Reuters: France, Britain and Germany failed to reach a deal with Iran on Wednesday under which Tehran would scrap its uranium enrichment program in exchange for nuclear power technology, but the two sides agreed to meet again.
Talks in Vienna on the European proposal ended without agreement, but Britain and Iran said the talks had been constructive.
EU Trio, Iran Fail to Reach Nuke Deal
Iran’s heavy water plant to be operational within month: official
AFP: Iran said Wednesday a heavy water plant will go online within a month near the central city of Arak, despite international pressure for Tehran to suspend such nuclear-related activities.
“With two out of three units already operational, we are currently able to produce heavy water with 15 percent,” said the plant’s research and development chief, Manoushehr Madadi, the state news agency IRNA reported.
Group claims Iran has nuclear program
UPI: An Iranian opposition group claims Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered the secret continuation of nuclear weapons development.
Speaking to reporters in Paris, Mohammad Mohaddessin, chairman
of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the Iranian regime
is “playing a double game” with Europe as the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency keeps an uneasy eye on the country’s nuclear possessions.
Iran to respond to EU nuclear offer, diplomats pessimistic
AFP: Iran returned to talks here Wednesday with Europe’s three heavyweight countries aimed at resolving a long-running dispute over its nuclear program, although diplomats were sceptical of a breakthrough.
The meeting started behind closed doors at the French embassy in Vienna, a French diplomat said shortly after midday (1000 GMT).
Iran warns of break in nuclear talks in case of “illogical demands”
AFP: Iran’s supreme guide Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Wednesday that Tehran could break off nuclear talks with the international community if “illogical demands” were made
such as long-term suspension of uranium enrichment.
Iranian footballers banned from sporting “unconventional” hairdos
AFP: Iranian footballers have been banned from sporting “unconventional” hairstyles and beards on the pitch and offenders will be fined and banned from playing, football officials said.
Iran Focus: Group discloses secret nuke effort
The Washington Times: The Iranian opposition group that exposed the nation’s covert nuclear weapons program two years ago said yesterday that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered the effort to continue in secret.
The opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), also disclosed the existence of what it said is a new uranium enrichment facility in central Iran that is nearing completion.
Task for next president: curb Iran’s nuclear appetite
Christian Science Monitor: I asked a visiting editor from Azerbaijan a few days ago what his countrymen’s principal concerns were. One of the most significant, he said, was that the US might use Azerbaijan as a base for the US to invade neighboring Iran.
While that might seem fanciful, given that the US military is already overextended in Iraq, Iran certainly seems likely to be high on the foreign policy agenda of whoever is the next US president.
Europeans to resume talks with Iran; ‘last chance’ offer to avoid UN sanctions
Associated Press: European negotiators resume talks with Iran on Wednesday on a last-chance offer of incentives aimed at getting Tehran to stop enriching uranium and avoid the
threat of possible UN sanctions.
The new round of talks comes as Iran hints it may voluntarily suspend some unspecified nuclear activities in an attempt to reach a compromise with the Europeans.
