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

DoctorZin reports, 4.15.2006:

A few ideas: what to do and what not to do, next.

The Times reported that Condoleezza Rice is to renew the push for punishing sanctions against Iran when world leaders meet next week and that Tehran must now face the consequences.
Michael Rubin, The Wall Street Journal warned that in 1953 and 1979, Washington supported an unpopular regime against the will of the Iranian people; any deal which would preserve the regime would be to make the same mistake again.
Reuel Marc Gerecht, Weekly Standard examined, in detail, the question: to bomb, or not to bomb.
Rep. Steve Israel, Newsday argued that if diplomatic, economic and other tools don't work in dissuading the Iranian regime from its nuclear ambitions, reducing the amount of gas that goes into Iran may work.
John Podhoretz, New York Post argued that the president should invite leading Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, sooner rather than later, to Camp David for a major policy summit to create a bipartisan consensus on what to do about Iran.
Henry A. Kissinger, International Herald Tribune discussed American strategy on Iran and the US Pre-emptive War doctrine.
Amir Taheri, Asharq Alawsat wonders if Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad has been inspired by a Tehrani folk tale to try and lead the Islamic Republic out of what looks like the most serious foreign policy crisis in its history.

Ahmadinejad's latest threats. "Palestine will be freed soon."

Mehran Riazaty reported that Ahmadinejad said that the Zionist regime is a dried rotten tree which will fall by one storm.
Yahoo News reported that the president of Iran again lashed out at Israel and said it was "heading toward annihilation..." and "that Palestine will be freed soon."
The Los Angeles Times reported that Ahmadinejad rebuffed a request from U.N. nuclear agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei to suspend it suranium enrichment saying: "Our answer to those who are angry about Iran achieving the full nuclear fuel cycle is just one phrase. We say: 'Be angry at us and die of this anger.' "

Another secret enrichment plant located?

DEBKAfile reported that Iran is constructing a secret, large-scale enrichment plant at Neyshabour designed to run 155,000 centrifuges, enough to enrich uranium for 3-5 nuclear bombs a year.

Iranian dissidents update.

Iran Press News reported that the trial of Dr. Farzad Hamidi was postponed.
Iran Press News reported the latest news on Iranian political prisoners.
Iran Press News reported that Iranian blogger Mojtaba Samiinejad has been sentenced to 10 months in prison.

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

Iran Press News reported that a French investigative judge has launched an investigation into charges of bribing the Rafsanjani family by the French oil company, Total.
The New York Times reported that a newly created office of Iranian affairs in the State Department is poring over applications for a rapidly expanding program to change the political process inside Iran.
Iran Press News reported that while the Islamic regime wants to maintain an output of 300,000 barrels per day from Yadavaran oilfield, Sinopec, the Chinese Oil Company refuses to commit to more than 180,000 barrels.
Robert Tait, The Guardian asked: Have you heard the one about Iran's President? Rumors in Tehran are that his ire was stirred when someone sent him a joke suggesting he didn't wash regularly enough. More jokes.