Front-page Iran

Iranian Missle can Avoid Radar

Iran successfully test-fired a missile that can avoid radar and hit several targets simultaneously using multiple warheads, the military said Friday.
Gen. Hossein Salami, the air force chief of the elite Revolutionary Guards, did not specify the missile's range, saying it depends on the weight of its warheads.
But state-run television described the weapon as ``ballistic'' - suggesting it's of comparable range to Iran's existing ballistic rocket, which can travel 1,250 miles and reach arch-foe Israel and U.S. bases in the Middle East.
``Today, a remarkable goal of the Islamic Republic of Iran's defense forces was realized with the successful test-firing of a new missile with greater technical and tactical capabilities than those previously produced,'' Salami said on state-run television.
It showed a clip of the launch of what it called the Fajr-3, with ``fajr'' meaning ``victory'' in Farsi.
``It can avoid anti-missile missiles and strike the target,'' Salami said.
He said the missile would carry a multiple warhead, and each warhead would be capable of hitting its target precisely.
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Iranian Earthquake

A strong earthquake hit western Iran on Friday, killing at least 70 people and devastating villages, a provincial official said.
More than 1,200 people were injured in an area around the cities of Doroud and Boroujerd in the province of Lorestan, said Ali Barani, head of the provincial emergency team for disasters.
Some survivors were dug out of the rubble of buildings alive, rescue officials said. In the worst hit areas, brick buildings collapsed into piles of masonry and mud homes were reduced to mounds of dust.
Barani said 330 village in the area were severely damaged but the death toll was unlikely to rise much further.
"If there are any changes, it will be very few," he said by phone from Lorestan.
Strong tremors on Thursday night helped keep the toll down because they drove many to leave their homes and take to the streets well before the big quake hit on Friday morning. There were 3 quakes, at 11:15pm local time there was a quake of 4.7, at 4:50 am another quake struck with a magnitude of 6.0. A 5.1 was also recorded.
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Oil Price Drops

Oil prices stayed lower after posting sharp gains this week, as Iran said it will not use oil as a weapon in the row over its nuclear programme while Agip resumed normal output in Nigeria after repairing a sabotaged pipeline.
At 4.25 pm, May-dated Brent contracts were down 13 cents at 66.33 usd, after gaining 91 cents to close at 66.46 yesterday. Meanwhile May-dated US light crude futures were down 75 cents at 66.40 usd.
After breaking out of a month-long trading range of 60-64 usd, oil prices are now nearing their all time record of 70.85 usd as concerns about supply risks in Iran and Nigeria combine with worries over US gasoline stocks.
Prices rose sharply yesterday after Iran categorically ruled out complying with a UN Security Council statement calling on it to halt uranium enrichment, and after world powers said Tehran could be facing sanctions.
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Iran Faces Isloation

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Iran faces ``deeper isolation'' if it persists with its nuclear program and the U.S. doesn't rule out any option in its efforts to persuade Tehran to cease uranium enrichment.
``Thus far Iran has not been interested in any of the offers put to it,'' Rice said after a speech in Blackburn, England, the electoral constituency of U.K. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. The Bush administration never takes anything ``off the table'' in its policy toward the Middle Eastern country, though it is not contemplating military action now, she said.
Rice yesterday suggested the U.S. is prepared for lengthy diplomacy to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions after the United Nations refrained from attaching consequences to its demand that Iran curb its program and open it to scrutiny. The U.S. suspects Iran is engaged in a secret attempt to build a nuclear weapon.
Rice and Straw yesterday met in Berlin with their counterparts from France, Germany, Russia and China to discuss how to deter Iran from seeking nuclear weapons. The six used a joint statement to urge Iran to halt ``all enrichment-related activities.''
She was also met by anti-war protesters, when she visited a high school. She used her speeches to defend the Iraq war.
``If you're impervious to the lessons you've just come out of you're brain-dead,'' she told the gathering, organized by the Royal Institute of International Affairs, a U.K. foreign policy research center. ``I believe strongly it was the right strategic decision'' to invade Iraq.
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Phone Calls

After three weeks of haggling, many Western diplomats had just about given up hope of convincing Moscow and Beijing to sign onto a U.N. Security Council statement pressing Iran to suspend its suspect nuclear activities, comply with international nonproliferation rules and return to negotiations with the Europeans.
But in the end, it took U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice personally working the phones, and ceding a little ground, to seal the deal — which gave Iran 30 days to suspend its uranium enrichment activities or face as yet unspecified consequences. In the last several days, Rice has spoken to her counterpart, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, on a number of occasions, to try and bridge the gap. On the last phone call Wednesday morning, state department officials said, Rice agreed to ask the British to strike a line from their draft statement suggesting that Iran’s rogue behavior might constitute a "threat to international peace and security."
While that may seem like mere semantics, in diplomatic parlance the phrase has a very specific — and to the Russians ominous — meaning; it echoes the U.N. charter and, in Lavrov's mind, could potentially serve as a precedent for subjecting Iran to punitive economic and political sanctions, which the U.S. supports and Russia adamantly opposes.
Lavrov, however, also made concessions. The British draft called for Mohamed El Baradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to report to the Security Council on Iran’s compliance or lack thereof. The Russians wanted El Baradei to report to the IAEA, but Rice and European officials said this would kick the Iran problem out of the Security Council and back to a weaker agency. The compromise, hammered out by Rice and Lavrov, called for El Baradei to report to both the Security Council and the IAEA.
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Iran's Ready for Talks

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mounachehr Mottaki said on Thursday.
“The recent proposal made by Iraqi leaders for Iran to talk with the US about issues relating to Iraq: we look on this proposal as an opportunity to help the Iraqi nation,” Mottaki told journalists in Geneva. “These negotiations will be limited only to Iraq. The venue, the team of negotiators and the time is yet to be finalised,” he added.
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Oil at 66$

“There’s got to be a crunch point over Iran,” Geoff Pyne, an independent oil analyst, said, adding “At the end of the day Iran is intent on uranium enrichment and the West won’t allow it.”
US crude stood at $66.6 a barrel, up 13 cents. London Brent crude was up 50 cents at $66.1 a barrel. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a ’presidential statement’ late on Wednesday calling on Iran to freeze its uranium enrichment work.
But as the five permanent Security Council members and Germany met in Berlin to discuss their next step on Thursday, Iran’s ambassador to the UN atomic agency ruled out complying. Oil prices touched their highest point since February 2. In real terms oil is at levels unseen for a quarter of a century.
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India is not Iran, US counters Germans

