Tuesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 3.21.2006:

The Iranian New Year: messages and reports.

• DoctorZin's Norooz greeting. Photo.
• Reza Pahlavi's Message On the Occasion of Persian New Year 2006 (Nowrooz 1385).
• Brooding Persian published a sober Norooz greeting. Photo.
• Iran va Jahan examined Norooz and its symbolism.
• SMCCDI reported the start of the Iranian New Year.
  

Senior Foreign Ministers meet on Iran.

• Reuters reported that senior foreign affairs officials from the five veto-holding U.N. Security Council powers and Germany meet on Monday in an effort to break the impasse over reining in Iran.

Iran's "reformists" call for a suspension of its nuclear program.

• Agence France-Presse reported that Iran's largest "reformist" party, the Participation Front said: "we are proposing a return to previous policies and the voluntary suspension of all nuclear fuel cycle work to resolve this crisis and re-establish confidence."

No Oil Bourse?

• RIA Novosti reported that the Iranian Oil Ministry denied media reports that it was to open a Euro-based oil exchange.

Iran's Arab charm offensive.

• The Washington Post reported that Iran has embarked on a charm offensive in the Arab world aimed at expanding economic and political ties and circumventing efforts by the United States and its allies to isolate Iran over its nuclear program.
  

The Bush Administration needs to support the Iran Freedom & Support Act.

• Peter Brookes, Townhall argued why the Bush administration should support the Iran Freedom & Support Act.

Daylight savings confuses Iran's hardliners.

• Adnkronos International reported that daylight saving has been abolished by president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the grounds that when the legal hour changes many faithful have difficulty in knowing when to pray.

Iran hiding its nuclear program in its Universities.

• United Press International reported Iran is using its academic institutions to hide its nuclear programs.

More warnings on Iran.

• The Telegraph reported that President George W Bush issued a stark warning to Iran that America's military would be ordered into action if Tehran carried out its threat to attack Israel.
• The Jerusalem Post reported that Gary Berntsen, the former senior CIA operative believes the United States has the ability to easily destroy Iran's nuclear facilities, in two days.
• The LA Times reported that U.S. intelligence officials are claiming that the Iranian regime is playing host to much of Al Qaeda's remaining brain trust and allowing the senior operatives freedom to plan future attacks.
  

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

• Radio Free Europe reported in an interview with Israeli President Moshe Katzav, he said: "If Iran does not change its policies in the near future, it... likely will have a negative impact on the Iranian people."
• And finally, The Times Online reported on Dr Wafa Sultan, whose appearance on Al-Jazeera where she denounced the teachings and practice of Islam as “barbaric” and “medieval” has caused an unholy stir in the Muslim world.