Kyodo News: Japan urged Iran on Wednesday to stop all uranium enrichment-related activities to dispel international concerns that Iran may be trying to develop nuclear weapons,
a Japanese official said.
Japan urges Iran to stop uranium enrichment
Iran: Authorities Fail to Grant Entry to Trial
International Confederation Of Free Trade Unions – Press Release: The ICFTU today expressed its deep regret and concern over the failure of the Iranian authorities to allow international observers to attend the trial of seven labour activists, which starts on 23 September.
There is no absolute right to nuclear energy
Financial Times: Hardly a day has gone by in the past two years without the Iranian government, pressed to explain its troubling pursuit of nuclear technology, reasserting its “inalienable right” to peaceful nuclear energy. Invoking that “right” – enshrined in the nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty
(NPT) – has had substantial diplomatic effect, helping put pressure on states to let Iran do as it pleases.
Containing Iran
Boston Globe: For two years, Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency have been engaged in a delicate and dangerous balancing act. With last Saturday’s unanimous resolution decrying Iran’s covert nuclear activities and instructing Iran to suspend all its efforts to enrich uranium, the 35-member IAEA board of governors took a necessary step.
Powell says U.S. isn’t planning to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities
Los Angeles Times: Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday that there are no plans to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, despite the Pentagon’s recent agreement to sell
Israel 500 bunker-buster bombs capable of disabling underground weapons plants.
But speaking to reporters, Powell pointedly added, “Every
nation has all options available to it” to stop Iran from …
Ticking bomb
The Times: We have made our choice, Mohammad Khatami, the President of Iran, asserted at a military parade yesterday, yes to peaceful nuclear technology, no to atomic weapons. His venue for that statement reinforces the concern that the intentions of the regime in Tehran are far less benign.
By announcing that it has embarked on a process that will lead to uranium enrichment, and thus the material for an atomic arsenal, Iran has, in effect, said no to further co-operation
with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Iran: Curbs on foreign investment
AFP: Iran’s conservative-held parliament has approved the first reading of a bill that will place tough controls on foreign investment.
Embattled reformist President Muhammad Khatami has said the move will deal a major blow to the economy.
“This law is without precedent in the history of the Islamic republic,” a visibly angry Khatami told reporters after a cabinet meeting. “It will paralyse the work of the government.”
Iran seeks world nod for atomic rights
Reuters: The world must recognise Iran’s right to enrich uranium for fuelling power stations, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has said, responding to a U.N. call for Iran to suspend enrichment-related activities.
But he declined to say on Wednesday when Iran would
resume enrichment …
Iran pushing for nukes: US
AFP: Iran is defying the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) while engaging in an “unrelenting push toward nuclear weapons capability”, the US said today.
“It should come as no surprise that Iran has defied the board (of the IAEA) once again and announced it is producing uranium hexafluoride, the material for centrifuge enrichment,” said Kurtis Cooper, a State Department spokesman.
Defiant Iran starts uranium processing
The Guardian: Iran announced yesterday that it had resumed producing a uranium gas for enrichment as a nuclear fuel,
three days after the International Atomic Energy Agency told it to freeze all operations connected with uranium enrichment or face possible retaliation.
The announcement suggested a calculated effort to raise the stakes in the row about its nuclear programme …