The US leapt to India’s defence after German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the Indian civil nuclear energy deal “was not helpful” given that it came in the midst of talks on curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “We would differ with anybody who tries to make any comparisons between the behaviour of Iran and the behaviour of India,” US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack told a press conference on Wednesday where the issue reared its head.
“At the end of the day, India has been a responsible member of the international community when it comes to issues of nonproliferation. Iran, on the other hand, has abrogated its treaty obligations not to seek to develop a nuclear weapon and continually lied to the international community about that,” he added.
According to reports, Steinmeier told the German daily Handelsblatt; “There is no question that in light of the continuing talks over the Iranian nuclear programme, the timing of the American-Indian agreement was not helpful.” However, the German minister said such agreements could draw countries like India into the fold of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
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Rice is all over the Place

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived late Thursday afternoon in Paris, where she is to talk with French President Jacques Chirac, as part of a lightning tour of European capitals for consultations on Iran.
Topics surrounding Iran, the Mideast and Lebanon would be at the center of their talks, which will also cover the situation in Belarus, according to the French Foreign Ministry.
The visit followed a stop in Berlin, where Rice talked with her counterparts from the other permanent member countries (Britain, China, France and Russia) of the United Nations Security Council and Germany over Iran's nuclear program.
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30 More Days

The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday urged Iran to suspend its nuclear program and said it would take up the issue again in 30 days.
It was the first time the U.N. body has condemned Iran's nuclear ambitions, a move that could ultimately lead to sanctions.
The statement, which took three weeks to craft, is weaker than the United States, Britain and France originally sought. Earlier drafts called for the council to meet again in 14 days and said Iran's activities were a potential "threat to international peace and security." Under the U.N. charter, that language can justify economic sanctions or military strikes.
U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said Russia and China watered down the statement. "The message is clear nonetheless that Iran's nuclear weapons program is unacceptable," Bolton said.
The council acted a day before Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was to meet in Berlin with foreign ministers from the other four veto-holding members of the council — Russia, China, Britain and France — as well as Germany. The six officials are to discuss longer-range policy toward Iran, said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.
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Naval War Games

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) will begin large-scale naval exercises in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman on Friday by firing a Shahab-2 missile “to show Iran’s desire for peace and friendship with neighbouring countries”, the IRGC naval chief said on Wednesday.
Rear Admiral Morteza Saffari, who commands the IRGC Navy, told a press conference in the Iranian capital that the naval war games would go on until April 6 with the participation of five IRGC naval garrisons and the assistance of Iran’s regular navy and air force, as well the missiles force, the Bassij, and the State Security Forces.
“Today, Iran is calling for its rightful demands with strength and national unity and these exercises will show an increase of strength and preparedness”, the navy commander added.
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3 Guards Killed

Three members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards were killed in a clash with Kurdish separatists in the country's restive western borderlands, Iran's student news agency ISNA said on Wednesday.
The Revolutionary Guard "agents" were killed in fighting on Tuesday with a Kurdish group called PJAK. Their bodies were transferred from the border to the nearby city of Salmas, the report said.
Iranian officials were not immediately available for comment. Iran's Revolutionary Guards are an ideologically driven branch of the country's armed forces.
Security experts say PJAK is an Iranian wing of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) whose separatist struggle regained momentum in southeastern Turkey after it called off a unilateral ceasefire in the summer of 2004.
The PKK Web site said seven Iranian soldiers were killed and 11 injured in a clash with PKK guerrillas. It said Iranian forces launched an operation against the rebels on March 25 in an area it identified as Kelares, near the border between Iran and Turkey. It said there were no PKK casualties.

UN Deal this Week?

U.N. Security Council powers accelerated talks on Tuesday in an effort to reach a deal on Iran's nuclear programs before their ministers meet this week.
"Ministers are getting together in Berlin on Thursday and I think for their purposes and for ours we are trying to reach agreement here" by then, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said.
Ambassadors from the five veto-holding permanent council members -- the United States, Britain, France Russia, China -- met several times on Tuesday on Iran's nuclear research, which Tehran says is for peaceful purposes but the West believes is a cover for bomb making.
British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said there were "still one or two really difficult issues if we are going to finish by Thursday but most of the rest of the text is coming together."
Bolton said he hoped the full 15-member council could meet on Wednesday but cautioned, "I think we've got a certain momentum and we had it before and didn't necessarily promise that we would reach agreement."
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High Alert for the Revolutionary Guards

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces in western and south-western Iran close to the Iraqi border have been put on a heightened state of alert since the middle of this month, a source in the Iranian military told Iran Focus.
The Supreme Command of Iran’s Armed Forces issued the directive to Najaf and Karbala garrisons of the IRGC, which are respectively based in Kermanshah and Khuzestan provinces and are the headquarters of IRGC forces in western and south-western Iran.
The directive took effect from March 14, according to the source, who requested anonymity.
Najaf and Karbala garrisons are the primary Revolutionary Guards headquarters responsible for Iraqi affairs and house much of the IRGC’s elite Qods Force whose stated objective is to spread Iran’s Islamic Revolution to Iraq and other countries in the Middle East.
Under the rules of Iran’s armed forces, the decision to raise the military alert status along Iraq’s borders must have been approved by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is the commander in chief of the armed forces. Khamenei visited areas close to the Iraqi border in Iran’s restive province of Khuzistan last week and delivered a speech in Arabic, slamming the United States and Britain for their occupation of Iraq.
On Sunday, Khamenei told thousands of Islamist militiamen in Tehran that threats of military action against the Islamic republic “could be put into action in some cases, but a nation that retains its greatness, dignity, identity and interests will be able to withstand such attacks without any retreat”.
“The decision [to put the armed forces on alert along the Iraqi border] could be defensive or offensive in nature, but it’s significant because of its timing”, said Ehsan Pourhaydari, a former colonel in Iran’s regular armed forces who now lives in Germany. “It coincides with impending talks between Iran and the U.S. on the situation in Iraq. The ayatollahs must be calculating that the talks will make them more vulnerable, or will provide new opportunities for them in Iraq. Either way, it would make sense for them to put their forces on alert close to the Iraqi border”.
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Iranian Blog Crackdown

