Saturday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 8.20.2005:

Iran’s Agenda for the World

Amir Taheri, Arab News:

When he launched the invasion of Iraq in 2003 President George W. Bush promised to help the greater Middle East, the Muslim heartland from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, to bury a despotic past and build a democratic future. ...

The country generally regarded as most ripe for democracy was Iran. ...

For the past three years, tens of thousands of students have demonstrated throughout Iran demanding “Democracy, Now!”

Last week Iran’s newly elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave his reply: Democracy? Never!

The answer is spelled out in a 7000-word document that Ahmadinejad presented as his government’s “short- and long-term programs” to the Islamic Majlis (Parliament) on Tuesday. READ MORE

A must read! It reminds me of what al qaeda wants, another must read.

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

• Daily Times reported that the UN nuclear agency has concluded that highly enriched uranium particles found in Iran were from imported equipment and not from work in making what can be the raw material for atom bombs.
• IranMania.com reported that the Guardians Council has approved the Majlis bill on resumption of the press jury's activities.
• Khaleej Times said the poker game of European diplomacy with Iran has almost run its course. While no side can claim victory yet.
• The Daily Times reported that the IAEA will meet with Pakistani officials next week as part of its efforts to determine if Iran was using smuggled Pakistani equipment.
• Xinhuanet reported that Iran strongly denied a media report that its top nuclear official had threatened to block Hormuz Strait if its nuclear standoff could not be settled.
• Iran Focus reported that Iran’s police forces have been instructed to use all means, including helicopters, to locate and confiscate privately-owned satellite dishes.
• Iran Focus reported Iran’s new Minister of Justice vowed that “improperly-veiled women” will be treated as if they had no Islamic veil at all.
• The Associated Press reported that the United States is pressuring Kurds to accept demands of majority Shiites and Sunnis on the role of Islam in government in order to reach agreement on a draft constitution.
• Dr. Jerome Corsi, World Net Daily laments: Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji continues hunger strike ... Is anyone watching?
• Roya Hakakian, The Washington Post said the nuclear debate in Iran is eclipsing the most important current headline about Iran. That headline is simply the name of a man: Akbar Ganji.
• The Australian former US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage called for a formal US dialogue with Iran.
• And finally, Reporters Without Borders today hailed a report received from a reliable local source of an improvement in the health of imprisoned journalist Akbar Ganji.