Sunday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 9.18.2005:

EU powers start work on Iran nuclear resolution

Sue Pleming and Paul Taylor, Reuters:

The European Union's three main powers began drafting a resolution on Sunday urging the U.N. nuclear watchdog to report Iran to the Security Council but faced Russian opposition and widespread misgivings among developing countries. ...

"The drafting of a resolution sending Iran to the Security Council has begun," a diplomat from one of the three EU countries, known as the EU3, told Reuters. ...

A senior Bush administration official said that while Washington was working very hard to broaden the consensus for a referral, "We have been willing to consider a simple majority as opposed to a consensus." READ MORE

The IAEA Board will finally hear the EU3 resolution sometime this week.

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

• The NY Times reported North Korea has pledged to give up its nuclear weapons program.
• Rooz Online reported that Ahmadinejad, Iran's hardline president left New York last night for Tehran.
• Iranian blogger, Mehrdad Sheibani, Rooz Online reported that the new head of the Islamic Republic News Agency apparently thinks the Soviet Union still exists.
• Iranian.ws reported that Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi, Iran's Minister of Science, Research and Technology, said he is opposed to political extremism in universities.
• Iran Focus reported that an Iranian man was hanged in Ahwaz and another in Tehran.
• Chanan Tigay, JTA News reported that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warned the world: Wake up, the world is facing a serious threat in Iran.
• David Gollust, Voice of America reported that the United States called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's a United Nations speech very aggressive.
• Adam Zagorin, Time Magazine warns that Iran is preparing to use oil as a weapon if the EU3 refer Iran to the UN Security Council.
• Kuwait News Agency reported that French Foreign Minister Philipppe Douste-Blazy said referring the Iranian nuclear file to the Security Council is still on the agenda.
• BBC News reported that UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Ahmadinejad's speech was disappointing.
• The Observer reported that Iran invited private firms to join its nuclear program, further escalating tensions with the West.
• UN.org published Ahmadinejad Saturday's UN Speech. The entire video of the speech can be viewed here.
• And finally, Rooz Online published another cartoon: Target Iran.