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

DoctorZin reports, 4.8.2006:

IAEA: Iran has secret nuclear sites.

Telegraph reported that IAEA inspectors are now convinced that the Iranians have another, small-scale uranium processing and enrichment project that is being kept secret from the outside world.

Military experts: Iran's missiles can now carry nuclear bombs.

Telegraph reported that military experts have concluded that Iran has been able to modify the nose cone to carry a basic nuclear bomb.

El Baradei headed to Iran.

AFX News reported that Mohamed ElBaradei, will visit Iran next week to meet with senior Iranian officials regarding outstanding safeguard verification issues and other confidence-building measures.

US military strikes on Iran not likely, for now.

Forbes reported that Washington is not preparing for an imminent confrontation. However, current political and military undercurrents suggest that Washington is focused as much on a long-term effort to change the nature of the Iranian regime.

US/Iran talks on Iran: on hold.

The Washington Post reported that while the Bush administration remains interested in limited talks with Iran on its activities in Iraq, but talks have been put on hold.
BBC News reported that some hardliners in Iran are calling for the cancellation of talks planned between the US and Iran over Iraq.

The Experts on Iran: Must read reports.

Council on Foreign Relations released audio and transcripts of its Symposium on Iran's Nuclear Program: Policy Options for the United States. An interesting read.
Victor Davis Hanson, The National Review Online thinks that the Iranian president has miscalculated in its judgments of the US and suggest he better sober up and do some cool reckoning.
Caroline Glick, The Jerusalem Post reported on the dangerous rise of the Islamist axis under the leadership of Iran.

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

U.S. Department of State released a statement supporting human rights and democracy in Iran: The U.S. Record 2005 - 2006.
Iran Focus reported that Iran’s State Security Forces (SSF) are now tying young men to walls in Tehran on charges of “causing trouble” to humiliate them. Photo.
William F Buckley, The National Review Online published his thoughts on the current crisis on Iran.
Amir Taheri, Asharq Alawsat argued that a Shiite split will help Iraq's new democracy.