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

DoctorZin reports, 8.17.2006:

Iran caught shipping weapons into Iraq, again.

Iran Focus reported that an array of weapons made in Iran was discovered in Iraq’s southern port city of Um Qasr. In the weapons cache were hundreds of Katyusha rockets and mortar shells as well as several thousand light arms, all been manufactured in neighboring Iran.

Iran to launch new war games, Saturday.

Iran Focus reported that Iran will launch a new round of war-games later this week, putting on display new Iranian-make armaments.

Iran wants to talk, again.

BBC News reported that Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran's foreign minister said Iran is ready to discuss the suspension of its uranium enrichment program as demanded by Western powers.

More evidence of an Iran/Al Qaeda connection.

Ilan Berman, American Foreign Policy Council reported that al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, is attempting to mend fences with the Iranian leadership. In a letter to Saad Bin Laden, currently in Iran under the protection of the regime), Zawahiri telegraphed a number of changes in the terror group's regional strategy aimed at preserving al-Qaeda's tactical partnership with the Islamic Republic.

While Condi praises the UNSC Lebanon ceasefire resolution, there are serious problems with it.

Condoleezza Rice, The Washington Post explained why the UN resolution on Lebanon is, in her mind, a path to lasting peace. But she also said to USA Today: "I don't think there is an expectation that this (U.N.) force is going to physically disarm Hezbollah."
Neil King Jr., The Wall Street Journal argued that the ambiguous conclusion to Israel's latest battle with Hezbollah looks to have weakened Washington's hand, and strengthened Iran's, in the escalating showdown over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Arthur Herman, New York Post argued that historians will look back at this weekend's cease-fire agreement in Lebanon as a pivotal moment in the war on terror. It is pivotal in the same sense that the Munich agreement between Adolf Hitler and Neville Chamberlain was pivotal.
Amir Taheri, Gulf News argued that the ceasefire ordered in Lebanon by the United Nations Security Council may well create more problems than it solves, ultimately sowing the seeds of an even larger and deadlier conflict.

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

The Jerusalem Post reported that China's top envoy in charge of nonproliferation issues has urged Iran to accept an incentives package offered by China and five other countries in exchange for suspending uranium enrichment.
DoctorZin was interviewed on Iran on the Michael Reagan Show.