IRAN

West Offers Iran 'Refreshed' Deal - Nicholas Kralev, Washington Times
Major Powers Offer Iran New Incentives - Jordan and Wright, Washington Post
Iran to be Offered Incentives - Los Angeles Times

Iran moving into the big league

From the Persian Gulf to the Caspian region, the Caucasus, Central Asia, South Asia and beyond, Iran thanks to its geographical location is an ideal connecting bridge that has not until now fully exploited its advantageous equidistance from India and Europe. This is exemplified in the US$7.6 billion gas pipeline that will flow from Iran to Pakistan to India, and which is finally close to reality. Tehran is ambitiously moving from regional power to global power. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (May 2, '08)

How under-the-gun Iran plays it cool
What Iranian leaders dream of is an Iran respected as a major power. To this end, they have little choice, faced with the enmity of the globe's "sole superpower", but to employ a sophisticated counter-encirclement foreign policy. And given President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's place in the country's politico-religious politics, he might be betting on the usefulness of an American air assault. - Pepe Escobar (May 2, '08)

MI6 Chief Visits Mossad for Talks on Nuclear Threat - Uzi Mahnaimi, London Times
Khatami: Fomenting Violence Abroad 'Treason' - Ali AKbar Dareini, Associated Press
Iran's Nuclear Lure Waning? - Peter Fraser, Washington Times opinion

Iran Seems to Reject West’s Offer - Nazila Fathi, New York Times
Top U.S. Officer Says Would Prefer No War on Iran - Reuters
Iran Says Will Not Bow to Western Pressure - Zahra Hosseinian, Reuters
Iran Must Finally Pay a Price - Fouad Ajami, Wall Street Jounral opinion
“The Killing of Americans” - Gordon Chang, Contentions

Israeli President Likens Iranian Nuclear Threat to Hitler - Associated Press

Iran Hardliners Condemn Khatami - BBC News

Iranian Exiles Aren’t Terrorist Group - John Burns, New York Times
Iran Arrests Group for Mosque Blast, Blames West - Reuters

Iran says Explosion in Mosque Last Month was Deliberate - Reuters
Why West Closer to Bombing Iran - Con Coughlin, London Daily Telegraph opinion
Islands in the Stream - Richard Fernandez, The Belmont Club
Alarmist on Iran, Except... - Tom Barnett, Thomas PM Barnett

Iran woos Farsi-speaking nations
Tehran has stepped up its initiative to forge closer links with the two other Farsi-speaking nations in the region, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Not only will the move kick-start slow trade ties, it signals a greater degree of Iran's integration into a region deemed important by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to which Tehran is pressing its claims to join. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (May 9, '08)

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Countering Iran - Reuel Marc Gerecht, Weekly Standard opinion
Iran Shouts “Nuclear Apartheid” - Gordon Chang, Contentions
What’s ElBaradei Up To? - Emanuele Ottolenghi, Contentions

Shell Pulls Out of Iran Gas Deal - Reuters
Countering Iran - Reuel Marc Gerecht, Weekly Standard opinion

Smuggling to Iran Rife in Dangerous Gulf Waters - Reuters
Iran, IAEA to Resume Nuclear Talks on Monday - Reuters
Iran Looks to Tap Key Oil Field with Homegrown Crews - Associated Press
Why Six Powers Can't Stop Iran - Amir Taheri, New York Post opinion
Tehran, Damascus Ascendant - Washington Times editorial

Smuggling to Iran Rife in Dangerous Gulf Waters - Reuters
Iran Says to Sue US and Britain Over Mosque Blast - Reuters
From the Mouths of Mullahs - Jules Crittenden, Forward Movement

Saudis Send Sharp Warning to Iran Over Lebanon - Associated Press
Iranian Leader Ahmadinejad in Rudd's Sights - Dennis Shanahan, The Australian
Noble Action Likely to Fail - Greg Sheridan, The Australian opinion
Ahmadinejad to Offer Proposals to Ease Nuclear Row - Reuters
The New Cold War - Thomas Friedman, New York Times opinion
A Plan for Iran - Harlan Ullman, Washington Times opinion

Gates: Engage Iran With Incentives, Pressure - Karen DeYoung, Washington Post
US Says Iran Security Pledge Not On Table - Reuters
Ahmadinejad Says Israel Doomed - Associated Press
Iran Pumps Mid East Iran - Christian Science Monitor editorial
The Iranian Threat is Real - Rami Loya, Washington Times opinion

Iran Calls UN Sanctions Illegal, Offers a Proposal for Talks - Associated Press
Iran Says Nuclear Talks With UN Watchdog Positive - Reuters
Iran's Pawns Move - Arnaud de Borchgrave, Washington Times opinion

