Sunday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 7.23.2006:

Ahmadinejad said Israel is reaching "its finishing line."

• The Jerusalem Post reported that Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, declared that Israel had "pushed the button of its own destruction" by launching its military campaign against the Iranian-backed Hizbullah in Lebanon.

But Iran will not fight Israel in Lebanon?

• Iranian Student News Agency reported that Iran will never be brought into the Lebanon war.

Iran's military angry at the Arab lack of support of Hezbollah.

• Iranian Student News Agency reported that Iran's general staff chief commander commented that closing all oil pipelines to Israel was the at least thing which the Arabs could do.

Iranians want government to focus on Iran not Palestine.

• The New York Times reported that there is a huge amount of anger in Iran about what is happening in Lebanon. In interviews in Tehran, person after person said the same thing: Iran should worry about Iran’s problems and not be dragged down by others’ battles.

Condi heads to Middle East.

• The New York Times reported that as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice heads to Israel, the US is seeking ways to peel Syria away from its alliance of convenience with Iran.

Koffi Annan: "Syria and Iran" are "friendly countries."

• Dow Jones Newswires reported that U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said "Syria and Iran are two friendly countries. There's also indications that both Syria and Iran have influence with Hezbollah and have supported Hezbollah, and therefore, the two countries have to be part of the solution."

Now Ahmadinejad writes Chirac.

• Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported that French President Jacques Chirac has received a letter from his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, without disclosing details of the contents other than saying it did mention Tehran's controversial uranium enrichment program.

Saudi Arabia prepares for conflict with Iran.

• Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia is expanding its military arsenal to counter what it sees as Iran's growing influence in a region convulsed by violence. "There is now an understanding that Iran has to be countered."

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

• Moshe Yaalon, New Republic argued that while for years, we were told that the “root cause” of the Middle East’s problems was the Israeli occupation of Arab lands. It is now time to consider whether the conflict is the result of different “root causes”: namely, Iran, Syria.
• James Kitfield, National Journal argued that the United States went to war with the wrong country, Iraq and argued Iran was and is the greater threat.
• The Telegraph reported how Iran has plotted to harm Western interests.