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Iranian Alert -- October 20, 2003 -- IRAN LIVE THREAD PING LIST
The Iranian Student Movement Up To The Minute Reports ^ | 10.20.2003 | DoctorZin

Posted on 10/20/2003 12:17:09 AM PDT by DoctorZIn

The US media almost entirely ignores news regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran. As Tony Snow of the Fox News Network has put it, “this is probably the most under-reported news story of the year.” But most American’s are unaware that the Islamic Republic of Iran is NOT supported by the masses of Iranians today. Modern Iranians are among the most pro-American in the Middle East.

There is a popular revolt against the Iranian regime brewing in Iran today. Starting June 10th of this year, Iranians have begun taking to the streets to express their desire for a regime change. Most want to replace the regime with a secular democracy. Many even want the US to over throw their government.

The regime is working hard to keep the news about the protest movement in Iran from being reported. Unfortunately, the regime has successfully prohibited western news reporters from covering the demonstrations. The voices of discontent within Iran are sometime murdered, more often imprisoned. Still the people continue to take to the streets to demonstrate against the regime.

In support of this revolt, Iranians in America have been broadcasting news stories by satellite into Iran. This 21st century news link has greatly encouraged these protests. The regime has been attempting to jam the signals, and locate the satellite dishes. Still the people violate the law and listen to these broadcasts. Iranians also use the Internet and the regime attempts to block their access to news against the regime. In spite of this, many Iranians inside of Iran read these posts daily to keep informed of the events in their own country.

This daily thread contains nearly all of the English news reports on Iran. It is thorough. If you follow this thread you will witness, I believe, the transformation of a nation. This daily thread provides a central place where those interested in the events in Iran can find the best news and commentary. The news stories and commentary will from time to time include material from the regime itself. But if you read the post you will discover for yourself, the real story of what is occurring in Iran and its effects on the war on terror.

I am not of Iranian heritage. I am an American committed to supporting the efforts of those in Iran seeking to replace their government with a secular democracy. I am in contact with leaders of the Iranian community here in the United States and in Iran itself.

If you read the daily posts you will gain a better understanding of the US war on terrorism, the Middle East and why we need to support a change of regime in Iran. Feel free to ask your questions and post news stories you discover in the weeks to come.

If all goes well Iran will be free soon and I am convinced become a major ally in the war on terrorism. The regime will fall. Iran will be free. It is just a matter of time.

DoctorZIn

PS I have a daily ping list and a breaking news ping list. If you would like to receive alerts to these stories please let me know which list you would like to join.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: iaea; iran; iranianalert; protests; southasia; studentmovement; studentprotest
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To: F14 Pilot
Thanks for the heads up!
21 posted on 10/20/2003 9:05:13 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: DoctorZIn
The french foreign minister said "No one state is in a position to respond on its own to the challenge of security, economic growth and social development," he said.

Is this from the country that bombed a ship in the port of Auckland, New Zealand and killed one person?
22 posted on 10/20/2003 9:09:58 AM PDT by AdmSmith
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To: F14 Pilot
Free Iran ~ Now!
23 posted on 10/20/2003 9:32:46 AM PDT by blackie
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To: DoctorZIn
EUROPE BIG THREE’S LAST EFFORT TO SAVE IRAN FROM SANCTIONS

TEHRAN 29 Oct. (IPS)

British, French and German foreign ministers are due in Tehran tomorrow 21 October in an unprecedented joint effort to persuade the Islamic Republic to open up all its nuclear sites and programs to international inspectors, just ten days before the deadline fixed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

On its 12 September meeting, members of the Vienna-based IAEA Board of Directors gave Iran until the end of October to sign the Additional Protocols to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and stop “at once” all its activities for enriching uranium, a vital process in the making of nuclear bomb.

The Protocols would allow international nuclear inspectors and technicians to travel to Iran at will and visit all the country’s nuclear-related sites without any restriction and have access to all atomic projects.

So far, Iranian clerical-led government has refused to bow and on Sunday, Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Khatami repeated again that while Iran is ready to “cooperate” with IAEA, yet it would not stop its uranium enriching programs.

Iranians insist that the nuclear powered projects they have under way, like the electricity plant at the Persian Gulf of Booshehr that is under construction with the help of Russia are strictly for civilian use.