Major Powers Finish Nuclear Incentives Offer - David Gollust, VOA
Iran's Bomb: The Clock is Ticking - Gordon Barthos, Toronto Star opinion

In Iran, Debate Over an Article of Faith - Nazila Fathi, New York Times
Shaping a Nuclear Iran - Ray Takeyh, Washington Post opinion
Time for Serious Public Debate on Iran Policy - Victor Comras, Counterterrorism
A New Tone From Iran? - Dr. iRack, Abu Muqawama
Irany Alert - Jules Crittenden, Forward Movement

Iran Key Concern as Bush Returns - Michael Abramowitz, Washington Post
What Will America Do When Iran Gets Nukes? - Tom Barnett, Knox News opinion
Iran's Lebanon Game - Amir Taheri, New York Post opinion
Time for Serious Public Debate on Iran Policy - Victor Comras, Counterterrorism
A New Tone From Iran? - Dr. iRack, Abu Muqawama
Irany Alert - Jules Crittenden, Forward Movement

Iran's Nuclear Program Feeding Proliferation - Associated Press
Middle East in Nuclear Race to Match Iran - Julian Borger, The Guardian
Another Rumor on Attacking Bites the Dust - Mike NIzza, New York Times blog

Dave Lindorff
Big John and the Scary, Scary Iran Threat

Iran


ANDREW C. MCCARTHY: Amidst Obama’s folly, can we finally pronounce Bush’s Iran policy a disaster? “To Meet Or Not To Meet?”

Petraeus: Diplomacy, Not Force, With Iran - Karen DeYoung, Washington Post
US Looking for Progress in Iran Nuclear Report - AFP
Diplomats Say UN Probe of Iran Nukes a Failure - Associated Press
Iran's Abused - Wall Street Journal editorial
Appease Iran? - James Lyons, Washington Times opinion

Iran's surprise package tests waters
Iran's new package offering to negotiate on a range of issues with key nations reveals an attitude of compromise and flexibility on its nuclear activities. The initiative offers encouragement to those who seek a peaceful resolution of the perceived "Iran nuclear crisis". And Tehran, in a quest for what it calls a "tangible result", may even be open to the idea of a temporary suspension of its uranium-enrichment activities. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (May 22, '08)

NTERVIEW
How Tehran wants to fix the world
Seyed Abbas Araghchi,
Iran's envoy to Japan
Iran's new negotiation proposals establish exactly where Iran stands on some of the most important problems in the world, Araghchi tells Kaveh L Afrasiabi. He also reacts to skeptics who brand the package a propaganda tool and speaks on what he calls an "arrogant,

Rice Warns of More US Sanctions on Iran - Reuters
Petraeus: Diplomacy, Not Force, With Iran - Karen DeYoung, Washington Post
Bahais Accuse Iran of Discrimination - Associated Press

Secretary Rice Reveals: Talks with Iran at 'advanced stage': Secretary of state announces new package of incentives

Wife of ex-FBI Agent Missing in Iran Offers Reward - Associated Press

Israel 'Would Consider Strike' - Annette Young, The Scotsman

Egypt Eyes Iran With Suspicion - Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times
Iranian-born Israeli Charged with Spying for Iran - Associated Press

Iraq Violence Falls to Four-year Low - Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times
Iraqi Officials and Cleric’s Backers Spar - Farrell and Oppel, New York Times
Race to Free British Hostages - Damien McElroy, London Daily Telegraph
Iraqi Military: al-Qaida Fleeing Mosul - Associated Press
Airline Deal With Boeing Boosts Iraq - David Sands, Washington Times
The Brits and Basra - Richard Fernandez, The Belmont Club
Are the Brits Wimps? - Dr. iRack, Abu Muqawama
Iran Paid for Attacks on British Troops - J. Peter Pham, The Tank
Iraq Status Report - Iraq Status Report

Iran's surprise package tests waters
Iran's new package offering to negotiate on a range of issues with key nations reveals an attitude of compromise and flexibility on its nuclear activities. The initiative offers encouragement to those who seek a peaceful resolution of the perceived "Iran nuclear crisis". And Tehran, in a quest for what it calls a "tangible result", may even be open to the idea of a temporary suspension of its uranium-enrichment activities. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (May 22, '08)

INTERVIEW
How Tehran wants to fix the world
Seyed Abbas Araghchi,
Iran's envoy to Japan
Iran's new negotiation proposals establish exactly where Iran stands on some of the most important problems in the world, Araghchi tells Kaveh L Afrasiabi. He also reacts to skeptics who brand the package a propaganda tool and speaks on what he calls an "arrogant, Western-centric" approach. (May 22, '08)