On his last visit to Iran, Canadian-based blogger Hossein Derakhshan was detained and interrogated, then forced to sign a letter of apology for his blog writings before being allowed to leave the country. Compared to others, Derakhshan is lucky.
Dozens of Iranian bloggers have faced harassment by the government, been arrested for voicing opposing views, and fled the country in fear of prosecution over the past two years.
In the conservative Islamic Republic, where the government has vast control over newspapers and the airwaves, weblogs are one of the last bastions of free expression, where people can speak openly about everything from sex to the nuclear controversy. But increasingly, they are coming under threat of censorship.
The Iranian blogging community, known as Weblogistan, is relatively new. It sprang to life in 2001 after hard-liners - fighting back against a reformist president - shut down more than 100 newspapers and magazines and detained writers. At the time, Derakhshan posted instructions on the Internet in Farsi on how to set up a weblog.
Since then, the community has grown dramatically. Although exact figures are not known, experts estimate there are between 70,000 and 100,000 active weblogs in Iran. The vast majority are in Farsi but a few are in English.
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Cargo Plane Crashes

An Iranian cargo plane carrying 12 passengers crash-landed close to the city of Karaj, west of Tehran, on Tuesday, state television reported.
None of the 12-man crew on board was killed according to the report, which quoted the head of Payam Airport. The airport is three miles away from the crash site.
The Russian-made Antonov plane crash-landed into farmland at 16:40 Tehran time after one of its engines failed.
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Germany Urges Suspension of Program

Elbaradei met German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
"We are not in a position today to say that (Iran's nuclear) program is exclusively for peaceful purposes," ElBaradei told reporters after meeting Steinmeier.
Germany, France and Britain were the three European Union nations which mediated the negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program last year.
"I would like Iran to do what they can right now to lower our doubts ... until negotiations resume," the IAEA chief added.
Steinmeier said: "Iran must suspend all enrichment work, including research."
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Iran budgets $213 mln for two atomic power plants

Iran will put some $213 million of its national budget for the year to March 2007 into building two nuclear power stations, a senior government official was quoted as saying on Monday. Tehran insists its atomic scientists are only working on an ambitious power station programme that should produce 20,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2020.
The official Iran newspaper quoted Farhad Rahbar, head of the government▓s management and planning organisation, saying 1.94 trillion rials ($213 million) would be directed towards two atomic power stations.
Building and completing two nuclear power stations in order to produce cheap electricity is among the most important construction plans,■ state television quoted him as saying.
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German police search firms over exports to Iran

Police searched business premises across Germany in connection with an investigation into the illegal export of equipment for Iran's controversial nuclear programme, prosecutors said Monday.
One of the companies searched was believed to be a front for the illegal export of hydraulic pumps and transformer parts, which could be used in nuclear facilities, prosecutor Benedikt Welfens said.
German law restricts the sale to Iran of such dual use equipment, which has applications in both military and civilian programmes.
Seven persons, most of them of Russian extraction, are under investigation in connection with the illegal exports, which investigations showed reach Iran via Russia. Police seized data, a special cable ready for export and cash during last week's raid of 41 premises in 10 German states
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Military force can't destroy our atomic program

Military strikes against Iran's nuclear sites would not destroy the Islamic republic's uranium enrichment activities, which could be easily moved and restarted, a senior Iranian official said on Monday.
"You know very well ... we can enrich uranium anywhere in the country, with a vast country of more than 1 million 600 square kilometers," said Aliasghar Soltaniyeh, Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.
"Enrichment can be done anywhere in Iran," he told a panel discussion on the possible use of military force to destroy what the West fears is Iran's atomic bomb program.
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All this comes one day before a possible airstrike on Iran by Israel according to a Russian Democrat, Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Yah, yah we'll see.

Iran Oil Cut off Suicidal

Iran's nuclear standoff with the United States, Europe, and other nations has led to considerable speculation of $100-per-barrel oil and $4-per-gallon gasoline in the US. Such high prices might kick off a worldwide energy crisis and recession.
The West already suspects that Iran's uranium enrichment program is a cover for bombmaking. To try to put a stop to it, the United Nations Security Council could impose sanctions, or even riskier, the US or Israel might attempt to knock out Iran's nuclear facilities with an air or missile strike.
In retaliation, Iran could act against its own best economic interests and slash oil exports. Last September, the head of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards warned that "any sanction against Iran" could push the price of oil to $100 a barrel.
"It would be easy to see oil trading at $100 a barrel," says Milton Ezrati, an economist with Lord Abbett, a mutual-fund company in Jersey City, N.J. But if oil traders view the action by Iran as merely a short-lived "diplomatic stunt," he says, oil would rapidly head back toward today's $62 a barrel price.
Mr. Ezrati warns that a long-term action would cause energy prices to soar. That would set back the incipient recoveries in Europe and Japan and seriously slow the US economy as well.

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U.S. and Russia attempting to Resolve "Issues"

The United States is working with Russia at the United Nations Security Council on Iran and is hopeful that some of the "tactical" differences may be resolved through the negotiations.

There was agreement in the international community on what Iran should do but there were some "tactical issues" that need to be resolved on how best this is going to be achieved, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on the Fox News on Sunday.

"The Iranians are defying the world's will and the international community has to speak with one voice. We and the Russians and the Europeans and others have the same view that was expressed in the Board of Governor's Resolution on February 4 of the International Atomic Energy Agency -- that is that Iran needs to suspend its enrichment activities and return to negotiations," Rice said to a question as to whether US is ready to step up the pressure on Moscow over Iran.

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The Final Victory will be Iran's

"All these threats and intimidations by the West against Iran's nuclear programme will not hinder the final victory to be that of the Iranian nation," said Ahmadinejad. 'Our local experts will eventually put nuclear technology to the disposal of the Iranian people and we will even demand compensation (from the West) for the loss of the last two and a half years."

