Tuesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 1.17.2005:

Condi says faster, Straw says slower, Kofi says talk, and CNN says apologies.

Building a consensus on Iran.

• Yahoo News reported that Germany, France and Britain have begun drafting a resolution to submit to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
• Reuters reported that the US and European Union hope to enlist Russian and Chinese support for robust diplomatic steps against Iran, but China said resorting to the Security Council might "complicate the issue."
• Forbes.com reported that Jack Straw said that it is up to Iran to reassure the international community.
• Reuters reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel met President Vladimir Putin on Monday for talks in which she was expected to press him to support European Union and U.S. diplomatic pressure on Iran.

UN's Kofi Annan creating problems.

• National Review reported that Kofi Annan worked furiously to undue European and American efforts to bring Iran before the Security Council.

US/US Disagree?

• The Star reported that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Iran had "crossed the threshold" with its recent nuclear actions and that the world must act fast.
• Scotsman reported that Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said that there should be no "rush" to international sanctions on Iran.

Iranians Stand Firm.

• The Financial Times reported that Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, yesterday insisted Tehran's resumption of nuclear research was "irreversible", and announced that Tehran is set to appoint three experienced diplomats as ambassadors to France, Germany and the UK.
• Mehran Riazaty provided highlights of Ahmadinejad first press conference. Photos.

CNN Begs Iran for Forgiveness.

• Yahoo News reported that Iran said it is barring CNN from working in Iran "until further notice" due to its mistranslation of comments made by the president.
• CNN News reported that after their apology Ahmadinejad has asked that a ban on CNN journalists lifted.

Some beat the drums of war, others support an internal regime change in Iran.

• Los Angeles Times in an op/ed asked: Are we living through the origins of the next world war?
• Yahoo News reported that Israeli President Moshe Katsav said Israel will not allow "a totalitarian" Iran which exports international terrorism to have a nuclear capability.
• The Times reported that Saudi warned Tehran that its nuclear ambitions could bring disaster to the region.
• The Jerusalem Post reported that when it comes to Iran, the problem is that what they don't know about Iran could fill an encyclopedia
• Eli Lake, The New York Sun reported that many are beginning to look at ways to support an internal regime change in Iran.

And finally, Time Magazine mentioned our blog is a story on Iranian censorship, but miss-spelled our name and instead linked to a small anti-Bush website.