7 August, 2008

‘2 US aircraft carriers headed for Gulf’
Jerusalem Post – Israel
The US and Iran are at odds over Iran’s nuclear program, which the Bush administration claims is aimed at producing material for nuclear weapons; however, …
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1218
104233164&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull

Oil’s slide fuels bearish sentiments
Seattle Times – United States
The commodity had more than doubled in a year as the dollar weakened, demand in Asia grew and Iran’s nuclear program spurred concern that the country — the …
seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/busi
nesstechnology/2008097077_oildrop07.html

On Peter Rodman, Lebanon and Syria
Ha’aretz – Tel Aviv,Israel
“The idea of splitting Syria from Iran seems like a no-brainer. This is the most important strategic argument that is often made for trying to improve the …
www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/rosnerBlog.jhtml?itemNo=1009448

Rice threatens sanctions on Iran over nuclear program
AFP –
WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice threatened Iran with more sanctions Thursday after it failed to give an adequate response to the …
afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h2MxR5fDRYJWj52pH_q0SUqRweQA

Oil recovers from 3-month low, eyes on supply
Reuters South Africa – Johannesburg,South Africa
Supply disruptions and the prospect of escalating tension between Iran, the world’s fourth largest producer, and the West helped to counter investors’…
africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnSIN303551.html

Major Powers to Seek New Sanctions Against Iran
Journal of Turkish Weekly – Ankara,Turkey
The political directors examined a one-page Iranian response sent Tuesday to European Union chief diplomat Javier Solana to an enhanced incentives package …
www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=58339

Germany Calls Iran’s Response to Nuclear Offer “Unsatisfactory”
Deutsche Welle – Germany
Germany rejected on Iran’s response to an offer of negotiations over its nuclear program. The UN Security Council is considering further sanctions against …
www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3544699,00.html

War with Iran – On, Off or Undecided?
By Steve Lendman(Steve Lendman)
demands that the President prohibit export of all refined oil products to Iran; impose “stringent inspection requirements” on everything entering and departing the country, including international movement of its officials;
…
sjlendman.blogspot.com/2008/08/war-with-iran-on-off-or-undecided.html

Barak: Nuclear Iran would be dangerous to world order
Jerusalem Post – Israel
COM STAFF A nuclear Iran is “dangerous to world order,” Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Italian daily Corriere della Sera in an interview published…
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=121809519
3448&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

US Threatens Punitive Sanctions On Iran Over Nuclear Deal
By national
The world’s six leading powers, including Britain, America and China, have offered Iran technical and economic help if the Islamic Republic obeys four United Nations Resolutions and stops enriching uranium. …
www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2008/08/07/
us-threatens-punitive-sanctions-on-iran-over-nuclear-deal/

Israel considers military option for Iran nukes
JERUSALEM — Israel is building up its strike capabilities amid growing anxiety over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and appears confident that a military attack would cripple Tehran’s atomic program, even if it can’t destroy it.…
www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20080807/israel-striking-iran

Syria stresses: access to nuclear energy Iran’s absolute right
Mathaba.Net – London,UK
In response to a question on Syria and Turkey’s cooperation to convince Iran to adopt a more moderate nuclear program, keeping in mind that President Assad …
mathaba.net/news/?x=601134

No direct Syria-Israel peace talks: Syrian official
Alsumaria – Iraq
Syrian president political and media adviser Buthaina Shaaban said that indirect talks between Syria and Israel made a progress. Yet, this progress is not …
www.alsumaria.tv/en/World-News/2-21022-No-
direct-Syria-Israel-peace-talks:-Syrian-official.html

UN atomic inspector in Iran for talks: agency
Reuters – USA
TEHRAN (Reuters) – A top UN nuclear watchdog official arrived in Iran on Thursday for talks on cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency over …
www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSL627128120080807

Rice warns of more Iran sanctions
By media@politico.com (Mike Allen)
In a Politico and Yahoo! News interview, the secretary of State says Iran’s nuclear program must halt.
www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12355.html

