A Daily Briefing on Iran: Wednesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 9.28.2005:

Russia in a Hurry to Sell Weapons to Iran

Russia is intensifying efforts to sell weapons to Iran while such sales remain legal amid mounting pressure on the Islamic state over its controversial nuclear program, the daily Kommersant said on Monday.

Moscow “has stepped up military-technological cooperation with Tehran,” the business daily said, citing an unidentified source. ...

“Firstly, as many weapons as possible must be sold to Iran before an international embargo against this country comes into force.”

Secondly, should the United States decide to go to war in Iran, Russia wants Iran to be well-armed to ensure that U.S. forces become at least as bogged down there as they already are in Iraq, the daily said.

“In either case, such a policy carries a high risk of creating a major international scandal, at the very least,” the newspaper commented. ...

“The United States no longer even hides the fact that, in parallel with diplomacy at the IAEA, it is making preparations to resolve the conflict by force,” Kommersant said. READ MORE

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

Sherrie Gossett, Assyrian International News Agency reported that Al Qaeda plans a series of spectacular terrorist strikes in October. A chilling read.
Ray Takeyh, The Financial Times reported many in the US and European capitals seem to think that a mere invocation of threats and tentative IAEA resolutions will cause Iran to capitulate and but he argues this is a gross misreading of Iran’s newly inaugurated government.
Michael Barone, The Washington Times reminds us that despite the bad news in the media we need to keep the big picture in focus saying: Mr. Bush was right - Muslims and Arabs, like people everywhere, want liberty and self-rule.
Winston, The Spirit of Man reported that the head of religious school of clerics in Qom has sent an appreciation letter to Ahmadinejad saying: The speeches of Pres. Ahmadinejad had the original message of the Islamic Revolution which meant to draw attention of people around the world to the readiness of mankind for the presence of the 12th Imam of Shiites ...
Reuters reported that Iran's parliament voted to speed discussion of a bill that would force the government to scale back its cooperation with the U.N. atomic watchdog.
The Christian Science Monitor argued that the EU can do more to block an Iranian bomb.
BBC News reported that India says Iran has given no indication that it is reviewing ties after Delhi's support for Iran's nuclear programme to be referred to the United Nations. The denial followed reports that Iran had scrapped a $22bn gas deal with India.
Dow Jones Newswires reported once again that the U.K.'s Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said that military action against Iran was inconceivable.
The Wall Street Journal reported why the Iranians aren't worried by their escalation of the nuclear crisis?
The Jerusalem Post reported that Russia's minister of atomic energy said Iran does not have the immediate capacity to enrich uranium, despite warning it may do so.
Shirin Ebadi, Rooz Online argued that woman's rights are the foundation of human rights and values.
Rooz Online reported that many within the Iranian government and its hardline supporters outside have not yet reached a consensus on how to deal with the IAEA’s warning to Iran.
Iranian blogger, Hamid Ahadi, Rooz Online reported that while the president and his cabinet are busy making changes, major changes are also under way in the judiciary, the armed forces, and the national TV network. They add: conditions are set for the departure of Saeed Mortazavi, the notorious prosecutor of Tehran.
Iranian blogger, Soheyl Asefi, Rooz Online in an interview with cleric Dr Tey Hashemi, considered a moderate among the Majlis (Parliament) hardliners, Tey said: It is possible that the new government here may become active to have a direct dialogue with the Americans, and begin talks with them.
And finally, Rooz Online published another cartoon: Larijani headed for battle.