Thursday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 5.25.2006:

Student Protests across Iran.

• Turkish Press reported that two of the Iranian capital's main universities have been rocked by overnight protests and clashes between students and police.
• Iranian Student News Agency published photos of the protests at Tehran Universities with translations of several signs.
• SMCCDI reported that sporadic clashes have continued, on Wednesday, in several Iranian universities, such as, Tehran, Hamedan and Zanjan.
• Yahoo News reported that stone-throwing Iranian students fought police and Islamic vigilante in protest against restrictions imposed by the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
• SMCCDI reported that several students were critically injured during clashes that happened, today, in several Iranian universities. Slogans, such as, "Down with Dictator", "Down with Islamic Republic", "Freedom, Freedom" were shouted by the students.

Ahmadinejad still defiant.

• Radio Free Europe reported that Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said that Iran has mastered the entire nuclear fuel, "from start to finish."
• The Telegraph reported that the Iranian president has warned that his nation's enemies will receive a "historical slap in the face" in return for any show of aggression towards the Islamic state.

Progress among Perm-5 talks on Iran?

• Reuters reported that world powers made progress but failed to reach consensus in talks on a package of incentives and threats to prevent Iran from being able to build a nuclear bomb.
• The Guardian reported that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said talks on perks and penalties meant to stop Iran from pursuing nuclear activities that the West fears could produce a bomb produced ``good progress,'' suggesting the United Nations could act soon if Tehran remains defiant.

Iran desperate for direct talks with US on nukes?

• Karl Vick and Dafna Linzer, The Washington Post reported that Iran has followed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent letter to President Bush with explicit requests for direct talks on its nuclear program.
• The State.com reported that President Bush's spokesman said the United States will not negotiate directly with Iran on its nuclear program.

Israel: Iran is "the test of our time."

• Reuters reported that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Iran's nuclear ambitions posed "the test of our time" and urged swift international action to meet what he termed a threat to the existence of the Jewish state.

No way to stop Iranian nuclear weapons?

• The Telegraph reported that the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said that it is all but impossible to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons.
  

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

• The Washington Institute for Near East Policy exposed the myth of Iranian-Turkish amity.
• Bahai.org reported that Iranian officials have arrested 54 Bahá'ís in the city of Shiraz.
• Iran Focus reported that Iran will launch a new suicide-bombers garrison.
• Mehdi Khalaji, The Washington Institute evaluated the impact outside pressure would have on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s administration and its ability to overcome internal political and economic challenges.