False Allegations Concerning Iran's Nuclear Program?

Iran's U.N. ambassador on Monday accused an Iranian opposition group on the U.S. and European Union terror blacklist of fabricating allegations that his country tried to make nuclear weapons in the 1990s.

Ambassador Mohammad Khazee said the United States was getting unreliable intelligence from the Mujahedeen Khalq, also known as the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, which helped Saddam Hussein during the war Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

He insisted that Iran has resolved all six outstanding issues about its nuclear program — which the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in its report last Friday — and Tehran should not face any new U.N. sanctions. He warned that new sanctions would harm "the credibility" of the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice disputed the Iranian assessment, saying the IAEA report provides "very strong" grounds for the Security Council to move ahead quickly with new sanctions. She cited the government's refusal to suspend enrichment — as the council has demanded — and its failure to respond credibly to U.S. allegations that Iran conducted weapons research into high explosives and missile design in the 1990s.

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While Iran believes that U.S. accusations concerning the nuclear program are senseless and were initiated by unreliable resources, the U.S. states that they have "very strong" reasons to follow their instincts and impose new sanctions on Iran.

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U.S. predicts quick vote on Iran sanctions

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States predicted a quick vote on a third resolution imposing sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program as it begins to build a case against Iran's central bank for proliferation activities, senior State Department officials and European diplomats said.

Diplomats from Germany and the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China -- met Monday at the State Department to discuss the latest draft, as well as other steps that could be taken to get Iran to cooperate.

The U.N. Security Council imposed two rounds of sanctions on Iran -- in March 2007 and December 2006 -- after Iran failed to comply with a U.N. deadline to suspend uranium enrichment and resume negotiations. Iran says its nuclear program is aimed solely at the peaceful production of nuclear energy.

The members agreed earlier in February on a draft resolution and were hoping it would pass by unanimous vote, but some countries on the council, including Libya, South Africa and Indonesia, have voiced concerns about the text.

Iran says its nuclear program is necessary to provide civilian energy for the country, but other countries have voiced concern that its true purpose is to produce nuclear weapons. The United States, which does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, has been the most vocal of those countries."

This article shows the continuing struggle between the U.N. and Iran's nuclear program. Because the U.N. is not decisive when coming to a consensus about sanctions against Iran, it will take them some time to before they can put a substantial amount of pressure on Iran.

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Khamenei Praises Iran's Nuclear Program

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has hailed Iran's "great victory" over its nuclear programme.

Mr Khamenei praised President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's handling of the issue.

Last week, the UN nuclear watchdog said Iran was being more transparent, but had not given "credible assurances" that it was not building a bomb.

On Monday, the agency heard that Iran may have continued secret work on nuclear weapons after 2003, the date US intelligence suggested the work ceased.

"One example of an advance by the Islamic system has been the nuclear issue, in which the Iranian nation has honestly and seriously achieved a great victory," Mr Khamenei said on Tuesday.

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The Grand Ayatollah feels that the nuclear program is a path to progress for Iran. Though they are under UN surveillance, the program has brought on praise from Khamenei.

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Assessment Complete

The Iranian body that vets election candidates has reinstated another 251 people who had been banned from running in next month's parliamentary vote.

The authorities have already overturned bans on more than 800 candidates.
Correspondents say it is not clear how much impact the reinstatements will have on the chances of opposition parties in the election.

The newly-approved candidates have very little time now to campaign before the election on 14 March. A spokesman for the Guardian Council, Abbasali Kadkhodaei, said those reinstated were from different political camps, including reformist candidates who had criticised the council for failing to ensure a competitive race.

The council also oversees all legislation in Iran. Candidates are vetted to check loyalty to Iran's Islamic revolutionary system. This process will continue for several weeks and the final list of approved candidates will be announced on 5 March. Reformists were defeated in 2004 after hundreds of such disqualifications.

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This shows there is a great desire for the people of Iran to make a chang ein their country. Eventhough alot of people were denied the right to run they still have the drive and want to represent their country.

