Week in Review

DoctorZin provides a review of this past week's [5/8-5/14] major news events regarding Iran.

Iran's Presidential Elections:

• The Times UK reported that the "Wily Shark[Rafsanjani] Resurfaces for Another Bite at Iran Presidency." Plus overlooked statements of Rafsanjani.
• The Guardian UK reported that Iranians may have to hold their noses when they go to the polls.
• The LA Times reported that Iran works to get out the vote, but the disillusioned aren't biting.
• MPG reported American/Iranian Hooshang Amirahmadi is leaving the U.S. for Iran to register as a candidate in Islamic Republic's upcoming presidential elections.
• Iran Mania reported that an Iranian Presidential candidate, Mehdi Karroubi, was forced to cut short a speech when participants started to shout "“It’s a lie"“ when Karroubi repeated his pledge to pay those that vote in the coming election.
• The Washington Institute reported Iran appears to be fomenting a crisis over its nuclear program as the campaign for the June 17 presidential elections gets underway.

The EU3 Negotiations with Iran:

Saturday -

• The Financial Times reported that Iranian and European officials are trying to arrange a high-level ministerial meeting in the hope of defusing the crisis.
• The Economist reported that Iran's threat to restart its uranium enrichment is no longer a threat, it is now a promise. READ MORE
  

Friday -

• The Guardian UK reported that Iran may postpone resumption of uranium reprocessing.
• Agence France-Presse reported that Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Iran would be able to produce a nuclear bomb in "six to nine months time".
• VOA News reported that White House, spokesman Scott McClellan said "The Europeans have made it clear that they support referring Iran to the Security Council if Iran breaks the agreement and starts some of those nuclear activities again. And that has been our position as well."
• Ha'aretz reported that some Israelis say there is no need for economic sanctions. Instead suggesting forbidding Iranian planes to land in the West, depriving its diplomats of visas, limiting visits by delegations.
• BBC News reported that Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has urged Iran to "think again" about plans to resume uranium enrichment activities.
• Xinhua News Agency reported that French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier on Thursday urged Iran not to resume uranium. "We continue to hope that Iran will not take this step, the consequences of which it is well aware."
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Hans Blix, expressed doubts if anything will be achieved by taking Iran to the UN.

Thursday -

• Tehran Times reported that Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Hassan Rowhani said,"Gaining access to nuclear technology is a national demand and therefore no government in Iran is able to forgo this right."
• The Financial Times claimed the Bush administration is reassessing its options with Iran over the nuclear crisis.
• CNN reported British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he would support Iran being referred to the U.N. Security Council if Tehran breached its nuclear obligations.

Wednesday -

• Reuters reported that Iran is expected to notify the United Nations by the end of the week that it is resuming sensitive nuclear work.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Rafsanjani said the best strategy is continuation of Iran-EU3 talks.
• Tehran Times reported that Iran has dismissed as "propaganda" the threat of being hauled before the United Nations Security Council.

Tuesday -

• Reuters reported that France urged Iran on Tuesday not to carry out a threat to resume uranium enrichment-related activities.
• The Financial Times reported that Senior British officials warned last night that talks with Iran over its nuclear ambitions were on the point of collapse.

Monday -

• The Scotsman reported Iran confirmed for the first time today it converted 37 tons of raw uranium into gas... before it suspended all such activities in November under international pressure.
• Dow Jones Newswires reported that Iranian hard-liners called for an end to nuclear negotiations with European powers.

Last Sunday -

• The Daily Times reported that Iran threatened again to break off negotiations with the European Union.

Iran's trouble making outside of Iran:

• The Associated Press reported that more than 200 young men and women presented themselves Thursday as volunteers to carry out suicide bomb attacks against Americans.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that an IRGC chief says Muslims are 'biggest problem' of US.

Iran's military:

• The NY Sun claimed Iran has a secret parallel military program to produce nuclear weapons.
• Dow Jones Newswires reported that Iran Tuesday officially launched the production of its first locally built submarine.

Iran's Economy:

• The Gulf Times reported that Iran will shift its domestic economy to gas, and save oil for exports.
• The Economist reported on how Iranian conservatives' xenophobia is deterring investors.
• Agence France Presse reported that India will not be deterred by U.S. opposition to a multi-billion dollar gas pipeline from Iran through Pakistan.
• BBC News reported that Iran's car-makers are no longer in the running for stricken UK group MG Rover.

US Policy and Iran:

• The Jerusalem Post reported that as Iran appears to move closer to resuming nuclear activities, support has been quietly building in Congress for new US sanctions.
• United Press International reported U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterated Tuesday the United States had no intention of using force against Iran.

Rumors of War:

• The Washington Post asked in response to Iran's threatening to restart its suspended uranium enrichment program, "Does the United States -- or Israel -- have a military option?"
• Ha'aretz asked, "When will Iran reach the point of no return?"

Human Rights/Freedom of the press inside of Iran:

• The Pennisula reported that Iran has freed a leading political prisoner jailed for publishing a survey suggesting Iranians favoured resuming dialogue with the United States.
• Reporters Without Borders voiced concern about a court summons received by journalist Emadoldin Baghi, who has already been imprisoned several times.
• International Confederation of Free Trade Unions reported that the an automobile factory worker was arrested and has been missing since 12 April 2005, as well as an attack on premises of a Union.
• Channel NewsAsia reported that women in Iran are calling for more equal exercise opportunities to be on par with the Iranian men.
  

Popular struggle for freedom inside of Iran:

• Inter Press Service reported that in Iran, at least 50 people were killed during week-long protests.
• Adnkronos International reported Iranian students staged sit-in protests at university campuses in Tehran.
• IranMania reported that two of Iran's most senior dissident pro-reform Shiite clerics have hit out at the Islamic regime.
• Sun-Sentinel reported how in Iran, a close shave connected an American traveler to people eager for answers about U.S.

Popular struggle for freedom outside of Iran:

• Forward complained that the story of the Iranian people's daily struggles is increasingly buried by the media.
• Iran va Jahan argued that for Iran, regime change is the only option.
• Tech Central Station discussed "How the West Can Win Iran." Supporting the people of Iran.

Iran and the world community:

• Payvand News reported that Iraq's new President Jalal Talabani heaped flattering praise on Iran, saying the Iraqis feel indebted to its eastern neighbor.

Strange Reporting:

• The Guardian UK believes that an imagined U.S. war against Iran is a greater threat to world security than a nuclear Iran.
• FrontPageMag.com published as report, "A Third Option for Iran" which suggested the MEK wants U.S. to help them take over the Iranian government and let them lead "for six months." Dan Darling of Winds of Change.net weighed in on this report.
• MSNBC asked "Can 'Terrorists' Be Turned Into Allies?" The MEK PR campaign continues.

And finally, The Quote of the Week:

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said:

"The capitalists have forged dominance over the mass media and the press and there is no real democracy in the Western states."