But the United States and Israel, now joined by some major European nations are not that sure and believe that projects like Booshehr are “fronts” for concealing the build up of a nuclear arsenal.

What has reinforced their concern is the discovery of tow uranium enriching facilities that have been kept secret from the IAEA.

The Iranians say they were not under any obligation to declare these sites to United Nations nuclear inspectors when they bought second hand centrifuges for enriching uranium.

The joint ministerial by France, Britain and Germany follows the one concluded by Dr. Mohammad el-Bradeh’i, the General Director of the Agency who, before leaving Tehran last week, expressed cautious optimism about reaching a compromise with Iranian ruling ayatollahs on the issue of Iranian suspect nuclear activities.

"We found a mutual understanding", the French news agency AFP quoted Monday Dr Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, after what he described as two days of "intensive negotiations" with IAEA experts.

“Iran has now has a more positive stance towards signing the Protocols”, AFP quoted Salehi as having said, adding it was now up to the Iranian leadership to make a final decision on the issue.

But in a statement made three weeks ago, Mr. El-Bradeh’i warned the Iranians that IAEA’ main concern now was the uranium enriching programs and not the signing the Protocols.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi reiterated Sunday that Iran does not acknowledge the deadline, but added that progress had been achieved during el-Bradehh’i visit to Tehran.

Diplomats say the European Union’ s big three have for months been engaged in an effort to convince Iran to fully comply with IAEA demands, and say they were unlikely to make such an unprecedented joint visit unless they were certain of some success in ending the current crisis.

The initiative for sending their foreign affairs ministers to Iran was taken a month ago by President Jacques Chirac of France, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in a letter to their Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami, telling him openly that if the Islamic Republic fails to satisfy IAEA, it could face harsh international sanctions.

In the letter, the three leaders offered Iran also a carrot, suggesting that in return for its compliance, it would get nuclear technical assistance and possibly supplies of nuclear fuel for its atomic reactors.

While the German foreign ministry said the three would "make clear" concern over Iran's nuclear programme, the French set the tone of high expectations by noting "the Iranian authorities now seem prepared to announce a certain number of confidence-building measures aimed at the international community".

In London, British Foreign Affairs Minister Jack Straw said in a statement: "Resolving the doubts surrounding Iran's nuclear programme is of grave concern to the European Union and wider international community.

"We will be impressing upon the Iranian authorities the urgent need for compliance with all of the requirements of the resolution passed on September 12 by the board of governors of the IAEA".

Straw has made no less than five visits to Iran in just two years, de Villepin visited earlier this year and Fischer was in Iran in 2000.

Salehi said Iran would also satisfy the IAEA's demands for answers to a number of "outstanding issues" -- in other words serious questions sparked by the discovery here of highly enriched uranium by IAEA inspectors.

Iranian officials said the foreign ministers would be meeting with President Khatami.

IAEA legal experts ended two days of talks with Iranian officials on Sunday, Tehran radio reported. The team had arrived Saturday to discuss an additional protocol to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty that would allow more intrusive inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities. ENDS IAEA IRAN 201003

http://www.iran-press-service.com/articles_2003/Oct-2003/iaea_iran_201003.html
24 posted on 10/20/2003 11:26:23 AM PDT by DoctorZIn
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To: DoctorZIn
Kurds Wary of U.S. Promises

October 20, 2003
MSNBC News
Jennifer Carlile

LONDON -- In the Kurdish Community Center in north London, Diyari Kurdi sips steaming black tea and calmly recounts the relatives he has lost to Saddam Hussein’s regime: Twenty-four were gassed by the Iraqi leader’s chemical attack on the country’s minority Kurds in 1988 .Then, when a CIA-backed Kurdish uprising against Saddam failed after the Gulf War in 1991, Iraqi security forces took revenge by killing Kurdi’s grandmother and nephew.

The Fear of Saddam’s long reach even extended to Kurdi’s 4-year-old daughter, who was born in London but has never seen the family’s ancestral home in northern Iraq. One morning, 11 years ago, she awoke screaming: “Dad! Saddam killed my uncle!”

Disturbed, because his daughter had never met her uncle, Kurdi contacted relatives still in northern Iraq. They confirmed his daughter’s nightmare — Kurdi’s 13-year-old-brother had been shot dead by Saddam’s forces.