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New Iran sanctions to be presented to Security Council

European powers will formally present to the Security Council Thursday an amended UN draft resolution seeking new sanctions against Iran, said French ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert.
"We will formally introduce this afternoon the draft resolution in the Security Council in the name of its three co-sponsors, France, Britain and Germany," Ripert told reporters.
"The goal is to begin formal negotiations" in order to get the council to adopt the resolution "as soon as possible, ideally next week," he said.

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As we can see the US isn't the only country concerned with keeping Irans power under control. The French seem to be very worried about Irans Nuclear Program.

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First phase of Iran oil bourse inaugurated on Kish island

The first phase of Iran's oil stock market started its work on Kish island in the Persian Gulf, southern Iran, on Sunday presenting oil and petrochemical products. The stock market was inaugurated in a video conference ceremony from the capital Tehran attended by ministers of oil, finance and economic affairs as well as chairman of Iran's Stock Exchange and a number of other officials and financial experts

Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said that Iran's Oil Bourse is to open gate of international oil business to Iran in the near future. The specialized bourse for oil derivatives and petrochemical products is regarded as a turning point in oil transactions, he said. Iran's share in international oil trade is very low and such a bourse will help Iran take a leap in this sector in the near future, underlined the minister. It is predicted the event would prepare grounds for active presence of foreign investors in Iranian oil industry and thus raise the country's share in global oil trade, he said.

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This post is showig how Iran is trying to enter into the world of trade. Iran is trying to make allies and raise there GDP.

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Solomon

I played around and got the flag removed. It was a rather strange process.

Peace Between Iran and India?

DUBAI: India and Iran have agreed to improve bilateral ties, particularly in consular affairs and provision of broader facilities for nationals of both the countries that resulted in signing of a MoU.

The MoU pertains to agreements on easier issuance of visas, providing better facilities for residents and students of each country in the other, as well as establishment of a committee to pursue the implementation of the agreements.

Both countries held their Fourth Shared Consular Meeting in Teheran yesterday, led by director generals of two countries' foreign ministries consular head offices.

The shared consular meetings of the two countries are held alternatively in Tehran and New Delhi.



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According to this article, India and Iran plan to work to improve bilateral relations. Could this be the beginning of a more peaceful Iran? Or will the country continue to have volatile relationships with other members of the international community?

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Syria, Iran to probe militant's death

"DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Syria and Iran will conduct a joint investigation into the car bombing that killed Imad Mughniyeh, a commander of their Lebanese ally Hezbollah, Iran's state news agency reported Friday.

Mughniyeh, the suspected mastermind of 1980s attacks on the U.S. Embassy and Marine barracks in Lebanon that killed hundreds of Americans, died Tuesday night in the Syrian capital Damascus.

A Lebanese security official said Hezbollah has appointed Mughniyeh's successor but did not make the name public.

In Tehran, Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Reza Sheik Attar said that during Mottaki's visit to Damascus, which began Thursday, Iran and Syria agreed to form a joint investigation team to "look into the root causes and dimensions of the assassination to identify the perpetrators of this dirty crime," the state IRNA news agency reported.

Syria has not said who it believes was behind the blast. On Thursday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said he expected the perpetrators to be identified soon."

This joint investigation between Iran and Syria shows Iran's determination to find the "perpetrators" of the assassination. Though Syria will not say who they believe was involved, Iran has made public that it believes that Israel killed the Hezbollah leader.

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Ahmadinejad's Beliefs Up For Argument

Iran's former nuclear negotiator, a cleric, has said that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government is encouraging superstitious practices.

The remarks have intensified the debate over the return of the Shia saviour, the 12th Imam known as the Mehdi.

Since Mr Ahmadinejad came to power he has repeatedly spoken of the need to plan for the Mehdi's imminent return.

Shia believe he went into hiding more than 1,000 years ago but will return to save the world from injustice.

Hassan Rowhani said the 12th Imam himself made it clear that anybody who claimed to have seen him would be a liar.

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Ahmadinejad's personal beliefs are causing dissention in Iran. This episode in Iran's history strengthens my belief that politics and religion should be two separate entities.

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Iran's Racial Comments Toward Israel

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Wednesday to express "outrage" over recent statements by Iranian officials calling for the destruction of Israel.


