Eye On Iran: Italy's ENI to pull out of Iran
Fri, 02/05/2010 - 11:50 | by uaniadminDid You Know? "The
U.S. State Department has called Iran the world's 'most
active state sponsor of terrorism,'" according to the Council on
Foreign Relations. http://bit.ly/aXHnz9
AP: "ENI SpA's chief executive said Thursday that the Italian energy company will pull out of Iran after current contracts to develop two gas fields there run out, as international pressure grows to isolate the country over its disputed nuclear program." http://bit.ly/baOtV8
AFP: "Iran's envoy to the UN atomic watchdog said on Thursday that Tehran wants cooperation, not confrontation, over a nuclear fuel swap, the state-run Arabic channel Al-Alam television reported. 'The positive comments by the president (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) show Iran's firm intention to find a solution of cooperation instead of confrontation,' Ali Asghar Soltanieh told the Tehran-based network from Vienna." http://bit.ly/aVTePO
NPR: "The government of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may be more susceptible to international economic sanctions than at any recent time, according to U.S. officials and Iran specialists." http://bit.ly/dfaePL
Nuclear
Program
Reuters: "Iran has been using delaying tactics instead of taking action to resolve the dispute over its nuclear program, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Friday. Westerwelle told Deutschlandfunk radio that Iran would be judged by its actions and not by its words, and that only a serious return to negotiations would prevent further measures such as sanctions being imposed on the Islamic Republic." http://nyti.ms/cUiGes
AP: "Iran's foreign minister was added at the last minute Friday to the Munich Security Conference, joining the prestigious gathering of the world's top defense officials amid signs Tehran is trying to revive talks on the country's nuclear program." http://bit.ly/bBeCvc
Reuters: "U.S. federal agents have arrested a Taiwan passport holder on charges of illegally exporting commodities for Iran's missile program in violation of U.S. sanctions, authorities in south Florida said on Thursday." http://bit.ly/bBNjZx
NYT: "Reflecting a growing catalog of disputes between Washington and Beijing, a senior Chinese official said Thursday that pressure for tighter sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program could block chances of a diplomatic settlement on the issue." http://nyti.ms/aujFJr
Domestic Politics
Radio Farda: "Eight people have died in an avalanche at an Iranian ski resort and rescue groups are trying to find another, the state news agency said today. 'Up to now it is confirmed that eight have died, and the search to find one other mountaineer is continuing,' Mahmoud Shoaie, head of the Iran's mountaineering federation, was quoted as saying on IRNA." http://bit.ly/b0pFb0
Culture
LAT: "Iranian film directors, Kheirandish noted, 'try to portray the realities of our society. The films explore human nature and issues of morality and ethics in a way that is rooted in Eastern culture. From the technical perspective, our films may not reach the capabilities found in other countries, but in terms of story line and characters, we are quite strong.'" http://bit.ly/cYbcGf
Opinion
The Economist:
"Under pressure at home and abroad, Iran's
president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is unbowed. The latest test of a
satellite-capable rocket, 'manned' by a hapless mouse, two turtles and
an
assortment of worms (accompanied by a promise soon to put a man into
space) was
no doubt aimed at repairing the president's image with ordinary
Iranians. They
have been angered by the crackdown that has landed many in jail and
some on the
gallows since his disputed re-election last June." http://bit.ly/bRF3oPReuters: "Iran has been using delaying tactics instead of taking action to resolve the dispute over its nuclear program, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Friday. Westerwelle told Deutschlandfunk radio that Iran would be judged by its actions and not by its words, and that only a serious return to negotiations would prevent further measures such as sanctions being imposed on the Islamic Republic." http://nyti.ms/cUiGes
AP: "Iran's foreign minister was added at the last minute Friday to the Munich Security Conference, joining the prestigious gathering of the world's top defense officials amid signs Tehran is trying to revive talks on the country's nuclear program." http://bit.ly/bBeCvc
Reuters: "U.S. federal agents have arrested a Taiwan passport holder on charges of illegally exporting commodities for Iran's missile program in violation of U.S. sanctions, authorities in south Florida said on Thursday." http://bit.ly/bBNjZx
NYT: "Reflecting a growing catalog of disputes between Washington and Beijing, a senior Chinese official said Thursday that pressure for tighter sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program could block chances of a diplomatic settlement on the issue." http://nyti.ms/aujFJr
Domestic Politics
Radio Farda: "Eight people have died in an avalanche at an Iranian ski resort and rescue groups are trying to find another, the state news agency said today. 'Up to now it is confirmed that eight have died, and the search to find one other mountaineer is continuing,' Mahmoud Shoaie, head of the Iran's mountaineering federation, was quoted as saying on IRNA." http://bit.ly/b0pFb0
Culture
LAT: "Iranian film directors, Kheirandish noted, 'try to portray the realities of our society. The films explore human nature and issues of morality and ethics in a way that is rooted in Eastern culture. From the technical perspective, our films may not reach the capabilities found in other countries, but in terms of story line and characters, we are quite strong.'" http://bit.ly/cYbcGf
Opinion
Tony Karon in TIME: "Nobody's sure what exactly Iran will propose, and the U.S. and its allies remain skeptical. But the fact that they're unable to dismiss Ahmadinejad's latest statements out of hand is a reminder that the diplomatic game remains in play, and Iran still holds some cards." http://bit.ly/bGeEZ3
Philip Stephens: "There are two stories about Iran. The more familiar is the confrontation with the west over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The more important may be the rising domestic opposition to President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad. The puzzle is to work out how the two connect." http://bit.ly/ailhLm
Cameron Abadi in The Global Post: "A narrative has attached itself to the American 'carrot-and-stick' policy toward Iran, the broad outlines of which go something like this: With Iran failing to bargain in good faith over its nuclear program and China refusing to back meaningful penalties through the United Nations Security Council, the United States and Europe are going to be left on their own with the task of imposing sanctions that are tough enough to persuade Iran to change its behavior." http://bit.ly/a7FAAv
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