September 25, 2009
VIENNA (AP) - Iran has revealed the existence of a secret uranium-enrichment plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday, a development that could heighten fears about Tehran's ability to produce a nuclear weapon and escalate its diplomatic confrontation with the West. President Barack Obama and the leaders of France and Britain accuse Iran of hiding the facility in an address at the opening of the G-20 economic summit Friday, a senior White House official told the AP.
September 23-24, 2009
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a speech to the United Nations on September 23, 2009 predicted the downfall of the current economic system, championed the cause of Palestinians and called for a return to monotheistic morality during his address to the United Nations General Assembly Wednesday evening. However, the 35-minute speech was less pointedly confrontational than his previous statements before the body.
“Our nation is prepared to warmly shake all those hands which are honestly extended to us,” Mr. Ahmadinejad said, according to an English interpretation, proclaiming his country’s “commitment to participate in the process of building durable peace and security” around the world.
Source: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/a-more-conciliatory-admadinejad-at-the-un/?hp
U.S., Russia Agree that Iran May Face Sanctions
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said he and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed on Wednesday that serious additional sanctions must be considered if Iran does not respond to proposals to end a nuclear standoff.
Foreign ministers from the five permanent U.N. Security Council members -- the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China -- and a German official were gathering at the United Nations to continue discussions about Iran's nuclear program, which the West suspects is aimed at developing atomic weapons.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed1/idUSN23421780
Sarkozy wants deadline on Iran nuclear talks
By Ben Hall in Paris
President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday said Iran should be given three months to engage in fruitful talks with leading world powers over its nuclear programme or face fresh sanctions.
Senior officials from France, Britain, Germany, the US, China and Russia will hold talks with Iranian representatives on October 1 in the latest bid to break the deadlock over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Source: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/51cef6a2-a877-11de-9242-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1
China Opposes Iran Sanctions Sought by U.S
By ANDREW JACOBS
Published: September 24, 2009
BEIJING — China will not support increased sanctions on Iran as a way to curb its nuclear program, a government spokeswoman said Thursday.
Although China has generally opposed the use of sanctions, the announcement is sure to complicate President Obama’s efforts to impose tougher penalties on Iran, should international talks over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, scheduled for Oct. 1, fail to make headway.
“We always believe that sanctions and pressure are not the way out,” said Jiang Yu, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, during a news conference. “At present, it is not conducive to diplomatic efforts.”
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/world/asia/25beijing.html?_r=2
Report: Iran Detains Leading Female Reformist
TEHRAN (Reuters) -- A senior female member of Iran's leading reformist party has been detained, a pro-reform website has reported, signaling further pressure on the opposition after the Islamic republic's disputed June election.
Azar Mansuri, deputy head of the Mosharekat party, was detained on September 15 by intelligence agents in the town of Varamin southeast of Tehran while on her way home, the Norooz website said.
Mosharekat leader Mohsen Mirdamadi and other key party members were detained in the days after the June 12 presidential election, which plunged Iran into a deep internal crisis.
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/Report_Iran_Detains_Leading_Female_Reformist/1829540.html
October 17, 2009
Maziar Bahari, 42, an Iranian-Canadian journalistwas released on bail Saturday after spending nearly four months in jail following his June 21 arrest while covering the unrest following the disputed Iranian presidential election.
October 18, 2009
A suicide bomber blew himself up Sunday at a conference between Shiite and Sunni groups in Sarbaz in southeastern Iran. The dead included five senior officials of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the corps ground force promised a "crushing response" against organizers of the attack as Iranians began three days of mourning for the victims, Press TV reported.
The Pakistan-based separatist group Jundallah claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was fighting for the rights of Sunni Muslims, Press TV reported Monday.
Pakpour predicted the attack would unite Iranian Shiites and Sunnis. Pakpour's statement came as Iranian leaders stepped up accusations that the United States and Pakistan were linked to Jundallah, which the U.S. State Department has denied, CNN reported Monday.
Iranian investigators alleged they had documents linking Jundallah leader Abdulmalik Rigi to Pakistani and U.S. security forces, CNN reported.
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