Friday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 8.5.2005:

Iran Rejects EU Nuclear Plan

CBS:

Iran on Saturday rejected Europe's proposal for ending the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program, calling the package "unacceptable" and not up to Tehran's "minimum expectations." Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said the government would send its official rejection to the Europeans later Saturday or Sunday. READ MORE

Iran Press News reported that Ayatollah Jannati, the Director of the Guardian Council, said: "We have said, from the very beginning of the discussions with the Europeans that they're duplicitous and conmen. It was evident from the outset that these talks with these 3 Europeans would not lead anywhere..."

So finally, the game is over. Next stop is the IAEA on Tuesday and then, most likely, on to the UN Security Council. Here is a summary of the EU3 proposal.

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

• The Washington Post reported that the Bush administration expressed support for a proposal by European negotiators designed to ensure that Iran's nuclear activities will not lead to its development of nuclear weapons.
• The New York Times reported that European negotiators have prepared a sweeping proposal that raises the possibility of Iran acquiring nuclear reactors and fuel, and of achieving a full political and economic relationship with the West.
• Deutsche Welle reported that European diplomats have asked for an emergency meeting of the UN atomic agency next Tuesday, in order to keep pressure on Iran not to resume sensitive nuclear fuel cycle work.
• IranMania reported that Canada threatened to introduce a UN resolution on Iran's human rights record.
• Iran Press News reported that Iranian Commander Saffari, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's Navy said "If the Americans and Europeans are not judicious and act disrespectfully, overstepping their boundaries, 'the people' wouldn’t for a moment, hesitate to chop off that [overstepping] leg..."
• Iran Press News reported that student leader/political prisoner Manouchehr Mohammadi who along with his brother Akbar have been on a hunger strike inside Evin prison in Tehran. Photo.
• NBC News reported American soldiers intercepted a large shipment of high explosives, smuggled into northeastern Iraq from Iran only last week. Intelligence officials believe the high-explosives were shipped into Iraq by the Iranian Revolutionary guard or the terrorist group Hezbollah.
• The Washington Post reported that eight Nobel laureates appealed to the Iranian government yesterday for Ganji's immediate and unconditional release.
• Kira Zalan blog asked, Is there an Iran crisis?
• Iranian bloggers and news sources reported that a group took full responsibility of murder of the judge who was shot a few days ago in Tehran, saying they killed the judge because he has been killing and torturing political prisoners.
• Amnesty International released a public statement calling on Iran's new President, Mahmoud Ahmadinezhad, should make human rights a top priority.
• Reza Pahlavi published a letter to Kofi Annan to act on behalf of Iranian political prisoners.
• The Financial Times reported that the Bush administration is considering denying a visa to Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, Iran's new elected conservative president from addressing the United Nations.
• International Crisis Group on Iran published a report on, What Does Ahmadi-Nejad's Victory Mean?
• And finally, a photo and report from Iran Press News of Iranian helicopters firing on protestors.