Tuesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 2.7.2005:

US Official: Iran now has the ability to produce nuclear weapons.

• Dow Jones Newswires reported that Iran has now achieved the "capability to develop nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them."

Iran demands removal of IAEA seals and cameras.

• CNN News reported that Iran said inspectors from the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog will visit in the next few days to oversee the resumption of uranium enrichment - a process that can be used to make bomb-grade material.
• Breitbart.com reported that Iran told the IAEA to remove surveillance cameras and agency seals from sites and nuclear equipment.

International Community holding firm on Iran?

• Forbes reported that Russia's foreign minister warned against threatening Iran over its nuclear program.
• Reuters reported that French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said: the international community is not seeking a confrontation with Iran over its nuclear program.
• The Washington Times argued that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's explicit the analogy between the current Iranian regime and the Third Reich does not match the Western democracies' current approach toward Iran.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that while Washington has China's support on Iran's referral to the UNSC, China may still part company.
• The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel's Ambassador to the US said that Iran is the biggest problem facing the world since World War II.
• MosNews reported that the Azeri president said: Azerbaijan will not allow the U.S. to launch military attacks on Iran from the country’s territory.

Iran tries to capitalize of cartoon controversy and protest fizzles.

• HeraldSun reported that Iran has cut all trade ties with Denmark because of the publication of satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.
• News.com.au reported that a crowd of about 400 demonstrators threw petrol bombs and large rocks at the Danish embassy in Tehran.
• SMCCDI reported that despite a massive effort by the Iranian regime it could only muster 400 Bassji to protest the cartoons of Mohammed, in a city of 12 million.
  

So Iran tries to create its own cartoon controversy.

• News.com.au reported that Iran's largest selling newspaper announced today it was holding a contest on cartoons of the Holocaust in response to the publishing in European papers of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed.

The Mainstream Media Still Ignores the Tehran Bus Strike. (except the NY Sun)

• Rooz Online reported that Iran’s domestic media have been banned from publishing news on the government crackdown of the strike of bus drivers who again took to the streets in protest.
• LabourStart published a report and photos of trade unionists picketing the Iranian embassy in London.

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

• World Tribune reported that Iran has forced the United Arab Emirates of Dubai to halt live Persian-language television broadcasts. But Sen. Santorum has introduced the Iran Freedom and Support Act, which would increase support for a free media in Iran. Write or call your Senator now.
• SMCCDI reported that three more Iranians were executed, yesterday, in Sabzevar, the scene of several riots.
• Pravda reported that senior diplomats from Israel and Afghanistan met secretly in London last week.
• Haaretz reported that Hamas is expected to grow much closer to Iran which will center on financing, operational know-how and political support.
• Mel Levine, Alex Turkeltaub and Alex Gorbansky, The Washington Post examined 3 myths about the Iran conflict.
• And finally, Telegraph reported that Iraqi insurgent groups are turning against their former al-Qa'eda allies, and that Zarqawi has fled to Iran.