“Every single Kurd has lost relatives,” said Kurdi, 41, originally from Sulamainy in northern Iraq. Kurdi spent five years fighting in the mountainous region before arriving in London as a refugee in 1983, five years after Saddam came to power and set out to stifle the minority Kurds.

For most of their years in exile, Britain’s Iraqi Kurds have watched bitterly as Saddam has kept an iron grip on power. Meeting in community centers with some of the country’s 110,000 Kurds for cultural and social events and, occasionally, political rallies, their hopes of returning home were dashed long ago.

U.S. GIRDS FOR WAR WITH IRAQ

But as the United States girds for war with Iraq, and President Bush openly calls for Saddam’s ouster, history has taught the Kurds to be wary of American promises. Here in Britain, the Iraqi Kurds are refusing to be swayed by sentiment alone.

Washington sees Kurdish support as key to any military action in the region. Among Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, the United States could count on a loyal guerrilla force of 75,000. The Iraqi Kurdish diaspora, with education and skills obtained in exile, is also seen as key to a post-Saddam Iraq.

Let down by Washington in 1975 and again after the Gulf War, this time Kurds say their leaders are demanding promises of safety and a role in an Iraq without Saddam.

“Kurds more than anybody else want to get rid of Saddam’s regime,” Kurdi said. “But America and Britain have their own plan — their own agenda. The United States and Britain let the Kurds down so many times. What are we going to get this time?”

NATION WITHOUT A STATE

The Kurds are considered the world’s largest nation without a state of their own. Denied their independence after World War One today 20-25 million Kurds live in Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria, as well as in Western nations where they have fled repressive regimes.

Iraqi Kurds faced persecution under Saddam’s rule throughout the 1980s. Human Rights Watch puts the number who died in the dictator’s largest campaign of extermination against Kurds at 50,000-100,000.

In just one of dozens of poison gas attacks, 5,000 civilians were killed in the town of Halabja, the first time chemical gasses were used to exterminate women and children since the Holocaust. The local population continues to suffer from high instances of cancer and birth defects.

The Kurds complain they’ve been used as political pawns for decades.

In the 1970s, amid a territorial dispute between Iraq and neighboring Iran, the Kurds aligned themselves with Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi of Iran, who was backed by Washington. But when Baghdad and Tehran made peace over the disagreement, the United States cut off all support to the Kurds. The Iraqi army took revenge by killing thousands.

After the 1991 Gulf War, with Saddam still in power, the CIA orchestrated an uprising using opposition among the northern Kurdish and southern Shia populations to overthrow the Iraqi leader. But when the Kurds rose to the challenge, the first President Bush shied away.

Thousands were slaughtered by Saddam’s forces, and thousands more fled over the borders to Turkey and Iran. As news of the televised catastrophe spread, the Bush administration responded by declaring the “safe haven” in northern Iraq so that the surviving refugees could return home and live shielded from Saddam’s military.

Iraqi Kurds faced persecution under Saddam’s rule throughout the 1980s. Human Rights Watch puts the number who died in the dictator’s largest campaign of extermination against Kurds at 50,000-100,000.

In just one of dozens of poison gas attacks, 5,000 civilians were killed in the town of Halabja, the first time chemical gasses were used to exterminate women and children since the Holocaust. The local population continues to suffer from high instances of cancer and birth defects.

The Kurds complain they’ve been used as political pawns for decades.

In the 1970s, amid a territorial dispute between Iraq and neighboring Iran, the Kurds aligned themselves with Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi of Iran, who was backed by Washington. But when Baghdad and Tehran made peace over the disagreement, the United States cut off all support to the Kurds. The Iraqi army took revenge by killing thousands.

After the 1991 Gulf War, with Saddam still in power, the CIA orchestrated an uprising using opposition among the northern Kurdish and southern Shia populations to overthrow the Iraqi leader. But when the Kurds rose to the challenge, the first President Bush shied away.

Thousands were slaughtered by Saddam’s forces, and thousands more fled over the borders to Turkey and Iran. As news of the televised catastrophe spread, the Bush administration responded by declaring the “safe haven” in northern Iraq so that the surviving refugees could return home and live shielded from Saddam’s military.

