Bloomberg: Iran may face a “very serious” showdown with the United Nations should the Islamic country fail to dispel suspicions that it is building a nuclear-weapons program,
said German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer. Germany, France and Britain are leading European Union efforts to
reach an agreement that would ensure Iran’s nuclear-power program is peaceful. Iran has reneged on a 2003 pledge …
Iran Risks ‘Serious’ Showdown on Nuclear Plans, Fischer Says
EU foreign ministers tackle Iraq, Iran ahead of summit
AFP: European Union foreign ministers gathered Tuesday ahead of an EU leaders’ summit this week to tackle aid for Iraq and Iran’s nuclear drive.
With the outcome of the US presidential election and crisis at the European Commission at home to tackle, the EU leaders have plenty to discuss when they convene on Thursday and Friday.
Khatami rejects uranium enrichment suspension
Xinhuanet: Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on
Tuesday categorically rejected the European demand of unlimited suspension of uranium enrichment.
“The Iranian nation must not be deprived of its rights on
nuclear technology,” Khatami told reporters.
Iran Nuclear Dilemma Looms for Either Occupant of White House
Los Angeles Times: Diplomatic efforts to prevent Iran from building an atomic bomb may fail, U.S. officials and foreign diplomats say, leaving the winner of today’s presidential election with the threat of an Islamic fundamentalist, nuclear-armed regime in Tehran. The debate over Iran will probably strain a White House that is already preoccupied with Iraq no matter who wins today’s presidential election.
Iran Focus:Iran would freeze enrichment for 6 months at most
Reuters: Iran could agree to freeze uranium enrichment for six months at most and only provided the European Union abandons its demand that Tehran scrap enrichment for good,
a senior Iranian security official said on Monday. Tehran risks being reported to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions if it does not freeze enrichment before the …
Nuclear Chief Pressures Iran, N. Korea
AP: U.N. nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei urged Iran on Monday to suspend uranium enrichment and called on North Korea to dismantle its weapons program or at least allow inspectors to ensure it is “exclusively peaceful.”
In his annual report to the U.N. General Assembly and in comments to a few reporters, he said Iran and North Korea …
Iran’s judiciary orders conservative-run news website to close
AFP: Iran’s hardline judiciary ordered the conservative-run news website Baztab to close after receiving complaints that the site was “publishing false news,” contrary to Iran’s security guidelines, student news agency ISNA reported on Monday.
Iran’s Afghan refugees feel pressure to leave
BBC: Thirteen-year-old Sudabeh and her sisters sit glued to the television watching a Hindi pop star tossing her long silken hair around in time to the gyrating music.
It’s the middle of the day and their Iranian friends are at school but as Afghan refugees they have to pay for education this year for the first time.
That meant only one child in the family could go to school and predictably Sudabeh’s brother Khusrow was chosen.
Iran says no fear of UN sanctions over nuclear dispute
AFP: A top aide to Iran’s supreme leader declared on Monday that Tehran did not fear being taken to the Security Council over its nuclear programme and warned that if the UN imposed an oil embargo world prices would go above 100 dollars a barrel.
Ali Akbar Nateq-Nuri, one of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s closest advisors, dismissed as “ridiculous” some suggestions from Europe aimed at persuading Tehran to end uranium enrichment to avoid being summoned by the Security Council.
