AFP: Hundreds of members of Iran’s hardline Basij militia Monday rallied outside the British embassy in protest at Britain’s military deployment in Iraq, throwing stones at the already damaged compound in Tehran.
Stone-throwing militia protest outside British embassy in Iran
Iran not afraid of US pressure, supreme leader says
AFP: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Monday his country would press on with its nuclear programme and was not afraid of pressure from the United States. “The people and the officials are not scared of the political threats made by the powers in the service of oppression,” Khamenei was quoted as saying by state television during a meeting …
Iran to escape censure after nuclear cat-and-mouse
Reuters: Iran looked set to avoid being reported to the United Nations Security Council on Monday after reaffirming its commitment to a deal meant to reassure the world it is not trying to build a nuclear bomb. But there were signs of mounting exasperation from Western diplomats after five days of chaotic to-and-fro in which Iran first raised fresh demands and then retreated from them.
Iran Agrees to Suspension of Its Nuclear Program
Washington Post: Dropping a last-minute demand yesterday, Iran agreed to fully suspend its nuclear programs and won some additional concessions from Europe for a resolution that excludes many of the Bush administration’s proposals for increasing pressure on the Islamic republic. The resolution, drafted by Britain, France and Germany, is the mildest of the seven previous resolutions against Iran and does not include the explicit threat the White House had sought for reporting Tehran to the U.N. Security Council if it breaks the latest suspension.
Iran Backs Away From a Demand on A-Bomb Fuel
New York Times: Iran on Sunday backed off a demand to operate uranium enrichment equipment that could be used either for energy purposes or in a nuclear bomb-making project, European and Iranian officials said. The Iranian retreat appeared to salvage a nuclear agreement reached Nov. 15 between Iran and France, Britain and Germany to freeze all of Iran’s uranium enrichment, conversion and reprocessing activities.
Iran Drops Key Demand, Agrees to Suspend Nuclear Enrichment
Los Angeles Times: Iran on Sunday agreed to halt its uranium enrichment activities, opening the way for the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency to sign the deal when it reconvenes here today, diplomats said. The deal with three major European nations virtually assured that Iran would not be referred to the U.N. Security Council, which could impose sanctions.
Canada fires new diplomatic shot at Iran over murdered photographer
AFP: Canada hit straight back on Sunday after Iran warned its new ambassador to Tehran would get into “trouble” if he pursued the case of a murdered Iranian-Canadian photographer, which has already sparked a diplomatic crisis. The killing of Zahra Kazemi last year, after she was arrested in Iran, sent relations between Ottawa and Tehran into turmoil.
Iran, EU Agree U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Resolution
Reuters: France, Britain and Germany finalized a draft resolution on Sunday that calls on Iran to freeze sensitive nuclear work, but does not make any threats of punitive
action if Tehran resumes such work, the U.N. said.
Iran makes key nuclear concession
Reuters:Iran has formally withdrawn its demand to exempt sensitive research from a freeze of key parts of its nuclear programme — a last-minute bid to remove the threat of U.N. economic sanctions, Western diplomats say.
Iran backs down on exemption for nuclear cycle freeze
AFP: Iran backed down Sunday on a demand to exempt sensitive equipment from a freeze on uranium enrichment that can make atomic weapons, setting the stage for the UN nuclear watchdog to endorse the freeze as a confidence-building measure.