Now, although enticed by the hope of overthrowing Saddam, Washington’s plans fill them with suspicion and fear. “America’s agenda is not clear to us, and we don’t believe in promises anymore,” Kurdi said. “But if tomorrow Bush’s actions win us our freedom his statue will be everywhere.”

Other Kurds in exile say they are ready to throw their support behind Washington, as long as the Bush administration lives up to promises to protect the Kurdish population in Iraq.

Taha Kala, 34, also from Sulamainy, was forced to join Iraq’s military ranks in 1990. A translator who speaks four languages, he shifted between American and British English when explaining that he spent one day on the Jordanian border working with Iraqi anti-aircraft weaponry just after the invasion of Kuwait. The next day, he deserted.

“I did not want to die for my enemy,” he said.

Kala fought in the 1991 uprising and watched his best friend die outside of Kirkuk, also in Iraq’s north, then hid in the mountains of Iran with his parents and five sisters. Despite his anger at past betrayals, Kala said, “no one in this area is better for us than America.”

Washington, too, has plenty of worries about its once and future Kurdish allies. Kurds have long sought an independent state in the region, a development that could destabilize the oil-rich area — with millions of Kurds living in neighboring Turkey, Syria and Iran.

As Washington has increased its preparations for a war against Iraq, however, fractious Kurdish political parties have given assurances that they would settle for autonomy under a new Baghdad government. But the various factions have still failed to unite. An opposition conference scheduled for Tuesday in Brussels — postponed for a fourth time — was the latest casualty of the bickering between anti-Saddam parties, including the Kurds.

If Saddam is ousted from power and the Kurds attain a protected area for themselves, however, many Kurds who have received asylum in other countries are expected to return to their birth land. But after decades building a life abroad, dissident Kurdi said the move won’t be easy.

“I have two daughters born in Britain and a British passport. I have British friends from all classes and foreign friends from many countries,” Kurdi said. “But if I could go back tomorrow I would go. I would be proud to be there.”

Jennifer Carlile is an intern at MSNBC.com.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/834492.asp
25 posted on 10/20/2003 12:45:07 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
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To: DoctorZIn
Sudanese Official Makes Repeated Trips to Iran

October 20, 2003
Radio Free Europe
Bill Samii

Sudanese Interior Minister Brig. Abdelrahim Mohammed Hussein is showing a great affinity for Iranian hospitality, visiting Iran in mid-October just three months after his last trip.

Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref-Yazdi told the visiting Sudanese interior minister on 15 October that the expansion of relations would not only benefit the two countries, it would help the Islamic community as a whole, IRNA reported. The Sudanese guest responded that the two countries have similar views on Iraq, Palestine, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Hussein, who is also the chairman of the Board of Directors of Sudan's Defense Industries, met on 14 October with Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Ali Shamkhani, IRNA reported. Shamkhani told his guest, "Unipolarism which toes the line of a Zionist minority has targeted its attacks toward [the] world of Islam." Hussein called for greater defense and security cooperation between the two countries.

Hussein also visited Iran for three days in early July. During that trip he met with Interior Minister Abdolvahed Musavi-Lari on 3 July, and called for Iranian assistance to be provided to the Sudanese police forces, ISNA reported. The next day, Musavi-Lari and Hussein signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation in fighting organized crime and police training, IRNA reported.

Hussein was part of a larger delegation during the July trip, which was headed by First Vice President Ali Othman Mohammad Taha. While in Tehran, Taha met with President Khatami, Republic of Sudan Radio reported. On 4 July, the two sides signed two MOUs -- the one mentioned above on law enforcement, and one addressing cooperation in science, research, and higher education.

Sudanese Minister of Energy and Mining Awad al-Jaz and Minister of Investment al-Cherif Ahmad Omar Badr came to Iran at the end of July. Al-Jaz met with Khatami on 29 July, IRNA reported, and they discussed cooperation in commerce, customs, and aviation. Al-Jaz met parliament speaker Hojatoleslam Mehdi Karrubi on 30 July, and Karrubi said that the legislature is ready to expand Iran's commercial and political ties with Sudan, especially in the inter-parliamentary union, IRNA reported. The Iranian and Sudanese sides signed six MOUs on 30 July, Khartoum's "Al-Ray al-Amm" reported the next day. These addressed agriculture, banking, customs, education, and trade.

http://www.rferl.org/iran-report/
26 posted on 10/20/2003 12:46:29 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
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To: DoctorZIn
Support Our Troops! – Click Link Below!