In the hour-long conversation, Gillerman said it was "outrageous for a member state to use racist, Nazi-like statements against another member state."


In yet another verbal attack against Israel Wednesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the Jewish state a "filthy bacteria" whose sole purpose was to oppress the other nations of the region.


"The world powers established this filthy bacteria, the Zionist regime, which is lashing out at the nations in the region like a wild beast," the Iranian president told supporters at a rally in southern Iran.


Ahmadinejad's remarks followed similar statements last week by Gen. Muhammad Ali Jafari, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, who wrote in a letter to Hizbullah head Hassan Nasrallah that he was convinced "that Hizbullah's might is increasing with every passing day, and that in the near future, we will witness the disappearance of this cancerous growth called Israel."

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Again, Iran is experiencing tension with Israel. Ahmadinejad has been accused of making racial remarks against Israel, which has led to outrage on behalf of the Israeli people.

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Gay Iranian man loses asylum plea

"An Iranian homosexual man who has said he will be executed if he is deported from the Netherlands has had his claim for asylum overturned.

Mehdi Kazemi has said his life is in danger if he is returned to Iran, where he says his boyfriend named him as a partner before being executed. Homosexual acts are illegal in the Islamic republic

Mr Kazemi, 19, said he had travelled to Britain in 2005 to study English, and learned that his lover in Iran had been executed for sodomy, his lawyer Borg Palm said.

After his asylum application was turned down, he fled to the Netherlands in 2006, having narrowly avoided being sent back to Iran.

Mr Kazemi says his life will be in danger not only because he has been named as a homosexual, but also because of the extensive media coverage of his case,."

This controversial case brings homosexuality and Iran into the forefront. Iran's refusal to tolerate homosexuality and the Netherland's refusal to accept Mr. Kazemi's plea will most likely stir up some action from gay activists.

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Israeli PM warns of nuclear threats from Iran, NKorea

"TOKYO (AFP) — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday warned Japan that Iran and North Korea posed a joint threat to the world, accusing Pyongyang of proliferating weapons to the Middle East.

His contention was strongly rejected by Iran, whose ambassador accused him of lumping the two countries together to stir up public opinion in Japan.

Echoing US President George W. Bush, Olmert warned of an "axis of evil," saying it linked North Korea, Iran and Syria, as well as the militant anti-Israeli Islamic movements, Hamas and Hezbollah.

Araghchi, a former senior troubleshooter at Iran's foreign ministry who was appointed to Tokyo this month, said Japan's position was just to "share concerns" about Iran's insistence on enriching uranium.

Olmert on his visit agreed to step up business with Japan, which has invested little in Israel in recent years."

This move by Israel is a cliche of what other western countries have been trying to do to Iran. Although, linking Iran with North Korea in a "axis of evil" is a rather new development. The statement does not seem to carry much alarm since Japan remains neutral on the issue.

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Iran 'targeting' women activists

"Amnesty International has called on Iran to stop persecuting people who campaign for women's rights.

In a new report, Amnesty says women activists have suffered an "acute" backlash since the campaign was launched in August 2006.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has insisted women in his country are treated better than anywhere else.

The so-called Campaign for Equality aims to collect a million signatures for a petition to push for an end to discrimination against women.

But Amnesty says those involved in it have suffered harassment, intimidation and imprisonment. Dozens of women have been arrested."

This move by Amnesty International has brought persecution of women in Iran to an international level. The petition will become one of many events that will eventually create equality for all women in Iran.

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Iranians spar with Israel at UN

"Iran is urging the UN Security Council to stop Israel threatening military action against its nuclear programme.

The highly unusual request was sent by Iran's UN envoy Mohammad Khazaee, to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Mr Khazaee said Israeli threats were unacceptable and unjustifiable, and flagrantly violated international law.

There have been press reports that Israel, which bombed an Iraqi reactor in 1981, has begun planning for a possible raid against Iran.

The Israeli government says it has not ruled out the possibility of using military force if Iran does not scrap its controversial uranium-enrichment programme."

Israel's "threats" towards Iran's nuclear program capture the concerns of the other western countries such as the United States. Iran is very offended by Israel's action and does have a point when it affirms that Israel has no clear evidence that the program is being used for military purposes.

