AP: The police chief of Iraq’s southern Basra province acknowledged Thursday that his forces lack the means to maintain security in the region after a British troop withdrawal later this month.
Basra police chief doubts security
White House seeks to clarify Iran stance
AP: The White House sought Thursday to clarify remarks on the new intelligence report on Iran by President Bush that have been called into question.
Rice seeks Russian backing on Iran
AP: Armed with the full support of NATO allies, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will try to convince a skeptical Russia that it should back U.S. plans to step up pressure on Iran to suspend its nuclear activities.
US presses Iran over missing man
AFP: The US government demanded Thursday more information from Iran about the fate of a missing former FBI agent as his family prepared to travel to Tehran with State Department blessing.
Doves find fault with Iran report too
Los Angeles Times: Moderate and liberal foreign policy experts said that U.S. intelligence agencies, possibly eager to demonstrate independence from White House political pressure, may have produced a National Intelligence Estimate that is more reassuring than it should be on the potential risks of the Iranian nuclear program.
Oliver Stone quashes Iran visit report
Los Angeles Times: The director says that while he’s open to making a documentary on the country’s controversial president, he has ‘no plans at this time’ to travel to Tehran.
Spy master defends Iran report
Irish Independent: Iran retains key nuclear capabilities despite having frozen weapons development in 2003, and its ambitions cannot be considered benign, a senior US intelligence official told Congress yesterday.
Iran builds a new road to aid Lebanese allies
Daily Telegraph: Under the cover of an aid project, Iran is consolidating Shia control over southern Lebanon by building a large mountain road that critics believe is a supply route for Hizbollah.
Bush, China’s Hu talk by telephone on Iran
Reuters: U.S. President George W. Bush told China he was willing to solve the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue, state media reported on Friday, an approach long promoted by Beijing.
EU, NATO to keep pressure on Iran despite report
Reuters: Germany and France said on Thursday Iran’s nuclear program was still a threat and the search for more U.N. sanctions should go on despite a U.S. intelligence report that Tehran was no longer trying to build an atomic bomb.