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Germany and IAEA talks

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, and ElBaradei will meet on Monday to discuss Iran's crisis. ElBaradei will also meet German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and some other high ranking officials.
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Ahmadinejad Supports "suspicious" Talks

Ahmadinejad said today that he was in support of the Iran-American talks on Iraq but was suspicious of the motives. "We essentially do not trust the Americans but we will conditionally negotiate with them about Iraq while taking into account the interests of Iraqis and the world of Islam," said the Iranian president. The talks themselves have already been approved by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final word in Iranian matters. Ahmadinejad also said, "The enemies seek to prevent us from making progress by massive propaganda but, hopefully, this year the Islamic Republic of Iran will fully master the nuclear energy for peaceful purposes." Another statement came from Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran's Foreign Minister. "Some of the permanent members of the Security Council ... are seeking to achieve certain political goals about Iran's nuclear case and beat the drum of confrontation."
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Ahmadinejad Attacks American ME Policy

“America plans to divide Islamic countries by driving a wedge between them and turning them into its puppets, while a united position by the Islamic world can roll back America and Israel hundreds ofkilometerss. Presently, the real crisis is in America and the West. Not only are they facing widespread domestic crises, but they are concerned by the resistance in Palestine and they are on the verge of being destroyed in Iraq and in Afghanistan. For this reason they try to create divisions to export their problems to other countries. The recent events in the region showed that Islamic countries have begun a movement to push forward. If they continue to push this movement forward with correct understanding and complete unity, as well as bravery, resistance, and steadfastness, the conditions of the region will completely turn infavorr of the Islamic world," said Ahmadinejad at a meeting in Tehran with the Syrian Vice-President Farouq al-Shara.

Iran Earthquake

A quake with a magnitude of 6 on the Richter scale was felt today at 10:58 at a Fin, a small provincial town near Qeshm island with a population of 39 000. No one was hurt, but 2 helicopters were dispatched to the area and some house were damaged, reports said around 20 were destroyed. Also the quake blocked some roads to village. Aftershocks ranging from 3.8- 5.4 on the Richter scale were felt afterwards.
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It's taking up all the news, and again I must apologise for the lack of updates but that will soon be resolved.

Russia optimistic UNSC will reach deal on Iran

A Russian diplomat said late Thursday that Moscow remains optimistic the five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council will break a deadlock on confronting Iran's nuclear program, as the nations' foreign ministers took up the issue in new efforts to reach a deal.

The comments by Russia's deputy UN ambassador, Konstantin Dolgov, were important because Russia and China have been key holdouts against a council statement proposed by Britain, France and the United States demanding Iran suspend uranium enrichment.
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Russia and China Stand their Ground

UNITED NATIONS: The five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council reported little progress Wednesday after new talks meant to craft a unified message urging Iran to come clean about its suspect nuclear programme.

The gap between Britain, France and the United States on the one side, and China and Russia on the other, on the stance to take toward Iran has shown little sign of closing in the nearly two weeks that council members have debated the issue.

Nonetheless, US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and several diplomats inNew York expressed their belief that the council would come to a deal eventually. "We will come up with a vehicle, I am quite certain of that," Rice said during a trip to the Bahamas.

"Wehave work still to do. This is the natural course of diplomacy. If it takes a little longer, I'm not really concerned about that."
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MTN to launch cellphone network in Iran

South Africa's MTN, the continent's largest cellphone firm, said it would launch a second network in Iran in August, reaching 31 mln subscribers by 2015, AFP reported.

"August is when we are expected to launch. We are hopeful that we will meet that date," MTN group chief executive officer Phuthuma Nhleko told a news conference.

MTN holds 49% of IranCell with a total investment of ?450 mln ($543 mln).

Only 11% of Iran's 69 mln people have cellphones, MTN said, adding that it was hoping to expand that reach to 40% of Iranians, or 31 mln customers, by 2015, AFP noted.

Under an agreement with the Iranian government, the IranCell network should cover half the country's area by November this year.
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No Bullying

"We emphasize that nuclear technology and the nuclear fuel cycle is our absolute right. The nation, I and other officials will not yield to America's bullying language by any means," said supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "They are threatening us with the Security Council as if the Security Council is the end of the world. We had experience of the Security Council (threats) at the time of the (Iranian) war with Iraq. Whatever is against the interest of the country we will not accept."
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Talks are Oked

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday that he approves of talks between U.S. and Iranian officials on Iraq, but warned that the United States must not try to "bully" Iran.
It was the first confirmation that Khamenei, who holds final say on all state matters in Iran, is in favor of the talks.
His comments came hours after President Bush spoke in favor of such a meeting, saying American officials would show Iran "what's right or wrong in their activities inside of Iraq."
Khamenei said that "if the Iranian officials can make the U.S. understand some issues about Iraq, there is no problem with the negotiations."
"But if the talks mean opening a venue for bullying and imposition by the deceitful party (the Americans), then it will be forbidden," he said in a speech in the northeastern city of Mashhad, aired on state television.
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I tt would take 2 Days

Gary Berntsen, the former senior CIA operative who led the search for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan in late 2001, believes the United States has the ability to easily destroy Iran's nuclear facilities. He said the US could use bunker-buster bombs and other weapons to carry out the operation.
"We can dig those things out. We can destroy them," he told The Jerusalem Post in an interview.
"We can take care of it in a couple of days with air strikes and they wouldn't be able to stop us," he added. "It wouldn't be difficult to plan. They'd be some dangers but I think the United States can do it." Berntsen, who left the CIA in June last year after more than 20 years of service, believes it will be difficult to persuade Iran to stop its nuclear program.
"I know the Iranians. I've worked against the Iranians for years. They are determined to get this no matter what, and they will lie and cheat and do whatever they have to do to get themselves a weapon," he said.
Berntsen ruled out covert action because of the scale of Iran's nuclear program.
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Historic Talks

Iran's acceptance of direct talks with the United States over Iraq is being regarded among Iranians as a major foreign policy development, a historic if still tentative departure from 27 years of official enmity that held the government of the "Great Satan" as one to be spoken against, but never with.

"America's objective in inviting Iran for talks is to send a message to Islamic movements throughout the world that Iran gave in to Washington after 27 years of resistance," Kayhan, a hard-line daily newspaper, warned Saturday in an editorial that analysts said underscored the significance of Iran's shift.

