Friday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 11.18.2005:

Iran Ignores Pleas to Halt Uranium Work

Dafna Linzer, The Washington Post:

Iran began converting a new batch of uranium at a key nuclear facility yesterday, rejecting international pleas to suspend such work and dismissing a new offer -- sponsored by Russia -- that was designed to ease tensions over the country's nuclear ambitions, U.S. and European officials said.

The work at the facility in the town of Isfahan ... was seen as a provocative move just days after Iranian officials reacted coolly to the Russian offer.

Coming at a sensitive time, the Iranian moves threatened to derail efforts to set up a meeting next week between European and Iranian officials that was meant to reinvigorate negotiations on hold since the summer, diplomats said. Mohamed ElBaradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is leading an investigation of Iran's nuclear program, also canceled a planned trip to Tehran, said officials in Vienna, where the agency is based. READ MORE

Next week's meeting of the IAEA could prove explosive.

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

• Iran Press News reported that Jalal Talebani, Iraqi President, severely criticized the Europeans. He said: One day, Europeans must grasp that 27 million Iraqis finally have freedom, democracy and human rights because of this war.
• Iran Press News reported that Tehran's torturers were at the secret prison in Baghdad.
• Paul Hughes, Reuters reported that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's devotion to a mystical religious figure that is arousing greater interest inside Iran.
• Hemscott reported that EU negotiators Britain, Germany and France have turned down a Russian offer to host an EU-Iran meeting in Moscow next week.
• Dow Jones Newswires reported that Iran's reluctance to act to allay international fears about its nuclear agenda is increasingly alienating Russia.
• CBS News reported that Russia is increasingly frustrated with Iran's reluctance to compromise on its nuclear activities, and that anger is helping the United States.
• Forbes reported that the US said an informal meeting on Iran's nuclear program would be held in London on Friday.
• Amnesty International in a public statement said it welcomes the announcement of a new investigation into the murder of Canadian journalist Kazemi in Iran, but renews its calls for a fully independent investigation.
• DoctorZin reported that our blog has been nominated for inclusion in the Deck O’Bloggers, organized by Aaron’s blog, a collection of the most important blogs on the internet based on popular opinion. We are honored. You can vote here.