Friday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 5.6.2005:

Iran Ready to Accelerate Nuclear Activities

AFX UK Focus:

Iran is ready to accelerate its nuclear activities if agreement is not reached quickly with the European Union over the Islamic republic's controversial nuclear programme, a chief negotiator said Friday.

"A long-term suspension or an end (to uranium enrichment) is stupid, bad and irrational," Syrus Nasseri was quoted as saying by student news agency ISNA. ...
If negotiators from Britain, France and Germany "use threats, the response in terms of threats is perfectly ready", said Nasseri.

"If we see that an agreement with the European three is not possible, we will accelerate our (nuclear) activities." ... READ MORE

Here are a few other news items you may have missed.

• Iran Focus Special Report – Part 1 reports that Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) is ranked by experts as one of the largest and most active intelligence agencies in the Middle East, has masterminded 450 acts of terrorism throughout the world.
• Tehran Times reports Iranian nuclear negotiator Sirus Naseri said that Iran will not compensate for Europe’s political weakness.
• The Times UK reports now is the time for the Foreign Office to decide how best to help dissidents in Iran.
• The Financial Times discusses the Bush administration offer of money to groups and individuals working for democracy and human rights inside the Islamic republic.
• Washington Times gives three reasons why the EU3/Iran nuclear negotiations are fraught with peril.
• The Telegraph UK reports that Iran has offered to save 20,000 UK jobs in deal to ease nuclear pressure.
• Washington Post reports that Iran has not made any decision to restart its nuclear program, adding that they do not want to jeopardize key negotiations.
• And finally, a Mullah Convention photo-op?