Wednesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 5.25.2005:

EU Promises Iran New Offer on Nuclear Dispute

Reuters:

The European Union will offer Iran a detailed proposal by the end of July on how to resolve their differences over Tehran's nuclear program, Iran's chief negotiator Hassan Rohani said on Wednesday.

At the end of three hours of talks in Geneva...

"We believe that we could reach a reasonable agreement within a reasonably short time," he said, adding Iranian negotiators would be reporting back to the Tehran government on the EU offer.

In return, Iran gave guarantees in the meeting with the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany that it would stick by an accord not to resume sensitive nuclear activities.

"We will remain committed to all our promises," Rohani said. ...

The Iranians just bought more time. Time is running out.

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

• The Financial Times reports that contrary to the popular images of Mr Rafsanjani as president was far from successful.
• Washington Post reports that European officials who met with Iranian negotiators yesterday to discuss the country's nuclear program went further than the Bush administration had wanted.
• The Scotsman reports that the EU3's diplomatic approach to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions appear to be moving toward turning their carrot into a stick. But they worry, in such a scenario is a big negative: still higher petrol prices at the pump.
• Financial Times reports that the US warned European ministers yesterday to stand firm in negotiations with Iran.
• Reuters reports that the United States and four other nuclear weapons states are making progress on a joint statement that includes language on Iran and the NPT.
• NY Times reports that former Iranian president and candidate Rafsanjani cloaks himself in the trappings of a reformist.
• Iranian.ws reports that an MP from Tabriz whose presidential nomination was disqualified by the Guardians Council threatened to expose the council's wrongdoing.
• Iran Press Service reports that the intervention of Iran's leader in favour of two reformist candidates disqualified by the Council of the Guardians proves that elections in Iran are not free.
• And finally, Human Rights Watch said the Iranian judiciary continues to delay investigations into the role of its agents in the death of Canadian-Iranian photojournalist, Zahra Kazemi.