Sunday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 9.17.2oo6

A mini cold war is starting in the Middle East.

• Amir Taheri, Asharq Alawsat argued that a mini cold war is likely to see a Western push for regime change in Syria.

Bush won't meet Ahmadinejad at the UN. He has other plans.

• Iran Focus reported that United States President George W. Bush ruled out meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York where world leaders will gather next week.

Another meaningless meeting of the major powers and Iran.

• The Washington Post reported that major powers are considering a joint meeting with Iran next week that excludes the United States as a way of bridging a divide over its nuclear program. They described the planning as extremely fluid and unlikely to result in any firm decisions until key officials confer in New York.

Tehran's Oil Bourse ready to launch.

• Payvand reported that Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh said that all preparatory requirements were arranged for launching Iran's oil bourse.

NAM Nations back Iran.

• Xinhua reported that the leaders of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) nations threw their weight behind Iran in its nuclear row with the West, saying Iran had the right to use atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

Tehran's plans to render sanctions ineffective and the unintended consequences.

• Amir Taheri, Arab News reported on Tehran’s plan to render sanctions ineffective, but the law of unintended results may operate in yet another way: If sanctions prove ineffective from the start, the US and its closest allies might decide that the only effective move against the Islamic republic is military action.

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

• The Jerusalem Post reported that three top Japanese banks will refrain from doing business with Iran's state-run Bank Saderat Iran in line with US financial sanctions.
• Cox & Forkum published another cartoon: Critical Mass.

Tags: iran, news, iraq, nuclear, military, IAEA,