US, Germany, France, UK, China, and Russia To Discuss Iran Next Month - Question On Pres Ahmadinejad's Health
Thu, 01/22/2009 - 20:00 | by uaniadmin<!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->Reuters reported that "Representatives of six major powers are expected to discuss Iran's nuclear program next month, their first meeting since the new U.S. administration took office, Russia's ambassador to Britain said on Wednesday.... The group of six countries -- Russia, the United States, China, Germany, Britain and France -- have obtained several rounds of U.N. sanctions against Tehran while pushing for further talks. French daily Le Monde reported this week that France and Britain were spearheading an effort within the European Union to pass new sanctions, but with limited success." Read More
The NY Times reported on recent questions over the health of Iranian President Ahmadinejad. "The news accounts, which were attributed to Iranian government officials, are the second instance in three months in which Mr. Ahmadinejad's health has become a public issue in Iran. Mr. Ahmadinejad, known for his highly conservative Islamist views and toughness toward the West, is preparing to run for reelection in June. Mr. Ahmadinejad canceled all programs from Tuesday until the end of Friday, the newspaper Etemad reported. It said that Mr. Ahmadinejad canceled a speech he was due to give on Tuesday on the subject of Gaza at Tehran University. The speech was given instead by his aide, Mojtaba Samareh-Hashemi, who explained the president's absence by saying Mr. Ahmedinejad had a cold, the newspaper reported." Read More
AP reported on official reaction to Pres Obama's inauguration by the Iranian government. "Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, urged Obama to change American policies in the Middle East.'We are ready for new approaches by the United States,' Mottaki told the English-language Press TV, part of Iran's state media. For now, though, Iran would wait to see what 'practical policies' Obama will adopt before making any judgment about his stance toward Iran, Mottaki said, according to the official IRNA news agency." Read More
The Guardian, reporting on Pres Obama's first full day in office, noted that "Obama's team posted on the White House website a new direction for foreign policy, of which the most startling was an offer to negotiate with Iran. Although such a policy was a prominent feature of his campaign message of engagement with America's enemies, the White House said such negotiations would be 'without preconditions'." Read More
On CNN, Christiane Amanpour reported on the future of policy towards Iran in the Obama White House. AMANPOUR: "Also, the Obama administration, in the last days, certainly during Hillary Clinton's confirmation hearings, talked about a new relationship with Iran trying engagement. Obama himself, as president, says that that is what he wants to do, as well. And they've talked about, you know, having the U.S. bottom line in terms of all of the things they want to deal with Iran, but try to switch from what the Bush administration had, which was isolate Iran, load it with sanctions, give Iran the silent treatment, and expect it to do what you want it to do. The Obama administration is signaling that it wants to try engagement, while trying for those similar objectives, but to try to do it in a different way. And from my reporting over the last -- certainly the last months, weeks, and even couple of years before the election, there is a long view being taken in it Iran by senior top officials right up to the top religious leadership there, the supreme leader, which is looking to change its relationship with the United States." Watch
The LA Times covered reaction to Pres Obama's inauguration in Iran. "The Iranian press voiced skepticism today about President Obama and his vow to change the way the U.S. does business in the Middle East. Typical were the sentiments of the conservative Jam-e-Jam daily, which praised the American people for their vote, but expressed doubt that anything would come of it." Read More
The Washington Post reported on the confirmation of now Secretary Clinton. "The Senate easily confirmed Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state yesterday on a 94 to 2 vote after Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) dropped his request for more information about foreign donations to former president Bill Clinton's charitable foundation. Cornyn said yesterday that he had been swayed by a private conversation with Clinton, and he was among those supporting her nomination. Republican Sens. Jim DeMint (S.C.) and David Vitter (La.) cast the dissenting votes." Read More
The Washington Post reported that "Now that Hillary Clinton has been confirmed as Secretary of State, the Obama administration will announce Thursday two high-profile appointments -- former senate majority leader George Mitchell (D-Me.) as Middle East envoy and former U.N. ambassador Richard Holbrooke as envoy for Afghanistan, Pakistan 'and related matters,' sources close to the administration said." Read More
Amnesty International sent out a release calling on Iran to stop stoning criminals. "Gilan Mohammadi (female) and Gholamali Eskandari (male) are believed to have been detained since 2003. They are held in Esfahan Central Prison, in the centre of the country. Amnesty International members are urging the authorities not to execute Gilan Mohammadi and Gholamali Eskandari and calling on them to order an immediate and effective moratorium on executions by stoning. The organisation is also urging the Iranian authorities to enact a law unequivocally banning stoning as a legal punishment." Read More
The AP reported that "Iran's state-owned newspaper says the country has hanged 10 people - the largest number of executed convicts so far in 2009." Read More
AFP reported that "Iran on Wednesday warned the BBC Tehran bureau against contributing to the network's newly-launched Farsi-language television channel, which is banned from operating in Iran, Fars news agency reported." Read More
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