Iran Won’t Take Olive Branch From US, Europe
FOXNews – USA
Saeed Jalili, chief nuclear negotiator for Iran, did not address an offering from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany. …
www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,399101,00.html

Iran ‘faces further sanctions’
Aljazeera.net – Qatar
Western powers have agreed to consider further United Nations sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme after it failed to respond adequately to an …
english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2008/08/2008870164958321.html

Vietnam helping resolve Iran’s nuclear issue: ambassador
Tehran Times – Iran
TEHRAN (ISNA)— Vietnam’s ambassador to Iran Nguyen Van Hy said on Tuesday that his country will help settle Iran’s nuclear issue through talks due to its …
www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=174692

Israel mulls military option for Iran nukes
Israel is building up its strike capabilities amid growing anxiety over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and appears confident that a military attack would cripple Tehran’s atomic program, even if it can’t destroy it.
digg.com/world_news/Israel_mulls_military_option_for_Iran_nukes

Russia Asks That Iran Be Given More Time
Washington Post – United States
6 — Russia said Wednesday that Iran should be granted more time to respond to a package of incentives that the United States and five other powerful…
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2008/08/06/AR2008080601085.html?hpid=topnews

Israel mulls military option for Iran nukes
Newsweek – USA
By STEVEN GUTKIN AP Writer | AP (JERUSALEM) Israel is building up its strike capabilities amid growing anxiety over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and appears …
www.newsweek.com/id/151122

Oil at 3-month low on weak US economic outlook
Reuters UK – UK
… concerns of a weak US economy continued to weigh on demand, but conflicts in Nigeria and Iran’s nuclear dispute could counter the bearish effects. …
uk.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUKSP28214520080806

Tehran rejects arming Lebanon’s Hezbollah
Tehran Times – Iran
Sheibani said in his meeting with Salloukh that he had suggested that Tehran can provide technical, engineering and technological services to Lebanon. …
www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=174789

Iran News Round Up
By Michael Rubin
Trade (E) Iran, Turkey agree on gas deal details. Diplomacy Commenting the nuclear issue Rafsanjani said ‘the foreigners have never ceased plotting against Iran.’ (E) Iranian border police chief meets Azeri counterpart. …
corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NzY5OT
k4YmZiY2IwNTIzOGJiNGJmZjM1ODQ3NTc1MDY=

Qaddafi warns ‘arrogant’ Iran
By Blake Hounshell
What Iran is doing stems simply from arrogance,” Gaddafi said during a visit to Tunisia after Tehran ignored another western deadline to accept an incentives package in exchange for full transparency on its nuclear drive. […] …
blog.foreignpolicy.com/node/9453

Israel mulls military option for Iran nukes
JERUSALEM — Israel is building up its strike capabilities amid growing anxiety over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and appears confident that a military attack would cripple Tehran’s atomic program, even if it can’t destroy it.…
www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20080806/israel-striking-iran

6 August, 2008

Time to Break Out of Diplomatic Impasse with Iran
FOXNews – USA
A European source said that the Iranian authorities “say there will be a response but that clarification is needed on certain points of the offer.…
www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,399041,00.html

Egyptian FM warns against military solution to Iranian nuclear issue
Xinhua – China
6 (Xinhua) — Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit has warned against any military attacks on Iran for solving its disputed nuclear program, …
news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/07/content_9005354.htm

Oil prices drop as US crude stocks rise
AFP –
Traders were also keeping a watch on diplomatic moves related to Iran’s nuclear energy drive. The United States called for “punitive” measures against Iran …
afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i6wEB1v-SSHNsHa7wlJwBtiOm0bA

