Sunday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 1.8.2005:

Unified stand on atomic Iran

The Age:

THE five major nuclear powers are working on a joint statement that aims to show unusual unified resolve and put fresh pressure on Iran not to resume nuclear fuel research, United States officials and diplomats said on Friday. ...

In an effort to put new pressure on Iran, the US, Britain, France, Russia and China were working on a statement opposing the Iranian move and urging that Tehran return to negotiations on a compromise proposal.

Although the statement is not expected to contain specific threats, such as bringing Iran to the UN Security Council where sanctions could be imposed, officials said it could have a significant political impact. READ MORE

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

• Adnkronos International reported Ahmadinejad is seeking to forge a common front against the US between Cuba's Fidel Castro, Venezuale's Hugo Chavez and the recently elected Evo Morales of Bolivia.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported the Supreme Leader's representative for Haj affairs has urged Iranian pilgrims to spread the real Islam to the world.
• Paul Anderson, BBC News reported that the first day of talks between Iranian and Russian diplomats and experts on Iran's nuclear program has ended satisfactorily.
• IranMania reported that the fact finding team working on the C130 crash has delivered its report to Armed Forces Judiciary.
• Manya A. Brachear, Chicago Tribune reported on the death of Iranian prisoner, Dhabihu'llah Mahrami, who was repeatedly asked to disavow his Baha'i Faith which he refused to do.
• The Jerusalem Post reported that the European Union told Iran it may doom any further negotiations if it resumes its uranium enrichment program.
• Dow Jones Newswires reported that Iran and Russia began talks Saturday to clarify what Tehran has described as "ambiguities" in a Russian proposal.
• The Economist reported on Ahmadinejad's nuclear gamble.
• Amir Taheri, The New York Post reported on the political earthquake that is following Ariel Sharon's stroke.
• Omid Memarian, Rooz Online reported that both Russia and China oppose Iran becoming a nuclear power.
• And finally, Sunday Times reported that an 18-year-old Iranian woman has been sentenced to death for killing a man she said tried to rape her.