Iran: Willful Lack of Nuclear Cooperation - Eliane Sciolino, New York Times
Iran Withholds Key Nuclear Documents - Molly Moore, Washington Post
No Proof Iran Continued Nuclear Arms Program - Maggie Farley, Los Angeles Times
IAEA: Iran May Be Withholding Info in Nuke Probe - Associated Press
Iran 'Withholds Nuclear Details' - BBC News
All Out War, or Talking? - Selig Harrison, USA Today opinion

• Iran
  • Nuclear Agency Report: Iran's Willful Lack of Cooperation
  • Iran Stymies UN Agency

Agency Accuses Iran iht.com — Iran may be withholding information needed to establish whether it tried to make nuclear arms, the International Atomic Energy Agency said in an unusually strongly worded report. The tone of the language suggesting Tehran continues to stonewall the U.N. nuclear monitor revealed a glimpse of the frustration felt by agency investigators stymied in their attempts to gain full answers to suspicious aspects of Iran's past nuclear activities.

Iranian Aid Seen Growing Among Militants on Israel's Flanks - Associated Press
Western Powers Pressure Iran Over Nuclear Program - Reuters
New Conservative-dominated Parliament Opens - Associated Press
Iran and the Inspectors - New York Times editorial
Punxsutawney Condi - Wall Street Journal editorial
Reining in Iran - Boston Globe editorial
The Problem With Talking to Iran - Amir Taheri, Wall Street Journal opinion
Mythmaking for the Next War - Steve Chpaman, Baltimore Sun opinion
What About Regime Change? - Steve Schippert, Threats Watch

No Early Iran Nuclear Estimate Update - Reuters
A Critical Mess Over Iran - Christian Science Monitor editorial
The Reality Situation - David Brooks, New York Times opinion
Test on Iranian Nuclear Threat - Bronwen Maddox, London Times opinion
Cracks in the Ground - Richard Fernandez, The Belmont Club
New Iranian Leader, A More Dangerous Iran - Gordon Chang, Contentions

No Early Iran Nuclear Estimate Update - Reuters
Iran's Foreign Minister Slams US Foreign Policy - Associated Press

Iran says it will not discuss suspending uranium enrichment...

Iran not seeking to build nuclear weapons: Putin...

France Calls on Iran to Open Nuclear Plants for Scrutiny - Reuters
Stars (and Stripes) in Their Eyes - Azadeh Moaveni, Washington Post opinion
Iran, Al Qaeda in Talks? - Noah Shachtman, Danger Room

Iran Warns IAEA on Nuclear Cooperation - Reuters
Iranian Parliament Chooses Larijani as Speaker - Reuters
Iran Temporarily Closes Semi-official News Agency - Associated Press
A Bell Tolls for Ahmadinejad - Boston Globe editorial

As things look, Israel may well attack Iran soon- by Joschka Fischer - 2008-06-01 Neo-Con Conference Pushes for War on Iran- by Ali Fathollah-Nejad - 2008-06-01

The complete five-part interview with investigative historian Gareth Porter

Ahmadinejad Says Israel to Disappear - Associated Press

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, known for vitriolic anti-Israeli rhetoric, has again predicted the demise of Israel, according to Iran's IRNA news agency. Ahmadinejad latest comment on the eventual disappearance of the Jewish state came Monday at a ceremony honoring the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

McCain: Iran 'Foremost' Middle East Enemy - Michael Shear, Washington Post

Sen. John McCain called Monday for broad sanctions against Iran and a South African-style worldwide divestment strategy aimed at pressuring the country's regime to abandon efforts to acquire nuclear weapons and encourage its people's democratic aspirations.

Why Iranians Like America Again - Azadeh Moaveni, Christian Science Monitor opinion

Although their leaders still call America the "Great Satan," ordinary Iranians' affection for the United States seems to be thriving these days, at least in the bustling capital. This rekindled regard is evident in people's conversations, their insatiable demand for US products and culture, and their fascination with the US presidential campaign. One can't do reliable polling about Iranians' views under their theocratic government, of course, but these shifts were still striking to me as a longtime visitor – not least because liking the US is also a way for Iranians to register their frustration with their own firebrand president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Iran to Join North Korea Out in the Cold - Westhawk, Westhawk

If it was the Bush administration’s plan to walk away from the Iran nuclear issue in order to get the rest of the world to get serious about it, its plan just might be working. Following a post I wrote ten days ago, yesterday’s New York Times discussed how the IAEA now seems to be more hawkish about the Iranian nuclear threat than the U.S. government seems to be. The Iranian government has responded to the IAEA’s new hawkishness with anger and threats. We have seen this storyline play out before, with North Korea. If the plot logically repeats, the Iranian government will eventually storm away from the IAEA process, throw the nuclear inspectors out of its country, and join North Korea as a nuclear rogue out in the cold.

