Posted on 10/24/2005 12:49:38 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
Top News Story
Iran 'punishes' Britain with a ban on imports
By Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor
(Filed: 20/10/2005)Iran has imposed an undeclared embargo on British imports as it steps up accusations that Britain is behind a series of bombings near the southern border with Iraq.
The moves are further evidence of a crisis in relations between Teheran and London, highlighted by the British-led effort to curb Iran's nuclear programme and British accusations that Teheran is giving Iraqi insurgents bomb-making technology that has killed several British soldiers this year.
As hardline Iranian newspapers demanded the closure of the British embassy in Teheran, the government appeared to be acting on its threats to use economic ties to favour its allies and punish its foes.
"Some companies have reported difficulties even though the Iranian ministry of commerce says there are no new restraints," said a Foreign Office spokesman. "We are looking into this and we will be discussing the situation with British companies and the Iranian authorities."
In private, however, British officials are certain a ban is in force, with British goods held up at customs and the Iranian authorities declining applications for letters of credit for British imports.
A similar policy has affected goods from South Korea, which is on the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Iran's presidential chief of staff, Gholamhossein Elham, declined to confirm the import bans, but the semi-official ISNA students news agency quoted him as saying: "Political relations and views definitely have an impact on economic relations."
British officials say exports to Iran, worth about £1 billion a year, had recovered after similar bans in the past.
Britain, Germany and France last month led a campaign to report Iran to the United Nations Security Council, fearing that Teheran was secretly trying to build a nuclear bomb. But they were blocked by opposition from Russia and China. Instead, the IAEA declared Iran to be in "non-compliance" with its nuclear obligations.
The confrontation appears to be spilling across the border into southern Iraq, where at least eight British servicemen have been killed this year by sophisticated roadside bombs.
British officials say that infra-red triggers and shaped charges designed to pierce armour are similar to those given by Iran to Hizbollah, a Lebanese group, against Israeli forces.
In recent months Iran has regularly accused Britain of involvement in riots and explosions in the mainly-Arab south of Iran.
Yesterday officials in the city of Abadan said they had foiled an attempt by "British spies" to blow up its largest oil refinery. On Tuesday police said they had defused a large bomb planted under a bridge in Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan province. At the weekend a double bomb attack killed six people and injured more than 100 in the city.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said last week: "We have not found any proof that Britain is not involved in the events in Ahvaz and we have not seen anything that would dissipate our doubts about that country".
The British embassy expressed its "revulsion at and condemnation of" the bombings, but dismissed the Iranian accusations.
- Iran Press Service reported that MKO dissidents are demanding that the MKO Leader also be put on trial in Iraq.
- Iran Press News reported that the German Newspaper Die Welt criticized the irresponsible comments of the Islamic Republic of Iran's authorities regarding the suspicious explosions in Ahvaaz, adding that: Ahmadinejad is either simple, arrogant or both.
- Iran Press News reported that Jacques Chirac, the president of France has written a letter to Ahmadinejad, contents unknown.
- Iran Press News reported that the Ahamdinejad administration has declared illegal the budgets for the two organizations established by Khatami, the ex-president of Iran.
- Iran Press News reported that Iran's Supreme Leader identified the nuclear program as "science" and nuclear weapons as "military might,” continued: We must obtain 'the might.
- Iran Press News reported that the regime-run site, AFTAB expressed anxiety that economic sanctions against the regime which will mean that the sale of refined gas to Iran will be prohibited and that people are in no shape to put up with anything like this and it will lead to bedlam.
- Iran Press News reported on the hearing for the investigation of charges of "Dereliction" against a student of the Shareef Industrial University completely committed to Democracy.
- The LA Times reported that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today said the Bush administration was considering opening direct contact with Iran.
- Victor Davis Hanson, The National Review examinied the unjustified negativity on the war in Iraq.
- Thomas Joscelyn, The Weekly Standard reported on Mullah Chávez.
- Newindpress reported that Iran was stepping up its diplomacy a month ahead of the second crucial vote in Vienna, by inviting New Delhi for a second meeting on the proposed India-Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.
- The Associated Press reported that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice refused to rule out the use military force against neighboring Syria and Iran.
- Alan Peters reported that Iran's Supreme Leaders aircraft is grounded in France.
- IranMania reported that the MEK remained on the EU's list of terrorist organizations.
- Adnkronos International reported that more journalists in Iran are falling victim to Iran's war on the media.
- And finally, Noticias.info said Reporters Without Borders today condemned the 18-month prison sentence that was passed on Mohammad Sedigh Kabovand.
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