Wednesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 10.5.2005:

UK accuses Iran over killings of British soldiers

The Guardian UK:

Britain and Iran clashed openly last night after a senior British official directly accused Tehran of supplying Iraqi insurgents with sophisticated roadside bombs that have killed eight British soldiers and two security guards since May. The bombs, triggered when an infra-red beam is touched, have created havoc among British forces in southern Iraq. They release a projectile capable of penetrating armoured vehicles against which the British army has virtually no defense. ...

The British official said the bombs were designed and manufactured by the Tehran-backed guerrilla group Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, and were channeled to Iraq via Iran. "Iran's motives certainly don't seem that benign. If Iran wants to tie down the coalition in Iraq, then that is consistent with supplying insurgent groups."

He said Iran was providing help not only to their co-religionist Shia insurgents but to Sunni insurgents too. "There is some evidence that Iranians are in contact with Sunni groups." ...

He specifically blamed the smuggling of the bombs to Iraq on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a military organization which has traditionally directed Iran's links with insurgent groups in the Arab world and which is answerable to Iran's highest executive body, the national security council. It is chaired by Mr Ahmadinejad, a former commander of the IRGC who replaced the moderate, pro-western former president, Mohammad Khatami. READ MORE

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

• Iran Press News reported on the first day of the trial of the Azadi Stadium defendants. The incident which took place on March 26th, 2005, after the end of the Iran/Japan Football (Soccer) match lead to the death of 7 spectators.
• Iran Press News reported that after 9 months of non-receipt of their wages, 620 mine workers intensified their protests against Sangrood Mines.
• Iran Press News reported that multi-national corporations investing in Iran will no longer be insured.
• Iran Press News reported that the governent is warning there will be a serious lack of fuel this winter in Iran, affecting power plants.
• Iran Press News reported on the 3rd day of a sit-in by Fine Arts students protesting the issuance of suspension of two university terms of two of the fellow classmates.
• Iran Press News reported a computer game company has designed a new game entitled "Attack the Rule of the Mullahs."
• Iran Press News reported that Massoumeh Babapour, a woman journalist, who disappeared on Monday, has been found, left for dead by her kidnappers having been stabbed 9 times.
• Iran Press News reported that a branch of the revolutionary court in the town of Sanandadj has issued a bail agreement in the amount of $10,000 each for two journalists.
• The Telegraph UK reported that a British diplomat detailed how Iran's Revolutionary Guards were helping to arm not only their Shia co-religionists but also the Sunni extremists who are killing ordinary Shias.
• India Express reported that South Africa has put forth a proposal to end the standoff with Iran on their nuclear program.
• BBC News reported that talks between Iranian and Saudi Arabian officials been postponed.
• Yahoo News reported that Iran's new uncompromising stance over their nuclear program is worrying some Iranian officials and leading to overt criticism.
• IranMania reported that Turkey stopped the flow of natural gas from neighboring Iran after an explosion.
• Reuters reported that Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew said they will put forward a resolution in the United Nations shortly accusing Iran of human rights violations. Faster please.
• Interactive Investor reported that one of Iran's most prominent diplomats, Mohammad Javad Zarif, has resigned as a member of the country's nuclear negotiating team.
• Lebanese Lobby reported that a well known minister in the Turkish parliament revealed that Steven Hadley, the American National Security advisor reported to the Turkish officials in his latest visit to Ankara, that Washington wants to use the "Angelink"” air base, in its operations to get rid of the Syrian regime. Hmmmm.
• Arash Motamed, Rooz Online provided valuable insight into Iranian thought on their current nuclear crises. I recommend it.
• Farnaz Ghazizadeh, Rooz Online discussed the problems of fighting economic corruption and Iranian Officials. 704 cases of abuse of power and government posts have been finalized and 395 other files are under review.
• Yahoo News reported that Iran could run out of oil reserves in nine decades.

And finally, a cartoon and photos.

• RoozOnline published a cartoon: Rafsanjani is always No 2 in Islamic Republic.
• Iranian Student News Agency published photos of another anti-riot exercise by IRGC Special Units.
• Winston, The Spirit of Man published a photo of another fake demonstration: Students, Students... We Support You!