Posted on 08/26/2005 9:57:15 AM PDT by DoctorZIn
Top News Story
EU powers still want Iran nuclear talks - France
By Paul Carrel
PARIS (Reuters) - European powers are still keen to talk to Iran about its sensitive nuclear programme despite calling off an Aug 31. negotiating meeting, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said on Wednesday.
Britain, France and Germany have called off next week's negotiations on proposals they made to Iran earlier this month because Tehran has resumed some nuclear work in breach of a promise to freeze it while talks lasted, France said on Tuesday.
Douste-Blazy said the trio, acting on behalf of the European Union, were not slamming the door on Iran, which the West suspects may be taking the preliminary steps towards making atomic weapons.
"We are suspending the negotiations," he told France Inter radio. "But at the same time, we think it is still possible to talk to them ... There is no reason to close the door on Iran."
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, has called on Iran to halt sensitive atomic work and its head Mohamed ElBaradei is to report on Iran's activities on September 3.
"Until the last minute, we hope to be able to talk to them," Douste-Blazy said. "If they don't want to, if they decide to take nuclear (steps) for military reasons, we will know on September 3 because Mr ElBaradei ... will give us his report."
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told the official IRNA news agency that Tehran also wanted to keep talking, but would not end its nuclear work.
"Iran has announced from the outset that it seeks the settlement of the issue through negotiations," he said.
"By negotiation, Iran does not mean simply holding talks. We still believe negotiations should restore and guarantee Iran's right to have access to peaceful nuclear technology."
If Iran continues to defy international pressure, Europe and the United States are likely to press the IAEA to refer Iran's case to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.
The EU and the United States suspect Iran of secretly trying to build nuclear weapons. Iran says it wants nuclear technology only to cope with booming electricity demand, not to make nuclear bombs.
Earlier this month the EU trio offered Tehran a package of economic, technical and political incentives in exchange for a permanent suspension of Iranian efforts to make its own nuclear fuel.
Iran rejected the proposals, which also envisaged holding the August 31 talks, and angered the European Union and the United States by resuming uranium conversion at its Isfahan plant on August 8.
A senior Iranian negotiator said on Tuesday the decision to restart Isfahan would not be reversed but Iran was open to talks with the EU on resuming the most sensitive part of the nuclear fuel cycle -- uranium enrichment -- at its facility in Natanz.
DoctorZin Note:
The Europeans are caving in again. But the Europeans know that this is just a stalling technique.
Recently, Iranian chief negotiator on nuclear affairs, and member of the Iranian Supreme Council for National Security Hosein Musavian said:thanks to the negotiations with Europe we gained another year, in which we completed (the UCF) in Esfahan.
- Rooz Online reported that Ali Afshari, a leading member of Iran's largest student organization, will not have an open court hearing since there are currently no laws defining political rights.
- Iranian.ws reported that Iran is preparing to spend billions more on missile warfare.
- Al Jazeera reported that Iran's conservative-controlled parliament has rejected new President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's nominee for the oil ministry, Ali Saidloo, as well as three other proposed cabinet members.
- Reuters reported that the United States remains concerned about Iran's nuclear program saying: the contamination issue was one part of this overall set of questions that not just the United States has, but the rest of the world has about Iran's nuclear program.
- The Associated Press reported that Iran will soon offer new proposals for negotiations with Europe.
- DEBKAfile reported that Iran’s new defense minister, Mostafa Mohammad-Najar, brigadier general in the Revolutionary Guards, has packed a lurid, blood-spattered biography into his 49 years. A profile.
- BBC News reported that the United States has criticised an independent investigation which found no evidence that Iran was working on a secret nuclear weapons program.
- Science Daily reported that Iran snubbed the EU3's precondition to halt its nuclear programs prior to a resumption of talks.
- The Christian Science Monitor reported on Iran's influence on the Afghan Hazaras as they prepare for the next elections in Afghanistan.
- Iran Focus reported that the commander of Iran’s “Lovers of Martyrdom Garrison”, a general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) – vowed that his suicide volunteers will destroy United States’ interests all over the world in retaliation to any attempt by the U.S. to hit Iran’s nuclear installations.
- SMCCDI reported on the mass arrest of Iranian women have increased for the non-observance of Islamist veil.
- SMCCDI reported Iran's new Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, is a notorious Islamist terrorist, known for his involvement in the murder of several dissidents in Turkey.
- SMCCDI reported an Iranian dissident Kurd was murdered in the Swedish City of Lindsborg. The victim's name is Kaveh Zare-i aged 25. The spread of this news has increased the fear among many Iranian opponents.
- Sean Penn, The San Francisco Chronicle, Part Three of his series on Iran. A meeting with the grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini: Hassan Khomeini.
- Patrick Devenny, FrontPageMagazine.com argues that the new Iranian government is its most radical.
- And finally, Photos prove that Iran's hardline students are learning to spell.
"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail DoctorZin
Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!
"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail DoctorZin”
"Hardline Students Learn to Spell "
Lol
I guess the EU folks dont know how ridiculous they look onntheir knees in front of Iran.
http://www.iranian.com/Arts/2005/August/Yousefi/1.html
A pictorial link... Enjoy!
Why is Sean Penn in Iran?
No body really knows that! ;-)
Two things that don't go togeather, France and Power. Two things that do go togeather, France and Whine.
Its hard to say. I guess he thought he got some good press when he went to Iraq so he decided to go to Iran. It amazes me how a kid like Sean can force himself into believing he is relevent. He hasnt got a clue.
He was supposedly there to 'cover' the election in June.
Seeing as how he didn't do that very well, the Chronicle didn't publish his 'report' until now.
Yup, it's confusing.
To make it more confusing, sometimes Hossein is spelled Hussein. ;~ )
To read today’s thread click here.
Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!
"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail DoctorZin”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.