27 posted on 10/20/2003 1:05:46 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
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To: Pan_Yans Wife; fat city; freedom44; Tamsey; Grampa Dave; PhiKapMom; McGavin999; Hinoki Cypress; ...
We have just joined forces with a large number of Iranian Blogs. Check out the listing below.

We are the first listing:
"American's For Regime Change in Iran!"

http://www.activistchat.com/blogiran/unitedblogs.html

As a result, we may see new visitors to our thread, please be aware that these visitors may not be conservatives like most of us. Please don't flame them but rather engage them in interesting discussions.

It should prove fun!

DoctorZin
28 posted on 10/20/2003 1:44:32 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
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To: DoctorZIn
FANTASTIC!
29 posted on 10/20/2003 1:46:25 PM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife (You may forget the one with whom you have laughed, but never the one with whom you have wept.)
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To: Pan_Yans Wife
DOC, looks like you have a healthy discussion going on in here.. have you every thought of creating a BLOG - which is perfect for what you are doing, but a lot more organized..

HIGH RECOMMEND doing a blog :) there's a lot of easy to use software out there as well... And individuals can still comment and discuss on your posts..!

Best,
shirazi

30 posted on 10/20/2003 2:03:09 PM PDT by faludeh_shirazi
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To: faludeh_shirazi; DoctorZIn
See above number 29.

Welcome to Freerepublic, faludeh_shirazi.
31 posted on 10/20/2003 2:31:43 PM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife (You may forget the one with whom you have laughed, but never the one with whom you have wept.)
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To: faludeh_shirazi
I have been cosidering this for some time now.
Perhaps now I will finally start such a blog.

I am glad you have joined us here.

DoctorZin
32 posted on 10/20/2003 2:52:37 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
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To: DoctorZIn
Iran Cleric Calls Khamenei 'Dictator'

October 20, 2003
Dow Jones Newswires
The Associated Press

TEHRAN -- Reformist cleric Mohsen Kadivar called Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a dictator late Monday at a fast-breaking meeting following a daylong fast in protest of the hard-line government.

"Your rule was expected to promote justice. What we see now is the rule of a dictator," Kadivar said, drawing wild applause from the audience.

Hundreds of reformist lawmakers, students and political activists held a daylong fast Monday to protest the hard-line establishment's crackdown on freedoms.

"We are refusing to eat and drink today to protest lack of legitimate freedoms and violation of the basic human rights of political prisoners," leading reformist lawmaker Ali Shakourirad told The Associated Press at the beginning of the fast.

Shakourirad was among more than 110 fasting reformist lawmakers from Iran's 290-seat parliament.

After sunset Monday, protesters met at the headquarters of the Islamic Iran Participation Front, Iran's largest reformist political party, to break their fast. Others attended fast-breaking meetings in provincial capitals.

Iran has been embroiled in a power struggle between elected reformers supporting President Mohammad Khatami's program of peaceful democratic reforms and hard-liners resisting them through powerful, but unelected, bodies they control.

Shakourirad urged hard-liners to "stop jailing Iran's best writers, teachers and intellectuals and abandon violating their rights."

Criticizing Khamenei is considered a taboo in Iran and critics are subject to punishment.

http://framehosting.dowjonesnews.com/sample/samplestory.asp?StoryID=2003102019010000&Take=1
33 posted on 10/20/2003 3:09:08 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
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To: Pan_Yans Wife; fat city; freedom44; Tamsey; Grampa Dave; PhiKapMom; McGavin999; Hinoki Cypress; ...
Iran Cleric Calls Khamenei 'Dictator'

October 20, 2003
Dow Jones Newswires
The Associated Press

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1004204/posts?page=33#33
34 posted on 10/20/2003 3:10:06 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
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To: DoctorZIn

35 posted on 10/20/2003 3:13:00 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
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To: DoctorZIn
WOW!!!

AWESOME!!!
36 posted on 10/20/2003 4:32:26 PM PDT by nuconvert
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To: Pan_Yans Wife
You absolutely must... There are free IRan blog sites you can go to if you do't wish to set the software up yourself.. But really, for what you do, the blog formate will work great - and you can still do all the graphics,discussion,etc..!