"Announce as soon as possible that you won't have any dialogue with the U.S. and avoid entering a destructive trap that has been prepared for Islamic Iran," the editorial continued.

More at The Washington Post

Some of the major Iranian news sites wont be reporting as much this week due to the new year celebrations. I will not be posting until the 28th or 29th of March unless there is a developpement in Iran.
Be right back in a week.

Iraq Talks to be Finalised

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that details of negotiations between Iran and the US on Iraq, including composition of the negotiating sides, would be finalized and publicized in the near future, IRNA reported.

Mottaki made the remark while talking to reporters at the end of a conference of Iranian diplomatic missions abroad.

Leader of Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), Abdel Aziz Hakim, addressing a gathering of his supporters broadcast on a Shia television channel on Wednesday, called for a dialogue between Iran and America.

This was taken from here

Moves toward Iran's nuclear draft

The Security Council is inching toward agreeing on a revised Franco-British draft urging Iran to suspend uranium enrichment, diplomats said on Friday as China suggested that Tehran be given up to six weeks to do so.

The 15-member council met for over one hour on Friday to review the revised text, which incorporated comments made by members after a series of informal sessions earlier this week. Members agreed to meet again on Tuesday after getting reactions from their capitals.

"The response we got from our colleagues today suggests that we are pretty close to where they wanted us to be," British UN envoy Emyr Jones Parry said.

"Our wish remains that the council should act expeditiously on this text and send the clearest possible signal [to Tehran] ... to reinforce the activities of the [International Atomic Energy Agency] Agency," he added.

This is taken from here

Journalist Freed

Iran's most prominent political prisoner, dissident Akbar Ganji, was released late on Friday night after six years in prison. Visibly thinner and sporting a bushy beard, Mr Ganji smiled and greeted family and friends on Saturday but refused to make any comments.

⌠He was released at the end of his term, Mr Ganji's lawyer Yusef Molai said.

⌠To my surprise, prison officials brought him home at 10 last night. I did not expect it as the papers said he would not be released before March 30. I am extremely happy, his wife Massoumeh Shafie said.

⌠I have asked him not to talk because I am very worried and do not want the same thing to happen again, she added.

This is taken from here

Nuclear Program not Negotiable

"We do not hinge our nuclear activities on a negotiation that is not dignified and will not attain our rights. We are ready for negotiation, but a negotiation which does not intend to dissuade Iran from having nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. If so we will not accept it. The West does not want us to have nuclear technology, but Iran will continue its path with resistance, since it is our legitimate right. We are a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and we are seeking our rights with in it, like all other signatory nations," said Ali Larijani. On the note of Military action against Iran from America he also said, "Military threats show how weak they are, since they can fulfill them. We are ready for them and we have the plans for it."
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Preparing Talks

Currently the two sides are negotiating a date for the talks to be held. They will only concern Iraq and will not dwell on the Nuclear crisis. This is a major breakthrough, for it's been a while since talks have been held face to face. The talks are, "To resolve Iraqi issues, and to help the establishment of an independent and free government in Iraq," says Ali Larijani.
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Iran may speak with America about Iraq

Ali Larijani said today that Iran is willing to talk with the U.S. about Iraq, but only if they were about Iraq and nothing else. Larijani also stated this point during a meeting at the Iranian parliament. The statement was due impart of Washington's longing for talks with Iran. Iraqi Shiite leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim has pushed America to talk to Iran. Scott McClellan, a white house spokesman, said today, "Our ambassador is authorized to talk with leaders in Iran, but it's to reiterate to them and express our concerns that we have about their involvement inside Iraq." McClellan said Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, would have "a very narrow mandate dealing specifically with issues relating to Iraq" and would not be discussing such other matters as U.S. differences with Iran over its nuclear program. "That's a separate issue from this," he said. Concerns that Iran is trying to use a civilian nuclear power program to secretly develop nuclear weapons have prompted the International Atomic Energy Agency to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council.
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Hint, Hint

Bush reaffirmed his first strike policy, against terrorist and U.S. enemies, today. "The president's strategy affirms that the doctrine of pre-emption remains sound and must remain an integral part of our national security strategy. We do not rule out the use of force before attacks occur, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy's attack," said Stephen Hadley, the president's national security adviser. The report also spoke about North Korea's Nuclear problem, democratic reform in Russia, Syria's terrorism and China's censorship of human rights. "China's leaders must realize, however, that they cannot stay on this peaceful path while holding on to old ways of thinking and acting that exacerbate concerns throughout the region and the world," wrote Bush. On Iran Bush said "This diplomatic effort must succeed if confrontation is to be avoided."
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Possible Strike in a Month

America warned, through a secret channel that it would strike Iran in a month, after Iran is refereed to the UN Security Council, according to a Persian-language website run by associates of the former Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami.
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1000 Arrests

1000 people were arrested in Tehran during Tuesday nightÂ’s annual fire festival. These people were "creating disorder and disruption". Any people that repented in writing were released, all others would be held until the end of the Persian New year period. Also any people caught giving out fireworks, would be kept in prison from 3 to 10 years, this is because the festival is justbarelyy tolerated by Iran, for it's "un-Islamicc".
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Ahmadinejad Quotes

Iran's President today said, "The regime occupying Qods (Jerusalem) was set up to create insecurity and confrontation in our region. If one day tranquility came about, it would mean the death of this regime. Our enemies on the one hand oppose our nation’s acquisition of nuclear energy and on the other hand want to divert the attention of other nations from the key issue of Palestine to give an opportunity to the Zionist regime to prolong its existence. One of the main reasons why the big powers oppose Iran on the nuclear issue is for the sake of the Zionist regime, so as to let this regime live on. But they are unaware that not only will the Iranian nation continue in the path of obtaining nuclear energy till the end, it will not even for one instant divert its attention from the issue of Palestine. The regime occupying Qods [Israel] is the key to [Western] countries’ domination in Muslim lands, and with every blow at this occupying regime, it’s the pillars of the Global Arrogance (the West) that are targeted”.
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Iran is equal threat as 9/11

