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AP reported that "Russian news agencies quote the country's nuclear agency chief as saying a Russian-built nuclear power reactor in Iran is still set to be switched on this year. State-run RIA-Novosti and ITAR-Tass quote Sergei Kiriyenko as saying plans remain for a start-up of the reactor near the Iranian city of Bushehr by the end of the year. Russia is helping Iran build its first nuclear power plant as part of a program Iran says is purely peaceful. The United States and Israel say it is meant to develop atomic weapons. Officials in Russia and Iran had previously announced plans to switch the reactor on this year. But that was cast in doubt last month when reports quoted the head of the Russian company building the plant as saying there had been problems with financing." (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jwgjCj_5_J7wBULdtaiWmK...)

Reuters reported that "If the Obama administration can't persuade the Iranian government to end its nuclear program, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee warned on Wednesday he will move forward with legislation this fall that seeks to cut off gasoline exports to Iran. 'The legislation would force companies in the energy sector to choose between doing business with Iran, or doing business with the United States,' said Rep. Howard Berman, a California Democrat. The United States and many of its allies are worried Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran claims it just wants to generate electricity by nuclear power. The bill would impose sanctions on foreign companies that export refined petroleum products, such as gasoline, to Iran or help maintain the country's domestic refining capacity. This would include companies that provide ships or shipping services to transport the fuel, underwrite the shipments and finance or broker the relevant gasoline cargoes...'If engagement does not work, then I'm prepared to mark up the bill in committee early this fall.'...'So this legislation -- if it becomes law -- would significantly increase economic pressure on Iran and hopefully persuade the regime to change is current course,' Berman said. Patrick Clawson, deputy director for research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told the committee that Iran's economy will likely do poorly in the next few years and now 'is a perfect moment' to impose additional sanctions on Iran. 'The sanctions will come at a time of looming economic hardship, and there is excellent reason to expect that Iranian public opinion will blame the economic problems on hardliners' isolation of Iran from the international community,' he said." (http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE56L58J20090722)

The Los Angeles Times reported that "Iran's political crisis intensified Wednesday when the nation's main opposition figure announced that he would create a political organization to 'lay the groundwork for a large-scale social movement' stemming from his disputed election loss to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Many supporters of Mir-Hossein Mousavi had feared the announcement would amount to a disavowal of the civil disobedience campaign that has sprung up since the June election in which the government has been accused of massive vote fraud. Instead, Mousavi explicitly praised the protest movement as a cornerstone for change in Iran. In his most extensive remarks in weeks, Mousavi said that 'power is always inclined to become absolute, and only people's movements can put a hold on this inclination.' Several other opposition figures, emboldened by high-ranking clerics and unbowed by the severe government crackdown on protesters, have also issued challenges to the authority of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his ally Ahmadinejad. A senior cleric on Wednesday issued a fatwa, or religious edict, encouraging Iranian officials to skip Ahmadinejad's inauguration in early August, and former President Mohammad Khatami warned that if his proposal for a referendum on the disputed election was rejected, 'all other legal channels would be practically closed on people,' leading to unpredictable consequences." (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-protest23-2009j...)

The Wall Street Journal reported that "U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton caused waves in the Middle East during her visit to Southeast Asia, telling a Thai television program that Washington could extend a 'defense umbrella' to protect its Arab allies if Iran succeeds in developing nuclear weapons...A senior U.S. official close to Mrs. Clinton said her comments weren't new and didn't indicate a slacking of the Obama administration's resolve to deny Tehran nuclear weapons. Rather, the official said, the secretary of state was stressing that Iran would find itself more isolated, and less secure, if it continued to pursue nuclear technologies and that the U.S. remained committed to the defense of its Middle East allies. 'We will not accept an Iranian nuclear weapon,' the official said...Mrs. Clinton's comments come as President Barack Obama is running out of time under his self-imposed deadline to engage with Tehran directly to rein in its nuclear ambitions. Mr. Obama has cited late September for the U.S. and other world powers to reassess their diplomatic outreach toward Iran, and potentially move toward more aggressive economic sanctions. But U.S. officials have quietly acknowledged in recent weeks that it remains uncertain, if not doubtful, that China, Russia or India will agree to harsher financial penalties on Tehran even then. American diplomats are expressing concern that Beijing and Moscow might cite Iran's recent political turmoil as a reason to give President Mahmoud Ahmadinjead more time to respond to the diplomatic overtures. Meanwhile, U.S. and United Nations officials acknowledge that Tehran's nuclear activities continue unimpeded. Officials from the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, have reported that Tehran is moving close to amassing enough low-enriched uranium to produce a nuclear weapon, provided the material is processed further to weapons grade. Once Iran reaches this breakout capability, said U.S. and Middle East officials, the strategic balance in the Middle East could begin to shift and prompt other regional countries to pursue nuclear programs." (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124826266087471853.html)