Best,
Faludeh
37 posted on 10/20/2003 5:05:52 PM PDT by faludeh_shirazi
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To: DoctorZIn
Ping to 37.
38 posted on 10/20/2003 5:28:17 PM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife (You may forget the one with whom you have laughed, but never the one with whom you have wept.)
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To: F14 Pilot
On one hand, President Khatami of Iran says Nobel Peace Prize is not that important and on the other hand, his colleagues are speaking that he deserved the Nobel Prize.

Khatami tries to denigrate the award in classic sour grapes fashion, yet his jealousy is revealed in the bleatings of his lackies.

This then is why he and his ilk must subjugate women:

These so-called men cannot achieve excellence and are humiliated when excellence is achieved by others--and women at that!

39 posted on 10/20/2003 5:56:11 PM PDT by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: DoctorZIn
EU ministers put pressure on Iran

Straw in joint mission with French and German counterparts to secure nuclear agreement with Tehran

Ewen MacAskill and Dan de Luce in Tehran
Tuesday October 21, 2003
The Guardian

The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, and two other European foreign ministers flew to Tehran last night expecting to secure a significant concession from the Iranian government in the diplomatic standoff over its alleged secret plan to build a nuclear bomb.

In a rare show of European unity, Mr Straw, Joschka Fischer, the German foreign minister, and Dominique de Villepin, his French counterpart, are scheduled to meet Iranian leaders today in a single mission.

Their main meeting is with Dr Hassan Rouhani, secretary of Iran's supreme national security council.

European officials have gone to Tehran over the past fortnight to prepare the ground and there is optimism that Iranian leaders are prepared to give ground before an October 31 deadline.

Iranian officials indicated yesterday that an announcement would be made today clearing the way for an end to months of stalemate.

The compromise deal would require Iran to open its doors to intrusive inspections in return for access to civilian nuclear technology and fuel.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations watchdog on nuclear proliferation, is suspicious that Iran has embarked on a covert nuclear weapons programme and set the deadline for Iran to cooperate with IAEA inspectors. Iran denies it is attempting to build a nuclear bomb.

The three foreign ministers were invited to Iran two weeks ago by the Iranian foreign ministry. The three, in discussions among themselves over the past fortnight, decided they would only undertake such a high-profile visit if there was the chance of a positive outcome.

Mr Straw has invested an unusual amount of time in Iran since becoming foreign secretary two years ago. This is his fifth visit. He has persisted in spite of a cooling in the relationship over the past few months that has seen several attacks in which shots have been fired at the British embassy in Tehran.

Before leaving yesterday evening, Mr Straw said: "Resolving the doubts surrounding the Iranian nuclear programme is of grave concern to the European Union and to the wider international community." He added that the three ministers "will be pressing on the Iranian authorities the urgent need for compliance with all the [IAEA] requirements".

The three are looking for a concession in at least one of three areas: Iran agreeing to full cooperation with the IAEA; Iran signing an additional protocol to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty that would allow IAEA inspectors to make surprise visits to Iranian sites; and the suspension of Iran's uranium enrichment programme, which the US and Europe claims is being undertaken in order to build a bomb.

In return, the three European foreign ministers will pledge to help Iran with an "assured fuel supply" with technical assistance in modernising its civil nuclear programme.

Agreeing to the deal will require Iran's theocratic leadership to forsake the possibility of developing a nuclear deterrent, something favoured by the more hardline elements in the clerical establishment.

"This will certainly infuriate the hardliners," said one Iranian analyst. "But Iran will benefit and so will Europe."

The powerful former president of Iran, Hashemi Rafsanjani, was quoted in Iranian newspapers as saying: "We are involved in one of the most crucial moments for our country and a final decision should be made."

Iran's supreme national security council met yesterday and consulted the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to confirm Iran's stance on the compromise arrangement.

A European diplomat told the Guardian that a compromise agreement had been reached but that important details would be discussed in today's meetings. "It's safe to say they would not be travelling here if there was not already substantial agreement."

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foreignaffairs/story/0,11538,1067535,00.html
40 posted on 10/20/2003 6:32:07 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
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