Saturday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 6.24.2006:

Canada demands the arrest of Iran's UN Human Rights Council representative.

• CTVNews reported that Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper demanded Saeed Mortazavi be arrested before he leaves Germany, after Iran sent the infamous Mortazavi to the new UN Human rights Council.
• Dow Jones Newswires reported that the State Department said Iran showed a lack of concern for basic human rights by appointing a known rights violator to its delegation at a meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council.
• OpenDemocracy reported that Iran also sent another infamous human rights abuser to the UN Human Rights Council: justice minister Jamal Karimirad.

US General levels specific charges against Iran.

• Los Angeles Times reported that Army Gen. George W. Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, accused the Iranian government of training, equipping and directing Shiite Muslim insurgents operating in Iraq, the most specific leveled against the government in Tehran by a senior U.S. military commander.

Bush asks Congress not to tighten sanctions on Iran, yet.

• Reuters reported that the Bush administration urged Congress not to tighten U.S. sanctions against foreign firms investing in Iran's oil and gas sectors, arguing it could damage the current major-power diplomatic initiative with Tehran.

Iranian bloggers: New filter busting tool!

• CNET News reported that internet web surfers frustrated by government censorship in search engines are increasingly turning to a little-known Internet browser with a big following, Maxthon.

Japan ready to freeze Iranian funds.

• The Financial Times reported that Japan has told the US it is ready to freeze bank accounts held by Iran and its leadership in support of an America-led coalition preparing sanctions on Iran.

WMD's found in Iraq.

• Eli Lake, The New York Sun reported on the discovery of more than 500 chemical weapons shells in Iraq has heightened concerns at the Pentagon that terrorists in that country could use the old munitions against American soldiers.

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

• Reuters reported that Human Rights Watch said that Iran's judiciary should rescind the death sentences of at least 10 Iranians of Arab origin convicted of plotting against the state, and retry them before courts that meet international fair trial standards.
• Yahoo News reported, once again, that Iran is not considering a halt to its nuclear fuel program even after any negotiations with major powers.
• Reuters reported that India said a landmark nuclear deal with the United States should be based on the original commitments made by the two sides, sidestepping new moves to link the pact to its stand on Iran's atomic program.
• Rooz Online published several statements by Iranian leaders that Iran is attempting to buy time in not having responded to the Perm-5 nuclear proposal.
• Louis J. Freeh (former FBI Director), The Wall Street Journal reminds us of the evidence gathered that Iran was responsible for the Khobar Tower bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 and the Clinton administration's pitiful response.