UANI

Reuters reported that "The U.N. nuclear watchdog has asked Iran to explain evidence suggesting the Islamic Republic's scientists have experimented with an advanced nuclear warhead design, the Guardian reported in its Friday edition.  The newspaper, citing what it describes as 'previously unpublished documentation' from an International Atomic Energy Agency compiled dossier, said Iranian scientists may have tested high-explosive components of a 'two-point implosion' device.  The IAEA said in September it has no proof Iran has or once had a covert atomic bomb program." http://bit.ly/21njG1
 
The Washington Post reported that "Iran is demanding full delivery of reactor fuel before it gives up its stash of low-enriched uranium and has balked at further efforts to hold international talks on its nuclear program, according to a senior European diplomat.  The diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive diplomacy involved, said prospects for a breakthrough with Iran have narrowed dramatically since a high-level meeting in Geneva on Oct. 1, when Iran tentatively approved a deal to reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium and agreed to hold another set of talks by the end of October. Instead, the reactor deal appears to be falling apart, and there are no prospects for talks before the governing body of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meets this month to consider whether Iran violated international obligations by building a nuclear facility near the city of Qom." http://bit.ly/RB5U0
 
AFP reported that "US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday urged Iran to accept unchanged a UN-drafted deal with global powers on its nuclear program.  'As I have said, this is a pivotal moment for Iran, and we urge Iran to accept the agreement as proposed,' Clinton told reporters, flanked by new German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.  'We will not alter it, and we will not wait forever,' Clinton said.  Iran had been initially due to give its response to the deal by October 23." http://bit.ly/2SJ4dk
 
The AP reported that "Denmark's journalists union says one of its members is being held in a jail in Tehran.  The Danish Union of Journalists says Niels Krogsgaard 'apparently was arrested in connection with a demonstration on Wednesday.'  The union said Friday that Krogsgaard is a Danish journalism student who went to Iran to work on an academic paper on Iranian politics. It didn't give his age." http://bit.ly/wiZGM
 
The Washington Post Editorial Board on Friday wrote that "It's been five weeks since the Obama administration announced that Iran had agreed to ship most of its enriched uranium out of the country in exchange for fuel rods for a research reactor -- a deal that promised to delay Tehran's nuclear program by a year or so. But there have been no shipments; instead, Iran rejected the technical terms proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It is trying to change the deal in a way that would remove the slight benefit it offered to the West. And it is continuing its refusal even to discuss the central demand of the U.N. Security Council, which is that it suspend uranium enrichment." http://bit.ly/3hD7B7
 
Roger Cohen wrote in The New York Times that "ElBaradei's message to Tehran: 'This is an opportunity I have not seen before and it will not happen again.' His message to Washington: 'Be patient.'  The problem is the disarray in Tehran. It is payback time for Ahmadinejad. Everyone he's slighted - like Ali Larijani, the powerful speaker of the Majlis - is gunning for him. The supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, went along with the outline of the Geneva deal but has begun to equivocate.  The Islamic Republic needs to move on. It has sullied and weakened itself in recent months. It needs to put an end to the paralyzing behind-the-scenes fight over who would claim credit for any rapprochement with America. It must recognize, as ElBaradei put it, that 'Obama is really sticking his neck out.'" http://bit.ly/34CaIR
 
Roger Hardy wrote in a news analysis piece for the BBC that "The heat of the debate seems to have rattled the regime.  Should it accept the deal, reject it or - despite Mrs Clinton's warning - try to renegotiate it?  The man who must decide is the Supreme Leader.  If he were to approve the deal, that would probably silence the squabbling factions.  The logic of this approach is clear.  At a time when the regime is under severe pressure both at home and abroad, a deal would defuse the pressure coming from the West - and stave off the prospect of further sanctions.  But the Leader's latest statement is scarcely conciliatory." http://bit.ly/4CeyD9
 
Dilip Hiro wrote in Thursday's Asia Times that "When it comes to the nuclear conundrum, what distinguishes China and Russia from the US is that they have conferred unconditional diplomatic recognition and acceptance on the Islamic Republic of Iran. So their commercial and diplomatic links with Tehran are thriving. Indeed, a sub-structure of pipelines and economic alliances between hydrocarbon-rich Russia, Iran, and energy-hungry China is now being forged. In other words, the foundation is being laid for the emergence of a Russia-Iran-China diplomatic triad in the not-too-distant future, while Washington remains stuck in an old groove of imposing 'punishing' sanctions against Tehran for its nuclear program." http://bit.ly/4pgMYV