Scotland on Sunday: SABRE-rattling by George W Bush against Iran as the worlds primary state sponsor of terrorism has given the mullahs who run the country the opportunity to crack down on dissenting voices. With parliament firmly in their grip, the hardliners in the Tehran theocracy have increased pressure on moderate-minded politicians, journalists, writers and internet bloggers.
Mullahs tighten grip as US looks to Iran
Rice keeps up heat on Iran as she heads for Middle East talks
The Independent: Condoleezza Rice sought to keep the pressure on Iran yesterday as she raced around Europe and the Middle East on her inaugural tour as US Secretary of State, urging Russia to withhold fuel from Tehran to stop what Washington says is the country’s drive to build a nuclear bomb. Ms Rice, who congratulated Poland on its “extraordinary” contribution in Iraq during a three-hour visit to Warsaw, flew on to Turkey and a meeting with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
Detained Iranians Reject Release Terms
Los Angeles Times: Four Iranian brothers jailed for more than three years as threats to U.S. national security have rejected a government offer of freedom, choosing to remain locked up rather than accept some of the restrictions governing their release.
Arrests reported in Ukraine for arms sales to Iran, China
AP: A government investigation into lucrative illicit weapons sales by officials loyal to former President Leonid Kuchma has led to secret indictments or arrests of at least six arms dealers accused of selling nuclear-capable missiles to Iran and China, a high-ranking intelligence official said Friday. The deals,
which violate international non-proliferation treaties, put pressure on Ukraine’s new president to halt the country’s …
Opposition calls rally-ban by France goodwill gesture to Iran
Iran Focus: Paris, Feb. 05 – Iran’s main opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, issued a statement today condemning the French government’s decision to ban a peaceful protest by Iranian exiles in Paris against the dictatorship ruling Iran, despite prior approval. The NCRI
called France’s decision to cancel the rally “kowtowing to the demands of the medieval regime seeking to expand its repression from Tehran to Paris”, adding “French officials …
Opposition calls rally-ban by France goodwill gesture to Iran
Iran Focus: Paris, Feb. 05 – Iran’s main opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, issued a statement today condemning the French government’s decision to ban a peaceful protest by Iranian exiles in Paris against the dictatorship ruling Iran, despite prior approval. The NCRI
called France’s decision to cancel the rally “kowtowing to the demands of the medieval regime seeking to expand its repression from Tehran to Paris”, adding “French officials …
Kick Americans out, top Iranian cleric tells Iraqis
AFP: Every ballot in Iraq’s elections was a vote against the United States, but the United States did not understand the message and should be be kicked out, a top hardline Iranian cleric told Iraqis Friday. “Every vote counted as a big ‘no’ to the US, meaning that they should get out of Iraq,” Ayatollah Ahmad Janati, head of the Guardians Council political watchdog, said in a Friday prayer sermon at Tehran University.
Rice blasts Iran’s nuclear weapons program and rights violations
Iran Focus: London, Feb. 04 In a conference in Whitehall with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, the newly-appointed United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticised Iran’s human rights violations and accused the clerical state of running a nuclear weapons program under the guise of civilian nuclear activities.
Rice blasts Iran’s nuclear weapons program and rights violations
Iran Focus: London, Feb. 04 In a conference in Whitehall with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, the newly-appointed United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticised Iran’s human rights violations and accused the clerical state of running a nuclear weapons program under the guise of civilian nuclear activities.
16 trucks carrying weapons en route from Iran discovered in Iraq
Iran Focus: Baghdad, Feb. 04 16 trucks carrying weapons and large sums of money from Iran were discovered over the past few days en route to Iraq, according to an Iraqi Defence Ministry source. Speaking to the Iraqi daily Al-Mashreq, the source said that the weapons included rifles, mortar rounds, and explosives.
