Wednesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 12.21.2005:

Syria agrees to hide Iran nukes

World Tribune:

Syria has signed a pledge to store Iranian nuclear weapons and missiles.

The London-based Jane's Defence Weekly reported that Iran and Syria signed a strategic accord meant to protect either country from international pressure regarding their weapons programs. The magazine, citing diplomatic sources, said Syria agreed to store Iranian materials and weapons should Teheran come under United Nations sanctions.

Iran also pledged to grant haven to any Syrian intelligence officer indicted by the UN or Lebanon. Five Syrian officers have been questioned by the UN regarding the Hariri assassination, Middle East Newsline reported. READ MORE

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

• Eli Lake, The NY Sun reported that early estimates from Iraq's election commission suggest sectarian and religious parties trounced liberals in last week's parliamentary elections.
• The Jerusalem Post reported that Iran recently acquired 12 cruise missiles with a range of up to 3,000 kilometers.
• Yaakov Lappin, Ynetnews warned us to take Iran seriously.
• Reuters reported that the European Union accused Iran of persistent and grave human rights failings.
• The Associated Press reported that hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's ban on Western music fell on deaf ears.
• Spacewar reported that diplomats say Tehran is already laying the groundwork for uranium enrichment, and may even be secretly making parts for sophisticated P2 centrifuges.
• ABC News reported that an Iranian exile group called on the U.N.'s atomic watchdog to inspect an extensive network of tunnels which it says the Islamic Republic has built to conceal a clandestine nuclear weapons program.
• Spiegel published a confrontational interview with the US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns.
• Radio Free Europe reported that the European Union issued a statement today criticizing Iran for refusing to resume a dialogue on human rights.
• The New York Times reviews Ahamdinejad's devotion to Khomeinist ideology.
• The Guardian reminded us that the Iran's president's threats were consistent with Iranian Supreme Leader.
• The Associated Press reported that the Federal Reserve Board ordered ABN AMRO Bank NV to pay roughly 80 million dollars in fines Monday for conducting financial transactions with Iran and Libya that violated U.S. money-laundering laws.
• And finally, The Economist reported that a European diplomat warned Iran that the window for a negotiated way out of the impasse over Iran's nuclear intentions “will not remain open indefinitely”.