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Israel, a savage animal?

"TEHRAN (AFP) — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday called Israel a "dirty microbe" and "savage animal", as Iran stepped up its rhetoric against the Jewish state after the murder of a top Hezbollah commander.


Ahmadinenjad's latest tirade came a week after the murder in a car bombing in Damascus of Imad Mughnieh, a top Hezbollah commander hailed by Iran as a great martyr who was killed by Israel.


Israel has denied any involvement in his murder although it welcomed the death of Mughnieh, who was on America's most wanted list for a string of anti-Israeli and anti-Western attacks.


He also accused world powers of establishing Israel to create a "scarecrow" to frighten and dominate other nations in the region.


The Iranian president has provoked international outrage by repeatedly predicting that Israel is doomed to disappear. He also courted more controversy by playing down the scale of the Holocaust."


This article continues to show Iran' resentment towards Israel. Though Israel denies any involvement in the death of the Hezbollah commander, Iran still believes that Israel is the culprit or the "savage animal."


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Assessment Complete

Ahmadinejad plans visit to Iraq

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is due in Baghdad next month for the first visit by an Iranian president to Iraq, government officials in Iraq have said. Mr Ahmadinejad is expected to meet Iraq's President Jalal Talabani and PM Nouri Maliki during his two-day visit, which is scheduled to begin on 2 March.

Iraq and Iran were arch-enemies during the rule of Saddam Hussein, but ties have improved since he was overthrown and a Shia-led government came to power. President Talabani and Prime Minister Maliki both visited Tehran last year. The BBC's John Leyne in Tehran says Mr Ahmadinejad's visit, if it goes ahead, will set the seal on reconciliation between Iran the two countries.

These two countrys that have been feuding for many years are now trying to make friendship. Iran and Iraq both have a common tie of the dislike of americans so this could contribute to the bonding of theses nations.

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Burning issue: Should US air strikes be used to stop Iran's nuclear programme?

NO

There are compelling reasons against a preventive air attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.First, in the absence of an imminent threat (and the Iranians are at least several years away from having a nuclear arsenal), the attack would be a unilateral act of war. If undertaken without a formal congressional declaration of war, an attack would be unconstitutional and merit the impeachment of the president. Similarly, if undertaken without the sanction of the United Nations Security Council, either alone by the United States or in complicity with Israel, it would stamp the perpetrator(s) as (an) international outlaw(s).

YES
Louis Rene Beres, professor of political science in the USFurther diplomacy has no chance of stopping Iran's nuclear programme. Neither will UN sanctions have any effect. Unless there is a timely defensive first strike at pertinent elements of Iran's expanding nuclear infrastructures, it will acquire nuclear weapons. The consequences would be intolerable and unprecedented.A nuclear Iran would not resemble any other nuclear power. There could be no stable "balance of terror" involving that Islamic republic. Unlike nuclear threats of the Cold War, which were governed by mutual assumptions of rationality and mutual assured destruction, a world with a nuclear-armed Iran could explode at any moment. Although it might still seem
reasonable to suggest a postponement of pre-emption until Iran were more openly nuclear, the collateral costs of any such delay could be unendurable. Ideally, a diplomatic settlement with Iran could be taken seriously. But in the real world, we must compare the price of prompt pre-emptive action against Iran with the costs of both inaction and delayed military action. To be sure, all available options are apt to be injurious.


This article is just a question that was asked by a blogger wanting to know if the US dosomething about Irans nuclear program. It has both sides of the arguement discussing the pros and cons of attacking Iran.
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Five Web Sites Shut Down During Iranian Elections

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian authorities banned five Web sites that comment on current events for "poisoning" public opinion ahead of the crucial mid-March parliamentary elections, the state radio reported on Thursday.

The move is the latest in an election period which has seen the Interior Ministry, run by hard-liners close to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, disqualify more than 2,000 prospective candidates — most of them reformers.

About 280 of those candidates were reinstated Tuesday by the Guardian Council, Iran's hard-line constitutional watchdog. But reformists have complained the reversal was insufficient to ensure a fair election.

