A Daily Briefing on Iran: Monday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 5.1.2006:

Iran artillery attacks Kurds in Iraq.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the Iraqi government said that Iranian artillery fired more than 180 shells into northern Iraq, targeting Kurdish rebel bases.

Iran provides Iraqi insurgents sophisticated bombs.

Telegraph reported that a multi-charged roadside bomb, developed by Hizbollah in Lebanon, is being used against British and American soldiers by Iraqi insurgents linked to Iran.

Iran admits to development on advanced centrifuges.

Telegraph reported that Iran is developing an advanced centrifuge that would allow it to accelerate its controversial uranium enrichment program.
The Age reported that an Iranian official said Iran has enriched uranium to more than 4 per cent, a level higher than Iran previously acknowledged.

Iran launches major effort to block opposition broadcasts into Iran.

Rooz Online reported that Iran's hard-line Sepah-e Passdaran Revolutionary Guards Corps has launched a new project to use intelligent jamming to block specific satellite channels and broadcasts beamed into Iran.

US says NO to Iran offer.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House rejected Iran's offer to allow United Nations inspectors to resume snap inspections of its nuclear facilities, but only if the dispute again went before the U.N. nuclear monitor.
The Washington Post reported that Condoleezza Rice said the Iranians "had plenty of time to cooperate. I think they're playing games."

Colin Powell believes Iran is braced to deal with sanctions.

ITV reported that former US Secretary of State Colin Powell believes Iran is braced to deal with any sanctions the United Nations and that the Security Council was only likely to be able to agree on a "quite limited" range of such measures.

Russian leader: Arab regime may not survive a US attack on Iran.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Yevgeny Primakov, former Russian prime minister and foreign minister, said "An air strike on Iran would most certainly bring about very serious consequences... and the Arab regimes might find it very difficult to survive."

Former Iranian intel officer: Iran should have hid its nuclear program.

Rooz Online reported that a former Iranian intelligence minister blamed former president Mohammad Khatami, for not allowing Iran to hide its nuclear activities.

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

Iran Focus reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader appointed Brigadier General Morteza Rezai, a senior military intelligence official, as the deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp.
ITV reported that Jack Straw said his government will ask the United Nations to increase the pressure on Iran.
YNet reported that Israel’s Earth Remote Observation Satellite, Eros B, started sending high-quality snapshots to its earth station, with a focus on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The NY Times reported that Iran and the United States have begun to reveal new strategies in their nuclear dispute which is increasingly resembles a cold-war deception and brinkmanship.