Christian Science Monitor: Call it the Pyongyang ploy. Hold out for direct talks with America and its allies, thus bolstering your international position, while budging not an inch on your nuclear aspirations. If North Korea seemed unimpressed by a package of inducements and unfazed by the threat of United Nations sanctions, Iran seems to be even less so.
France says Iran’s response unsatisfactory
Reuters: France said on Friday Iran’s response to an offer of incentives to persuade it to halt its nuclear programme fell short but said it was important to avoid escalating a conflict with Iran and the Muslim world.
UN’s Annan plans Iran visit to press enrichment halt
Bloomberg: United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan plans to visit Iran in a new effort to persuade the Islamic Republic to suspend uranium enrichment, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.
Iran-Russia trade falls by half in first quarter report
Iran Focus: London, Aug. 25 Trade between Iran and Russia has fallen by half in the first quarter of the 2006 from the same period in the previous year, Russias news agency Interfax reported on Friday.
Iran-Russia trade falls by half in first quarter report
Iran Focus: London, Aug. 25 Trade between Iran and Russia has fallen by half in the first quarter of the 2006 from the same period in the previous year, Russias news agency Interfax reported on Friday.
Road accident in Iran leaves seven dead
Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Aug. 25 At least seven people were killed and six others injured when a bus carrying passengers in the northern province of Semnan collided with a lorry, state-run press reported on Thursday.
Road accident in Iran leaves seven dead
Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Aug. 25 At least seven people were killed and six others injured when a bus carrying passengers in the northern province of Semnan collided with a lorry, state-run press reported on Thursday.
Japan executives arrested over weapons-linked exports
AFP: Japanese police said Friday they had arrested five executives of a major precision instrument maker on suspicion of illegally exporting devices that can be used in the construction of nuclear weapons.
Britain’s UN envoy calls Iran’s response on nuclear issue “inadequate”
AFP: Britain’s UN Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry on Friday dismissed as “inadequate” Iran’s response to an international offer of energy and security incentives in exchange for a freeze of its uranium enrichment activities.
Russia rules out UN sanctions against Iran for now
Reuters: Russia on Friday rejected any talk for now of sanctions against Iran and France warned against conflict with Tehran, raising doubt whether it will face swift penalties for not halting nuclear work by an August 31 deadline.