John Bolton compared today, Iran and 9/11. "Just like September 11, only with nuclear weapons this time, that's the threat. I think that is the threat," Bolton said on ABC's Nightline. "I think it's just facing reality. It's not a happy reality, but it's reality and if you don't deal with it, it will become even more unpleasanStrategytagy talks may be held on Monday with the Five powers and Germany, in New York. The next important talks will be held on Thursday with a full Security council including all 15 of it's members. At that meeting a draft created by France Britaintian will be discussed. It calls for Iran to re-establish full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related reprocessingsing activities, including research and development" that the IAEA would verify and to reconsider building a heavy-water nuclear reactor in Arak, which is more suitable for producing fuel for nuclear weapons than a light-water reactor.
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Russian Pressure

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today that Iran must not retreat from it's nuclear issue, otherwise Iran's independence would break and it may retreat from other areas. In an informal meeting in France today, America, France and Britain presented a statement to the 15 council members that would call on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment efforts, and call for a up to date progress report by the IAEA. Russia is still disappointed that Iran rejected it's offer and is accusing Tehran of obstructing efforts to find a diplomatic solution. John Bolton said after the Tuesday meeting, "We're going to keep talking about this. We think it is important to keep 'perm five' unity. We are united in our determination to ensure that Iran does not achieve a nuclear weapons capability."
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American General Says No Proof of Iranian smuggling

The highest ranking American military officer said that the U.S. does not have proof that Iran is bringing IED's into Iraq. Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Pentagon briefing that he has no proof of any smuggling. "Unless you physically see it in a government-sponsored vehicle or with government-sponsored troops, you can't know it," Rumsfeld said at the same briefing. "All you know is that you find equipment, weapons, explosives, whatever, in a country that came from the neighboring country. With respect to people, it's very difficult to tie a thread precisely to the government of Iran."
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Iran has Rejected the Russian Proposal

Iran said today that the Russian proposal, to enrich uranium on it's behalf, has been rejected. "The Russian proposal is not on our agenda any more," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi. It now seems that the 30 days before referral to the UN was Iran's way of buying time, for whatever there planning. "By all accounts, Tehran's decision will seriously radicalize the upcoming debates over the IAEA report in the U.N. Security Council, since trust in Tehran's plans and ambitions has been strongly undermined," said Konstantin Kosachyov, who chairs the international affairs committee of the Duma. Iran's foreign minister also said that Irna will not use Oil as a weapon but may drop out of NPT.
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Underground Bunker

Tehran now has a new addition to the city, a secret underground emergency command center. Found under the Abbas Abad district of Tehran, it's connected by tunnels to other governmental facilities. These tunnels are supposably 1km long and 11 meters high at places. The facility was found out by National Council of Resistance of Iran, the same organization that revealed Iran was operating a secret Nuclear program for 18 years. This is a clear sign that Iran is preparing for possible confrontation.
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President Bush said today, "If the Iranians are trying to influence the outcome of the political process, or the outcome of the security situation there, we're letting them know our displeasure," Bush said. "Our call is for those in the neighborhood to allow Iraq to develop a democracy, and that includes our call to Iran as well as to Syria." America is saying that Syria is allowing militants to cross the western border into Iraq and that Iran is pushing for more radical violence and helping insurgents by supplying them with bombs.
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This will give you a little info on the characters that are in play in the Nuclear Crisis.

Iranians

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad:
Occupation: President of Iran.
This is the guy you'll see in most articles. He's a radical, religious and conservative. His term started on August the 3rd 2005. He first talked about Nuclear power on January the 11th, stating, "A nation which has culture, locivilizationtion does not need nuclear weapons. The countries which seek nuclear weapons are those which want to solve all problems by the use of force. Our nation does not need sweapon'sons."; He has been the center of attention for some while now. He is accused of participating in the American hostage situation in Tehran, denial for the holocaust and calling for the destruction of Israel.
Qutoe: “Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury.”

Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi
Occupation: Interior Minister of Iran
Quote: “If sanctions are imposed, we will definitely use the oil tool and other tools and we will stop at nothing.”

Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar
Iran’s Defence Minister
Quote: “We have obtained the technology. Whatever reaction the enemies show is not very important for our nation.”

Ali Larijani
Occupation: Iran's top nuclear negotiator
As his occupation says, he's a negotiator.
Quote: “Iran is a tough target which cannot be confronted.”

Americans
George W. Bush
Occupation: President
On his second term now. So he gots nothing to lose. Has standed beside Israel through thick and through thin and will probably support an Israeli led attack on Iran id there is ever one. He has also stated that Iran is part of the axis of evil and many believe that he will order an attack on Iran.
Quote: "Second, we're determined to deny weapons of mass destruction to outlaw regimes, and to their terrorist allies who would use them without hesitation."

Condoleezza Rice
Occupation: U.S. Secretary of State
Possible runner for president in 2008. Tough talker against Iran.
Quote: "I do think the Security Council will need to take into consideration this move by Iran."

John Bolton
Occupation: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
Known for his controversial statements, such as the Un doesn't exist without America.
Quote: "There's no such thing as the United Nations. If the U.N. secretary building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference."

The UN
Mohamed ElBaradei
Occupation: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief
When ever the IAEA has to say something, he'll be doing the talking.
Quote: "We need to bite the bullet and see how we can move beyond nuclear weapons deterrence, and I think that we have not done that yet. "

Others
Ehud Olmert
Occupation: Israeli president
Another tough talker against Iran.
Quote: "Iran poses the most serious long-term threat to regional stability."

Sergey Lavrov
Occupation: Russian Foreign Minister
He has been constantly trying to create a diplomatic solution with Iran, but it's not working.
Quote: “We do not agree that this matter should be sent to the Security Council.”

Natanz
A town with a population of 40 000. In 2002 it was revealed that there was a secret nuclear facility located here. It is located 75km southwest of Kashan. It costed 95 million toumans to complete.

