Friday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 7.1.2005:

Iran Talks Likely to Fail, Say EU Diplomats

Daniel Dombey, The Financial Times:

European diplomats are preparing for a breakdown of their negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme in a sign of mounting pessimism following the election last week of conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad. Although Britain, France and Germany still intend to keep their promise to put forward new compromise proposals to Iran by the beginning of August, some of the countries' diplomats now have little expectation that any deal will be accepted by Tehran.

The focus of efforts by the so-called "EU3" will be to win the ensuing "blame game" should the talks collapse. A priority will be to put forward proposals that go just far enough in meeting Tehran's concerns that they will allow Iran to be blamed if they are rejected. READ MORE

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

• The Associated Press reported that President Bush said the allegation by former hostages raises many questions.
• FreeGanji.blogspot.com published a translation of Ganji's most recent letter since he has returned to prison.
• Yahoo News reported that Iran's most prominent jailed dissident, journalist Akbar Ganji, is still on a hunger strike and his health is deteriorating rapidly.
• Voice of America reported Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the people of the Middle East are at a "moment of transformation" which is very fragile, and still has committed enemies, particularly the government of Iran.
• Spiegel reported that Ahmadinejad has been accused of being involved in the 1980 American hostage crisis. Former hostage David Roeder,the former Assistant Air Force Attache said that, he threatened to kidnap his son and cut off his fingers and toes. "You don't forget someone like that.
• Eli Lake, NY Sun reported that a new book alleges that the CIA was warned of a plot to attack New York and Washington by a walk-in Iranian defector a month and a half before September 11, 2001, but the potentially valuable informant was turned away.
• RTBF Radio 1 reported a meeting with an Iranian parliamentary delegation at the Belgian Senate planned for today has been cancelled, as was a dinner at the House. The reason is the refusal of the president of the Iranian assembly to shake hands with a woman,
• Radio Free Europe said that an analysis of the election results reveal what appear to be glaring irregularities and raises questions.
• Iranian blogger, Mr.Bedhi said, Rumours are everywhere anticipating the upcoming retreat to the atmosphere of early revolution.
• SMCCDI published a Public Letter for the attention of G-8 summit in Scotland.
• The Associated Press reported the White House said it is taking seriously the allegations of some former American hostages.
• Yahoo! News reported Ahmadinejad hailed his election triumph as a new Islamic revolution that could spread throughout the world.
• The Financial Times reported the US is threatening severe financial penalties against any foreign companies or individuals that do business with the government agency that operates Iran's civilian nuclear program.
• Reuters reported a lunch meeting between a leading parliamentarian in Belgium and counterparts from Iran has been cancelled because the beer-loving Belgian could not stomach a ban on alcohol.
• The Guardian reported that five former American hostages say Iran's new leader was a captor.
• And finally, another cartoon from Cox and Forkum: Hostage.