Thursday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 9.1.2005:

Iranian President Gets Terror Law Exception

World News Tonight, ABC News:

State Department says Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a terrorist, but will grant him a visa anyway, ABC News has learned.

The State Department has issued a legal finding that Ahmadinejad is ineligible for a U.S. visa because of section 212(a)3(b) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, which says anyone with terrorist ties cannot be granted a visa.

But U.S. officials have decided to waive section 212, so that Ahmadinejad can get a limited visa to attend the United Nations General Assembly, which begins on Sept. 12. A senior State Department official tells ABC News the waiver will be granted because of the limited nature of his visit. Ahmadinejad won't be allowed to travel more than 25 miles beyond U.N. headquarters in New York City.

Furthermore, denying a visa to a head of state would violate the agreement that put the U.N. headquarters in New York. READ MORE

According to WorldNetDaily, U.S. "investigators" never bothered to interview any of the former hostages who made the charges against Ahmadinejad.

What is he planning to say at the UN? Rooz Online says Ahmadinejad wants to propose the "International Year of Human Kindness".

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

• Iran Press News reported that Akbar Ganji's wife is once again concerned for her husband physical health and that her husband has been barred from receiving visitors.
• Iran Press News reported on a proposal in Iran's parliament to fine women who are charged with improper veiling.
• Iran Press News reported that Iranian citizens clashed with disciplinary forces in Sardasht, Province of Azerbaijan.
• Iran Press News reported Iran's central bank has announced that the total foreign debt in 2004 hit the $40 Billion mark.
• SMCCDI reported that two more militiamen have been killed in the last two days in the provincial cities of Zabol and Sari.
• Francois Murphy, Reuters reported that Iran obtained from China a substantial amount of a metal that can also be used in an atomic bomb.
• Daniel J. Gallington, The Washington Times anticipates elements to our evolving policy toward Iran's nuclear weapons program.
• Reuters reported that the IAEA's report is expected to confirm Iran has resumed sensitive nuclear work and is not convinced Iran's atomic ambitions are peaceful.
• The Associated Press reported the Bush administration is trying to rally other nations to agree to impose U.N. sanctions on Iran.
• Albawaba reported that Ahmadinejad is planning to appeal to US-Iranian citizens in his upcoming appearance before the United Nations’ General Assembly in New York in September.
• The Heritage Foundation argued that Iran is simply too radical, unstable, and contemptuous of both international law and basic standards of decency to be allowed into the nuclear club.
• Reuters reported that Iran has put on display for the first time what art experts say is the most important collection of modern Western art outside Europe and the United States.
• And finally, Patrick Devenny, FrontPageMagazine.com exposed Amnesty Internationals half hearted concern for Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji.