Saturday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 2.11.2005:

Iran challenges the West twice in one day.

• Con Coughlin, The Telegraph reported that Iran's controversial Natanz uranium processing plant has successfully restarted their equipment that enable it to produce material for nuclear warheads. A major development.
  
• Iran Press News reported that the E.U. in a formal statement called for the Islamic regime to sever all ties to various Palestinian and Lebanese terror groups; the Islamic regime however, immediately rejected the appeal.

The Russians are unhappy with Iran.

• Monsters & Critics reported that three major Russian news agencies - RIA Novosti, ITAR-TASS and Interfax - published a statement by a certain 'expert', saying: 'the situation around Iran is very bad and is going from bad to worse.' '

Western leaders examining other options.

• Iran Press News reported that Britain, France and Germany have begun compiling a list of the Islamic regimes hierarchy in order to impose possible sanctions and travel bans on Iranian leaders.
• Reuters reported that in a private meeting with European diplomats this week, a former senior U.S. official raised the idea of launching a dozen B2 bombers in an air raid aimed at crippling key Iranian nuclear facilities.
• Reuters reported that U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said: "We have undertaken a series of initiatives to try to persuade them that their behaviour is harmful to a new Iraqi government and indeed harmful to the region. Thus far we've not been successful." "I think they're making a mistake."

The phony and the real unrest in Iran.

• Reuters witnesses said a crowd of about 70 protesters gathered in front of the French embassy, then a crowd of about 200 people hurled stones at the Danish embassy and finally, the same crowd then moved to the nearby British diplomatic compound.
• Iran Press News reported on the protests and clashes between people and Islamic regimes forces in Mahabad (Province of Kurdistan).

Iranian student activists call for help.

• 600 Student Activists, Rezapahlavi.org published a letter from Iranian Students to the freedom-loving people of the world. A must read.

More calls for support of the Tehran Bus Strikers.

• The ITF is urging transport workers across the world to support an international day of action demanding the release of over 1000 trade unionists imprisoned in Iran. The action day, set for February 15th.

Hezbollah.

• OhMyNews reported that the leader of Hezbollah said U.S. President George W. Bush and his secretary of state should "shut up" after they accused Syria and Iran of fueling protests over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
• Iran Press News reported that Hasan Nasrollah, the Lebanese Hezbollah leader said: "We stand behind the Islamic Republic of Iran in their nuclear pursuits... [Western] dictators want to deprive them from obtaining such technology."

Iran's other ticking bomb.

• Amir Taheri, Asharq Alawsat warned us to watch the forthcoming election of a new Assembly of Experts, a body of mullahs whose task is to elect the Supreme Leader. The new elite’s ideological guru, Ayatollah Muhammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi could emerge as the leading candidate. The most radical of Iran's Ayatollah's.
  

Do these analysts speak to Iranians?

• The Economist argued that Ahmadinejad is growing in popularity inside of Iran.
  
• Edward N. Luttwak, Los Angeles Times asked: Would Iranians Rally 'Round the Flag?

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

• The New York Times reported that in Iranian eyes, the 'Cross-Eyed British' are to blame for its historic problems with the international community.
• Iran Focus reported that Iran will buy several 30 Russian-made Tor M-1 surface-to-air missiles from Russia as part of its arsenal to protect its nuclear sites.
• Reuters reported that while Israel has long pursued a policy of preemptive attack as its preferred form of defense. But when it comes to tackling arch-foe Iran, that option may have been put on hold under a protective "umbrella" on offer from the United States.
• And finally, A cartoon: Iran's WMD's.