq, according to a Kuwaiti daily. Al-Siasa (Politics) revealed, “The weapons, to be used by Iranian agents and terrorists in Iraq, are being transported by mercenaries via Syria”.
Can Straw tread softly while US turns its eye on Iran?
The Guardian: When the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, met Condoleezza Rice in Washington this week, he did not ask whether the US had plans to use military force against Iran.
And the new secretary of state did not offer to tell him. “The issue was not raised once by either side,” Mr Straw said afterwards. “It was not on the table.”
Empower Iran’s opposition forces
Herald Tribune – Maryam Rajavi: How should the world deal with the challenges posed by the Iranian regime, with its continuing support for terrorism, increasing meddling in Iraq and relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons? Approaches under debate range from engagement, with the hope of empowering the “moderates,” to military invasion. But the best option is to initiate change through the Iranian people and the organized resistance movement. There is no need for war; no one would want to see an Iraq II played out in Iran.