Israeli Military Options

Moshe Ya'alon, Israel's former chief of staff, said today that Israel has a military option against Iran and that it should keep it in mind. It should be used with the support of the American and European forces also but only once Iran is isolated both economically and diplomatically. He also said that air strikes would not destroy the program but put it back several years. Although Iran could retaliate with missiles Ya'alon said that he is confident that Israel could protect it's self with it's arrow 2 anti-missile systems.
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Iran Probably Biggest Challenge

Condoleezza Rice said today, "We may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran, whose policies are directed at developing a Middle East that would be 180 degrees different than the Middle East that we would like to see develop." She also branded Iran as a "central banker for terrorism".
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Iran Military Options Open

Martin Indyk, Former US Ambassador to Israel, said today while participating in an interview," Look, the Iranians have been for many years now building up cards that they can play in confrontation with what they refer to as "the great Satan, the United States". They have seen the United States as a threat to their ambitions in the region and that is why they have, first of all, built a position of influence in Lebanon through Hezbollah, which, by the way, also has an international infrastructure of terrorism that's sitting on the shelf and can be mobilized. They have gone to great pains to take control of a Palestinian card through direct control of Palestine Islamic Jihad - the terrorist organization that's been responsible for all the terrorist acts in the last year or so - and also through their relationship with Hamas, which is now going to take over the government in Palestinian areas. They also have a card now that they have built after we toppled Saddam Hussein in Iraq, particularly in southern Iraq, where they have control over the Moqtada Sadr militia and the Bada brigades, which were trained in Iran before Saddam Hussein was toppled, something that the secretary of Defense, Rumsfeld, has referred to today for the first time. But we've actually been watching it as the Iranians have built up this sphere of influence in Iraq which they can use, by the way, with Hezbollah people from Lebanon to cause, I think, considerable damage to American forces there if they so choose and can spur this sectarian warfare to a level that would make what we've seen in the last few weeks look like a picnic."
The full interview here

Iran Warns America with "harm and pain"

"The United States has the power to cause harm and pain. But the United States is also susceptible to harm and pain. So if that is the path that the U.S. wishes to choose, let the ball roll," said Ali Asghar Soltanieh, a senior Iranian delegate to the IAEA. This was due to the threat of possible action against Iran by the UN. Also the end of Wednesdays meeting of the UN, the path for Security Council action. Also the IAEA would send it's report on Iran by Thursday, said Ebaradei. John Bolton, America's ambassador to the United Nations, said on a phone call,"Their [Iran's] threats show why leaving a country like that with a nuclear weapon is so dangerous," in reference to Iran's recent comments.
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Elbaradei's Words of Wisdom

"What we need now at this stage is a cool-headed approach, to lower the rhetoric. The Middle East is a very volatile area," said Elbaradei as the Wednesday meeting ended. He regretted that Russia and the EU diplomacy failed, on the Russian compromise. He also said that quick sanctions were not the way to go, as they would only harden Iran and strengthen it's leaders.
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The Sanctions Wont Work

"I don't think sanctions as a means to solve a crisis have ever achieved a goal in the recent history," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We are convinced that there is no military solution to this crisis." "I have been answering these questions regarding Iraq and I don't believe we should engage in something which might become self-fulfilling prophesy," said the minister when asked whether the situation reminded him of the council's consideration of whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction before the U.S.-led 2003 invasion.
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UN action next week

"We believe that next Monday or Tuesday the U.N. Security Council will begin very active debate," said Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns. Another undersecretary of State,Robert Joseph, wrote that he believed that Iran would feel less threatened to use force, with either chemical, biological and nuclear arms, if it possessed a nuclear arm.
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If there are more stories later on today I'll post them also.

Consequences

Today Condoleezza Rice expressed America's hopes that the standoff would be cooled down by the security council, while Cheney warned of meaningful consequences if the Council did not. "The Iranian regime needs to know that if it stays on its present course the international community is prepared to impose meaningful consequences," said Cheney to AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee.) It also turns out that Russia did not put up a proposal to allow Iran to conduct small research, as reported yesterday. "There is no compromise proposal and there could not be any compromise proposal," said Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia.
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America Against Proposed Pipe Line

"As we stated before, the U.S. government does not support the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline," White House National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said. This was due in part of "international participation in energy projects with Iran." The project would cost 7 billion and run through Iran, India and Pakistan.
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It's all a Bluff

Brigadier General Ali-Reza Afshar, a veteran Revolutionary Guards commander and director of propaganda and cultural affairs in the high command of the Armed Forces, said that America is waging a psychological war with Iran.
“The bulk of America’s threatening propaganda against Iran is just political bluff.” The General said that there are 4 parts psychologicalcal war; peace, threats, crisis and war. “Now the enemy is trying to use other tools against us, including ethnic and religious conflicts and partisan strife, but we mrecognizenise these and be ready to confront them.”
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Iranian IED's

A shipment of bombs has been intercepted by American soldiers on the Iraq-Iran border. The bombs were factory made and had engravings all from the same factory. IED's are the main killer of American troops in Iraq and have proven to become more lethal over the last months. It has been said before that Iran was supplying bombs to insurgents over the border and this will come surely as a hard hit against Iran.
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Russia wont give up

Once again, Russia threw in a last minute proposal to allow Iran to create small amounts of nuclear fuel. Condoleezza Rice quickly announced that America cannot accept that proposal. The game plan now is to get a resolution passed within a week, the Russian proposal will only stall that process. The proposal would stop activity at Natanz but allow for some small scale research to be done never the less.
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Now Turkey?

It now seems Turkey finds a need to posses nuclear power. By 2012, Turkey plans on building 5 nuclear plants. The first at Sinop, by the Black Sea. It has decided to become nuclear to keep with the times. Growing weary over Iran's nuclear ambitions, it doesn't want to be left alone. With a practically equal economy and population Iran and Turkey can be seen as equals and Turkey wants to keep it that way. "Iran with nuclear production will be the dominant power," said Ozdem Sanberk, a former ambassador to Washington who heads the Turkish Economic and Social Studies research group in Istanbul. "There will be an asymmetrical relationship."
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Iran's Gonna be a Killing Field

Gholamali Rashid, deputy head of the armed forces, said the US did not understand how to operate in the Gulf region. "Iran’s armed forces, through their experience of war ...will turn this land into a killing field for any aggressor," the official IRNA news agency quoted him as saying. — Reuters
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Project 111

According to an intelligence report given to Reuters by a non-U.S. diplomat, a covert Iranian program run by people closely linked to Iran's military includes plans to arm its Shahab-3 missiles, which experts believe have a maximum range of around 2,000 km (1,240 miles), with nuclear warheads. The report, which could not be independently confirmed, surfaced as the United States and its allies seek to highlight the potential security dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran. The report said it was code-named Project 111 and that the "aim is arming Shahab-3 missiles with nuclear warheads".
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And also Sorry for the late update, the last update was taken straight word for word from Reuters, and googlfinallyly listed me on there search engine.

