Saturday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 7.30.2005:

Iran demands EU make nuclear offer by August 1

Reuters:

Iran demanded on Saturday that the European Union submit proposals in a dispute over its nuclear program by August 1 rather than take a week longer. ...

Ali Aghamohammadi, a spokesman for the Supreme National Security Council, said the parties had originally agreed an August 1 deadline, and that ambassadors for the "EU Three" had asked for this to be extended by six days.

"We reject any delay. We are expecting their proposals to be submitted on August 1 and it should meet Iran's minimum expectations," he told Reuters. READ MORE

Iran's leaders have already prepared a major statement to be release August 1st on their nuclear program. Monday will be a major news day on Iran.

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

• The New York Times reported that Iran's incoming conservative president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is planning to address the United Nations General Assembly in September.
• The LA Times lamented that Iran's media is ignoring Akbar Ganji who is close to death after nearly 50 days on a hunger strike, saying the press in Iran is too intimidated. Actually they are were banned from publishing news on Ganji.
• Baku Today reported that 300 Kurdish activists staged a sit-in outside the governor’s office in Iran’s western province of Kurdistan.
• Reuters reported that a UN report said that Iran is denying basic amenities to its ethnic and religious minorities and in some cases confiscating their land.
• Iran Focus: an MEK website, reported that an officer in Iran’s armed forces and an Iranian soldier were arrested in Iraq.
• Iran Focus: an MEK website, reported that the newly appointed head of Iran’s police, announced that members of the Bassij were authorised to assist the police in cracking down on dissent.
• The Guardian asked Is the mood in Iran fearful or defiant? Their reporter met with hardline clerics, Tehran liberals, mosque-goers, workers and the near-destitute - and finds surprising resonances with their superpower enemy.
• MEMRI reported that Iranian President-Elect, Ahmadinejad, said Is there art that is more beautiful, more divine, and more eternal than the art of martyrdom? ... Have no doubt... Allah willing, Islam will conquer what? It will conquer all the mountain tops of the world.
• Jamie Glazov, FrontPageMag published a panel discussion on the coming U.S. showdown with Iran.
• Eli Lake, The NY Sun reported that Rafsanjani asked for a pardon for Akbar Ganji.
• SMCCDI reported that the unrest is continuing in several northwestern cities of Iran located in the Kurdistan and W. Azarbaijan provinces.
• Yahoo News reported that Iran's highest profile political prisoner, journalist Akbar Ganji, and the hardline judiciary escalated on the 50th day of his hunger strike, with fears he may not live much longer.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that the Center for Advocates of Human Rights on Saturday protested to the Judiciary against arrest warrant the body issued for lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani, attorney for Ganji and the Kazemi family.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that President Mohammad Khatami referred to Rafsanjani as being among the great assets of the Islamic Revolution.
• Iranian.ws reported that Judiciary chief mullah Shahroudi said that the recent statements by Akbar Ganji have brought further problems to his case.
• Voice of America News reported that Iran has rejected as "unfounded" U.S. accusations linking President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the 1979 take-over of the U.S. embassy in Tehran.
• Akbar Ganji, Free Ganji published a letter to Dr. Abdolkarim Soroush, an English translation.
• Michael Fumento, Townhall.com argues that the mainstream media suppress Iraq optimism.
• Amir Taheri, Aawsat explains why terrorism cannot win.
• Dr. Corsi, WorldNetDaily reported that Kurds in Iran's western city of Mahabad are rioting providing horrifying evidence of mullahs' rule of terror.
• ESISC.org reports that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad practices the Takiya, the art of institutionalizes lying, is second nature to the rulers of Iran.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Iran's Defense Minister Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani stressed Iran's readiness to confront military attacks.
• And finally, Photos of a gathering around Ganji's home and a poem by DoctorZin: Silence.