Sanctions Against Iran: A Promising Struggle - Michael Jacobson, Counterterrorism

For most of 2007, concerns about Iran grew louder. This situation changed dramatically in December, with the release of the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran's nuclear intentions and capabilities. The NIE, which assessed that Iran had ceased its covert weapons program in 2003, was widely interpreted to indicate that Iran was no longer a threat. As a result, questions were raised whether US-led efforts to ratchet up financial pressure against Tehran, through both UN sanctions and unilateral measures, remained either necessary or viable. In reality, even if Iran no longer has an active covert nuclear weapons program, there would still be plenty of reason to worry.

Talking is still on the table
The major obstacle to the Bush administration initiating direct talks with Iran is apparent uneasiness about dealing with President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. But he is not the man with whom the US should talk, it is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which could open the way for negotiations without preconditions.
(Jun 3, '08)

No nuclear bomb - Khamenei (AFP)

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JF04Ak04.html

http://www.axilltv.com/at/news.php?id=9917

Khamenei rejects charges Iran seeking nuclear bomb
Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:44 HKT

TEHRAN (AFP) -- Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday vehemently rejected charges Tehran was seeking a nuclear weapon, amid mounting concern from the UN atomic agency about the Iranian atomic drive.

"The Iranian nation is not seeking a nuclear weapon," Khamenei said in a speech broadcast live on state television to mark the anniversary of the death in 1989 of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

"We are seeking nuclear energy for peaceful purposes for daily use and we will continue this path to the envy of our enemies. We will mightily achieve this aim."

Khamenei has in the past frequently stated Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful and that nuclear weapons are against Islam. But the vehemence and detailed explanation in Tuesday's speech was unusual.

His comments come a day after UN atomic watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei urged "full disclosure" over allegations that Tehran hid key information about weaponisation in its contested nuclear programme.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has in the past few months been investigating intelligence given by Western countries that Iran has studied how to make an atomic weapon, much to Tehran's fury.

In its report, the IAEA expressed "serious concern" that Iran was hiding information about alleged studies into making nuclear warheads as well as defying UN demands to suspend uranium enrichment.

The watchdog is currently holding its summer meeting of the 35-member board of governors, and the Iranian nuclear programme is a key issue.

But Khamenei said: "You know the Iranian nation is in principle and on religious grounds against the nuclear weapon. Nuclear weapons only incur high costs and have no use. They do not bring power to a nation."

Khamenei also expressed concern that "terrorists" could one day gain possession of a nuclear bomb and cause havoc throughout the world.

"Sooner or later, international terrorists will get their hands on nuclear weapons and take away from security from the world arrogance and all the nations," he said.

The United States and its European allies fear Iran wants to use the sensitive process of uranium enrichment to make an atomic weapon. The UN Security Council has imposed three sets of sanctions against Tehran over its refusal to suspend enrichment.

But Tehran, OPEC's number two oil producer, insists its drive is entirely peaceful and solely aimed at generating electricity for a growing population whose exploitable hydrocarbon reserves will eventually run out.

Sanctions Against Iran: A Promising Struggle

By Michael Jacobson


I had an article in the Summer 2008 edition of The Washington Quarterly on Iran sanctions. In the piece, I look the development of the US government's Iran strategy, evaluate its effectiveness, and make recommendations for how to improve the current approach.

Here is an excerpt of the article:

For most of 2007, concerns about Iran grew louder. This situation changed dramatically in December, with the release of the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran's nuclear intentions and capabilities. The NIE, which assessed that Iran had ceased its covert weapons program in 2003, was widely interpreted to indicate that Iran was no longer a threat. As a result, questions were raised whether U.S.-led efforts to ratchet up financial pressure against Tehran, through both UN sanctions and unilateral measures, remained either necessary or viable.

In reality, even if Iran no longer has an active covert nuclear weapons program, there would still be plenty of reason to worry. As Iran has publicly trumpeted, it continues to move forward on its uranium-enrichment activities. The fissile material generated through enrichment could rapidly be turned into a nuclear bomb should Iran choose to resume its weaponization program. Iran's enrichment activities also remain in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions.

Although the U.S.-led campaign to increase the financial pressure has not yet achieved its overarching goals, the NIE gives cause for optimism that Iran might actually modify its behavior on its entire nuclear program in the face of the right mix of carrots and sticks. As global financial institutions have scaled back their Iranian business, there are indications that a debate is starting to take place about the wisdom of the nuclear program within Iran. . . .

To read the rest of the article, click here.

June 2, 2008 04:30 PM Link

Neo-Con Conference Pushes for War on Iran- by Ali Fathollah-Nejad - 2008-06-01