Tuesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 4.11.2006:

Even the IAEA experts say Iran is moving closer to being able to create a bomb.

• Telegraph reported that teams of nuclear experts attached to the IAEA are saying Iran's ayatollahs are moving closer to their goal of building an atom bomb.

Iran to make nuclear announcement: Tuesday.

• Reuters reported that Iran's president promised "good news" within days about the country's nuclear program.
• Mehran Riazaty produced a roundup of Iranian press reports discussing Ahmadinejad's coming announcement on Iran’s nuclear program.

Solana: "We have to begin thinking about..." sanctions.

• The Washington Post reported that EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Monday that the 25-nation bloc should consider sanctions against Iran, including a visa ban on nuclear officials.

Bush: reports on military plans for an attack on Iran are "wild speculation."

• The New York Times reported that President Bush dismissed reports that his administration is accelerating plans for a possible military strike against Iran, calling them "wild speculation."

Tony Blair exasperated with Jack Straw?

• The Financial Times reported that Jack Straw yesterday used his toughest language yet to rule out any military strike against Iran and that Mr Blair has shown signs of exasperation with Mr Straw's cautious approach.

No US/Iran talks on Iraq until government is formed.

• SFGate reported that U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said that planned talks with Iranian officials over Iraq-related issues would be delayed until a government is formed.

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

• Ha'aretz asked what will come more quickly on the Iranian clock: the nuclear capability or the democratic revolution?
• AlJazeera reported that Iran is planning to launch a second satellite.

Tags: iran, news, iraq, nuclear