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

DoctorZin reports, 9.14.2oo6

The lies Khatami spoke in the US.

Amir Taheri, New York Post reported that in his recent speeches in the US, Khatami used a vocabulary carefully designed to hoodwink the Americans. The trick was reinforced by the fact that he often said one thing in Persian, while the interpreter said something else in English for the benefit of the Harvard audience. A must read.

The West is still divided on what to do next with Iran.

New Press reported that key European nations called on Iran to negotiate its nuclear dispute with the international community, even as Washington said the time had come to punish Tehran with U.N. sanctions.
Reuters reported that the UK's foreign office minister Kim Howells said punitive sanctions on Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions would likely prove ineffective and there is no military solution to the standoff.
Reuters reported that Britain has little confidence that Iran will stop providing military and financial support to Lebanon's Hezbollah.
The Australian reported that US envoy Gregory Schulte said "Given Iran's history of deception, lack of transparency, provocative behaviour and disregard for its international obligations, we must take further steps to persuade Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions."

Ahmadinejad lobbies for NOM support.

Khaleej Times reported that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will seek strong backing from Non-Aligned Movement allies for his nuclear program at this week’s summit in Cuba.

France rejects US efforts to sever financial ties with Iran?

Bloomberg reported that France, whose lenders account for 24 percent of bank loans to Iran, may reject a U.S. campaign to sever financial ties with the Middle Eastern nation.

The Bush administration’s continuing confusion about Iran.

Farhad Mansourian, National Review Online argued that the U.S. decision to enable former Iranian President Muhammad Khatami to visit to the US is an unfortunate reflection of the Bush administration’s continuing confusion about Iran. The Islamic Republic has convinced successive U.S. administrations that there is a dichotomy in Iran between reformers and hardliners. But the division within Iranian society is not between hardliners and reformers, but rather between the regime and the population.

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

Ilan Berman in testimony before The U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission detailed the impact of the Sino-Iranian Strategic Partnership.
Eli Lake, The New York Sun reported on the attack on the US embassy in Syria.
Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center reported on Hezbollah’s Shi’ite youth movement, “The Imam al-Mahdi Scouts.”
You Tube has a video on the Iranian treatment of dissidents.
Paul Nowak, CNS News published a cartoon: Successful Iranian Negotiations.