Xinhuanet: An Iraqi journalist working for Iran’s state Arabic-language Al-Alam TV channel was arrested Sunday in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf for violating the local police’s order of leaving.
Mohammad Kazem was detained when he was reporting live on TV the new round of US offensive against Shiite militia in Najaf, the channel said.
Radio Farda: US and Canada pledged to cooperate on pressing Iran to end its nuclear program and bring to justice those responsible for the death in custody of Canadian-Iranian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi.
Radio Farda: In a press conference in Tokyo, US Secretary of State urged the Japanese government and Japanese businesses to reconsider investing in Iran’s energy sector. “It is clear that Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon,” he said.
UPI:The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee urged the United States Sunday to get “very tough” to prevent Iran from making a nuclear bomb.
“We’re going to have to get very tough” said Sen. Dick Lugar, R-Inc., when asked how to prevent Iran from making nuclear weapons.
Reuters: An Iranian military chief said yesterday that Israel and the US would not dare to attack his country since it could strike back anywhere in Israel with its latest missiles, a news agency reported.
Daily Telegraph – Iran has issued an extraordinary list of demands to Britain and other European countries, telling them to provide advanced nuclear technology, conventional weapons and a security guarantee against nuclear attack by Israel.
The Sunday Times: THE mayor of Najaf, scene of some of the most bitter fighting in Iraq since the official end of the war last year, yesterday accused Iran of encouraging the violence by sending weapons and men to confront American forces in the shadow of the holy citys shrines.
Reuters: Iran’s defense ministry said on Wednesday it had carried out a field test of the latest version of its Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missile which defense experts say can reach Israel or U.S. bases in the Gulf.
Los Angeles Times: Pouring money into political parties, charities and armed organizations in a semi-covert campaign for influence and control, Iran has emerged as a silent and powerful force in postwar Iraq, Iraqi officials and Western diplomats said.
Financial Times: The diplomatic poker game over Iran’s nuclear programme is intensifying, with warnings by the Islamic Republic that it would take tough measures in response to any attempt by the US to block its development through the United Nations Security Council.