US military: Iranian-made munitions seized in Iraq
Jerusalem Post – Israel
Iran denies US allegations that it trains and arms militants in Iraq. A statement Wednesday said the seizure includes “new Iranian munitions with a…
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=12153312
13615&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Representative Schakowsky on H.Con.Res. 362
By Carah Ong(Carah Ong)
Schakowsky continues to defend her support for it and she claims that it is not a declaration of war against Iran. Rep. Schakowsky claims that H.Con.Res. 362 offers a “peaceful option” for dealing with Iran, but she has also urged …
irannuclearwatch.blogspot.com/2008/08
/representative-schakowsky-on-hconres.html

Death by stoning is abolished in Iran
By Bess Twiston-Davies
Bess writes: Good news from Iran. Especially if you’re a woman and accused of adultery. Death by stoning, the legal penalty for sexual infidelity is apparently off the menu. According to the BBC, a spokesman for the state judiciary says …
timesonline.typepad.com/faith/2008/08/death-by-stonin.html

War Preparations Against Iran Complete
By EuroYank(EuroYank)
The US military switched its whole focus to Iran as soon as Saddam Hussein was kicked out of Baghdad. It continued this strategy, even though it had American infantry bogged down in fighting the insurgency in Iraq. …
euroyank.blogspot.com/2008/08/war-
preparations-against-iran-complete.html

World powers poised to discuss Iran sanctions
By andrew.sambidge@itp.com ( AFP )
Negotiators schedule talks to decide whether to continue nuclear debate.
www.arabianbusiness.com/526843-
world-powers-to-discuss-iran-sanctions

US threatens Iran with ‘punitive’ measures
By AFP(AFP)
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States and its allies want “punitive” measures against Iran over its weak reponse to the international offer to persuade it to freeze its nuclear program, the White House said Wednesday.
www.afp.com/english/news/stories/newsmlmmd
.b50d191b6d75d306a2afea895735c8fe.2d1.html

US and allies reject Iran nuclear letter: reports
Africasia – London,UK
The United States and its European allies have rejected Iran’s latest letter on its suspect nuclear program and now plan to seek new UN Security Council …
www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?
area=mideast&item=080806083438.jwjn6u4v.php

Kuwait FM blasts Iran threat to shut Gulf strait
The Associated Press –
KUWAIT CITY (AP) — Kuwait’s foreign minister says Iran’s renewed threats to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf amount to a …
ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jLVhoNsKO3
pvZpuVoyW6zMGUCZKgD92CLSS80

Iran is “root of all evil” -Israel PM contender
Reuters – USA
JERUSALEM, Aug 6 (Reuters) – Israeli cabinet minister Shaul Mofaz, a contender to succeed the prime minister, denounced his native Iran on Wednesday as “the …
www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL6195573

Coping with the Challenge of Iran
By GS Don Morris, Ph.D.(GS Don Morris, Ph.D.)
Mofaz and Ambassador Burns, who both led the US-Israel strategic dialogue focusing on Iran, spoke about the challenges caused by Iran and its nuclear program. The following is a rapporteur’s summary of their remarks. SHAUL MOFAZ …
docstalk.blogspot.com/2008/08/coping-with-challenge-of-iran.html

US calls Iran nuclear letter “obfuscation”
By johnibii
TEHRAN/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Iran delivered a letter to world powers on Tuesday but gave no concrete reply to a demand to freeze its nuclear activity, a defiant step the United States said amounted to“obfuscation” and could lead to …
johnibiii.wordpress.com/2008/08/05
/us-calls-iran-nuclear-letter-obfuscation/

Hannah Fisher: Iran: Beyond the Rubicon of Trust
By Hannah Fisher(webmaster@huffingtonpost.com)
Last weekend marks another failure of Iran to respond to an informal deadline as to whether it will negotiate on freezing parts of its nuclear program. One might question why this matters, should the world fear a nuclear Iran? …
www.huffingtonpost.com/hannah-fisher/
iran-beyond-the-rubicon-o_b_117117.html

Nuclear freeze not mentioned in Iran’s message to EU: source
Tehran Times – Iran
5 – An informed official at the Supreme National Security Council on Tuesday said Iran has delivered a message to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana over …
www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=174696