Monday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 5.2.2005:

Why are Iran's fundamentalists still in power?

Iranian.com:

Recent surveys inside of Iran provide insight into the Iranian mind: For instance:

• 86 percent of Iran's youth say that they do not perform the obligatory daily Islamic prayer.
• 6 percent of the students said that they support the hardliners
  
• 4 percent said they support the reformists
  
• 5 percent said they support the return of the former monarchy
• 85 percent of the students said that they would support the establishment of a secular and democratic republic.

The article speculates on what may trigger the people to bring down the regime. READ MORE

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

• Reuters reports on the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty convention convening in New York tomorrow.
• Daily Times reports that Syria announced plans to restore diplomatic relations with Iraq after more than two decades.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reports that among Iran's Presidential candidates, one drops out and to join in.
• Bonewslife.com reports that the trial of Christian convert Hamid Pourmand has been postponed after reports of the trail were leaked to the press.
• Mehr News Agency reports that the head of Statoil office in Iran said that the Norwegian government does not attach importance to U.S. sanctions.
• WorldNetDaily.com reports that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the U.S. "arrogant," "rude" and said the U.S, "deserved a punch in the mouth."
• The Washington Post reports that U.S. Secretary of State Condolezza Rice will give a major address with "very tough language" later today at the international conference reviewing the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
• Reuters reported that hardline Iranian politicians called on the government on Sunday to sever diplomatic ties with UK over a rumor.
• The Times UK reports Iran's uranium work to restart ‘in days,’ Plus: the writer gets it wrong on Ledeen.
• And finally, Cox and Forkum provide another cartoon: Nuke-Go-Round.