Turkey vs. Iran

The International Strategic Research Organization released a report today titled Iranian nuclear crisis. It dealt with a possibility of an American lead attack on Iran. It was sent to all of the highest officials in Turkey including the president, prime minister and chief of the General Staff, as well as some ministers. The report stated that Turkey must be a "active mediator" to resolve the crisis. The report also stated a number of things that can happen as a result of an American attack, such as an Arab Israeli war, oil prices hitting over 100$, attacks in American military bases by Shiites and many more awful situations.
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Iran Threatens West

Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, said, "If the file is referred to the Security Council, then we will begin [industrial-scale] enrichment. We will under no circumstances suspend [nuclear] Research and Development and we will continue this activity. We are patient but are also able to recognize when they are making excuses and when they have genuine questions. We will answer the questions but we will not allow excuses so that each day that they inspect a new military base in Iran." Thus another act of defiance to the West.
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30 day Ultimatum

The U.S. want to place a 30 day ultimatum on Iran, that will include restrictions for Iranian politicians, economic sanctions and an oil embargo. It's to be discussed before the Security Council later this week.
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Fridays Talks

Today Iran and the EU3 failed to reach a agreement over the crisis. One of Iran's last chances gone. The talks took 2 hours and consisted of the top foreign ministers and diplomats from Germany, Britain, France and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. The end thought was that Iran had no new ideas on how to lessen fears of it's program. After the talks Ali Larijani, Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council, started, more talks with IAEA Chief Muhamed ElBaradei.
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American Iran Watchers

America is opening a new office in the state department for Iranian affairs. America is also planning on boosting pro-democracy initiatives in Iran to 85 million$ from only 10 million$. Though that deal has to go through congress. Also Condoleeza Rice approved a plan authorizing 12 to 15 new positions to increase her department’s capabilities to focus on Iranian issues.
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Oil Rises Again

Oil has risen again to $63.47 a barrel for light sweet crude.
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Another Bomb

Another bombing took place in Ahvaz, the location of the 2 hangings yesterday. No one was hurt and only the windows in the area were shattered.
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The talks are over, whats next?

The Last Meetings

The EU3 and Iran will hold an unscheduled meeting, for a last ditch deal before Iran’s file is sent to the UN Security Council on March 6th. Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, Philippe Douste-Blazy of France and Javier Solana, EU foreign policy representative, will meet Ali Larijani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, in Vienna. Uk’s foreign secretary, Jack Straw, may not be attending the meeting due to illness. A breakthrough is not expected to happen at this meeting, just like the rest of them. This is Iran’s last chance to work out a deal with the world to solve it’s nuclear issue before it’s sent before the security council.
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Oil prices raise

Oil prices raised again due to tension over Iran’s program and more possible attacks on Nigeria’s oil industry. U.S. light crude oil was at $63.65 a barrel while European crude oil was at $64.46.
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Ahmadinejad says IAEA is politically motivated

"Regrettably most international organizations have turned into political organizations and the influence of great powers prevents them from taking fair and legally sound decisions," said the president during his visit to Malaysia.
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2 Hanged in Public for Oil Bombings

Ali Affrawi and Mehdi Navasseri, 2 Arab separatists were found guilty of the bombings Ahvaz. Those bombs killed 6 people and injured a 100 others in late October last year. They were hanged off the city center bridge and left there for 40 minutes while crowds chanted "Death to America! Death to Israel! Death to England!".
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Ahmadinejad says Islam will dominate world in near future

“The near future will be in the hands of Islam,” said the president on his visit in Malaysia. He cited the victory of Hamas in Palestine. “History has shown that when Muslims become powerful, they do not use their power to the detriment of others, but use it in the service of peace and tranquility”, Ahmadinejad said.
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It's a Peaceful Program
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on today that the Nuclear program is a peaceful one and that even yet it will not give in to international demands. "We are ready for any compromise. But if the compromise could not take place between Iran and Russia, or Iran and European countries, we, after some time, will start commercial-scale enrichment."
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Ahmadinejad Gives Advice to Iran's Soccer Team
It was a surprise visit for the players. His appearance at the Azadi, in the Iranian team jersey and tracksuit, caught the attention of local photographers and fans alike. "You have to
study your opponents in the World Cup very carefully, but do not be afraid of them, as with God's help and people's prayers you will be able to succeed," said the president in his words of advise. "You are individually very good, what you need to improve is the group work and for that you first must become close friends and then a strong and harmonious unit." Iran will be playing against Mexico, Portugal and Angola in group D at the World Cup in Germany this year.
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Bush, "Iran must not have a nuclear weapon."
On Bush's surprise visit to Afghanistan he said during a news conference, "Iran must not have a nuclear weapon. The most destabilizing thing that can happen in this region and in the world is for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. And so the world is speaking with one voice to the Iranians that it's OK for you to have a civilian nuclear power operation, but you shall not have the means, the knowledge to develop a nuclear weapon."
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Iran's former president lashes out for Iran's denial of the Holocaust.
Mohammad Khatami, the former president of Iran, has said today that the holocaust is a historical realty. "We should speak out if even a single Jew is killed. Don't forget that one of the crimes of Hitler, Nazism and German national socialism was the massacre of innocent people, among them many Jews," he is quoted as saying. He served as president of Iran from 1997 to 2005. Known as a mild mannered president he tried to initiate a "dialogue among civilizations", referring to the Western World.
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The Talks are Over.
The talks between Russia and Iran are over without any major accomplishments. The meeting took around 4 hours. A general agreement was in place but the whole proposal still needs work. In the end Iran was still insisting that the Uranium to be enriched on it's own soil. “The details of the Russian proposal on creating a joint enrichment venture on Russia’s territory were discussed, however, it has not yet been possible to achieve a breakthrough,” said a Russian Security Council official.
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