In the past, the authorities have occasionally closed down some of the hundreds of private Web sites that comment on Iranian news and politics. But this was the first time they closed down five at once — a reflection of growing tension ahead of the vote.

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Iranian leaders are trying to minimize propaganda during the elections. Traditional Iranian leaders do not want reformists to expose their plans for Iran, and the reformists feel that the shutting down of the web sites fails "to ensure a fair election."

Iran postpones Iraq talks with US

"Iran has postponed talks with the US on how to end the violence in Iraq, officials announced, a day before the meeting was to be held.

The US accuses Iran of aiding radical Shia groups in Iraq, while Iran blames the violence on US presence in Iraq.

There was no immediate explanation from Tehran for the postponement.

Senior officials from the US and Iran held talks in May, July and August last year in the highest level public contacts between the two countries for 27 years.

But all three meetings ended without progress, and violence in Iraq - while at a lower level than it was in 2006 - continues."

This article shows that Iran is very stubborn when it comes to peace talks with the U.S. and that Iran shows much contempt towrds the U.S. concerning their presence in Iraq. Because Iran is coming to a consensus with the U.S. now, it is very unlikely that it will come to a consensus with the U.S in the future.

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A History of Bad Blood

WASHINGTON - By his own admission, US ambassador John W Limbert's ordeal as a captive during the Iranian hostage crisis began with a monumental failure of negotiation. "




In 1979, somebody thought it would be a good idea to the let the Shah [of Iran] into the US for medical treatment, despite - I must say - the very eloquent and well-stated advice of our charge d'affairs at the time, Bruce Langein, who told Washington in no uncertain terms what he thought about the idea," said Limbert, during a talk at the government-funded think-tank the United States Institute of Peace. He is now charge d'affairs of the American Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan.




Limbert and 51 other US diplomats were held captive for 444 days until their release on January 20, 1981. Since the embassy siege, Iran and the US have remained in a state of "no war, no peace". Enmity and mistrust run deep, with each side accusing the other of past misdeeds. An oft-told Washington joke goes something like this:



Iranian: "Will you guys get over 1979?"


American: "Sure, only if you get over 1953."


Iranian: "Never."



In 1953, the Central Intelligence Agency backed a coup d'etat to oust democratically elected prime minister Mohammad Mossadeq and return the Shah to the Peacock Throne.

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This article discusses the ancient conflict between the United States and Iran. Though the conflict is over 50 years old, little has improved between the two countries.

Iran: Mughniyeh a golden page in mankind's fight against Zionism'

"Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini expressed Iran's "strong condemnation" of the killing of Hizbullah's second in command, Imad Mugniyeh, in Damascus Tuesday.

"This action is a clear result and example of organized state terrorism by the Zionist regime," he said, according to the state news agency IRNA. He called on the world to "prevent the Zionist regime from taking these actions that are a clear violation of international law."

Hosseini praised Moghniyeh, who was believed to have masterminded a string of attacks in the 1980s and 1990s that killed hundreds of Americans and targeted US, Israeli and Jewish interests in Lebanon and elsewhere.

He called Mughniyeh "a golden page in the history of mankind's fight against the aggressive and occupying Zionists." '

This attack against Israel shows Iran shows sympathy towards the Hezbollah militant group. This attack is also a clear example of pro-Islam against pro-Judaism.

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Iran and Zimbabwe Agreements

IRAN is ready for the implementation of all agreements it signed with Zimbabwe, Iranian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Rasoul Momeni has said.


Speaking at the commemoration of Iran's 29th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Harare yesterday, Mr Momeni said some of the agreements included the establishment of the tractor manufacturing plant, the refurbishment of Feruka Oil Refinery and the expansion of Kariba hydro-electric power plant.


In the area of economics, Mr Momeni said so far five Joint Economic Commission sessions had been held, leading to the signing of more than 45 agreements and memoranda of understanding. Mr Momeni said although the two countries enjoyed excellent and satisfactory relations, there existed enormous potential for improvement in the two countries' bilateral relations.

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Iran has signed agreements with Zimbabwe even after weeks of conflict with the United States and other countries. The article states that Iran and Zimbabwe should continue their civil relations and work to cooperate with each other. Will the friendly relationship prevail?