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

DoctorZin reports, 6.9.2006:

Ahmadinejad: the West has been "defeated!"

Breitbart.com reported that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, discussing the West's nuclear proposal, said that the "international monopolists have been defeated."

Iran tries to provoke the West: it begins new nuclear enrichment.

The New York Post reported that Iranian researchers began a new round of nuclear enrichment on the same day that a European proposal for ending the crisis over Iran's nuclear program was presented in Tehran.

Diplomats convinced Iran will reject Perm-5 proposal.

The Guardian reported that diplomats believe that Iran will reject the Int'l. offer in the end.

Reza Pahlavi: Iran in a "lose lose situation."

The Washington Post reported that Reza Pahlavi said if Iran accepts the nuclear proposal, Iran would have to backtrack on its propaganda, which he called the "glue" holding the regime together. Should it reject the offer, Tehran would face an "economic shock" from potential U.N. sanctions.

Zarqawi Dead!

DoctorZin's sources informed us of the death of Zarqawi an hour before the Iraqi announcement. We were one of the very first to report it.
Dan Darling, The Weekly Standard published an excellent report on the end of Abu Musab Zarqawi.

Ganji on an international tour.

Radio Free Europe reported that Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji continued his current international tour and said that he is determined to keep up his struggle for "democracy and human rights."

Iranian VP to attend World Cup.

Bloomberg reported that Iranian Vice President Mohammad Aliabadi will travel to Germany for the soccer World Cup. Ahmadinejad may attend future matches.

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

Forward reported that the Bush administration's offer to open direct talks with Iran and reward Tehran if it stops enriching uranium is exposing a policy rift between neoconservatives on one hand, and the Israeli government and Jewish organizations on the other.
Victor Davis Hanson, RealClearPolitics answered the question: Why did the United States suddenly reverse course and agree to negotiate directly with the Iranians?
Michael Rubin, Prospect reported that in response to the US offering Iran a deal: suspend nuclear enrichment in exchange for a package of incentives; Iran is becoming conditioned to associating concessions with non-compliance.