The New York Times reported that "A cross-section of prominent voices among Iranian exiles, including the political dissident Akbar Ganji and the pop diva known as Googoosh, spoke at a rally outside the United Nations on Wednesday, demanding the release of political prisoners held by the Islamic republic. While green flags fluttered overhead and many protesters wore green - the color adopted by the reformist presidential campaign of Mir Hussein Moussavi - Mr. Ganji, the main proponent of the protest, said the event was meant to support human rights rather than to endorse any political organization. 'Civil society can put the government under pressure,' said Mr. Ganji, a writer who was jailed for six years for, among other things, revealing that government death squads assassinated dissidents in the 1990s. 'The human rights violations in Iran cannot be ignored.'...Googoosh, a singer beloved among Iranians since the 1970s, delivered an emotional speech in which she said the outcome of the June 12 presidential election, which the protesters accuse President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of stealing, inspired her to make her first foray into politics. She and the other speakers stood in front of a banner bearing the names of some of the 600 protesters believed to remain in jail. The names of those killed were written in red." (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/world/middleeast/23iran.html?scp=6&sq=...)

Reuters reported that "An Iranian defense lawyer voiced concern on Wednesday about two leading reformers detained shortly after last month's disputed election, saying he did not know where being held and who was holding them. Lawyer Saleh Nikbakht says he represents several pro-reform activists who were detained after the June 12 presidential vote, including Mostafa Tajzadeh and Behzad Nabavi, both allies of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi. 'We know nothing about their whereabouts and which body has arrested them,' Nikbakht told Reuters. 'The families...have not been able yet to meet with them and expressed their concerns over the conditions of the two.' Tajzadeh is a former deputy interior minister who held the post under former President Mohammad Khatami, who was in office in 1997-2005. He is also a member of leading pro-reform parties. Nabavi was mines and industries minister in the 1980s, when Mousavi was prime minister, and a member of Mousavi's campaign in last month's election." (http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE56L3U120090722)

AP reported that "Tests of a missile-defense system meant to shield Israel from Iranian attack were aborted over the past week on three occasions because of various malfunctions, Israeli defense officials said Thursday. In the latest case, an upgraded version of the Arrow II - a system being developed by state-run Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. and Chicago-based Boeing Co. - was tested off the coast of California on Wednesday, they said. But communication glitches between the missile and the radar led U.S. defense officials to abort the test before an intercepting missile could be fired, they said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details of the tests, which were carried out in the U.S. because that would allow for greater distances than would be possible in Israel, Defense Ministry spokesman Shlomo Dror said. The Arrow is part of a multilayered missile defense system Israel is working on to protect it from all forms of attack, ranging from short-range rocket fire from Lebanon and the Gaza Strip to longer-range threats from Iran." (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iVqjXPWQGE0sY-00wrn_8Y...)

AP reported that "Israel's foreign minister met with Brazil's president Wednesday and asked Latin America's biggest nation to use its influence to help halt Iran's nuclear program. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's 10-day trip to four South American nations is aimed at staunching Iran's growing influence in the region, and perhaps beyond. 'I think that Brazil more than other countries can try to convince Iranians to stop their nuclear program and, of course, to convince the Palestinians to start direct talks,' he said after meeting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Lieberman noted that Brazil has good ties both with Muslim nations and with Israel. Israel sees Iran as a major strategic threat, fearing it is developing a nuclear weapon and noting its development of long-range ballistic missiles. Concerns have been sharpened by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's repeated references to the destruction of the Jewish state. Silva made no comments following his hourlong meeting with Lieberman." (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jNvnx4UI_mCKE5-oXzBB01...)

The New York Times reported that "On the face of it, a commitment by all United Nations member states to reach an understanding on how the world body should intervene to stop genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing would not seem like a major stretch. But the debate scheduled in the General Assembly for Thursday over the concept, known as 'the responsibility to protect,' is producing rancor before it even begins. So much, in fact, that instead of figuring out how to enforce the doctrine, the General Assembly could end up debating the policy's validity all over again, even though about 150 world leaders already endorsed it in 2005...Much of the opposition to the doctrine on Thursday is expected to come from traditional opponents of American foreign policy like Cuba, Venezuela and Iran." (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/world/23nation.html?scp=9&sq=iran&st=cse)

Reuters reported that "The wife of Iranian opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi says her 62-year-old brother was among those detained after last month's disputed election in what she called a futile attempt to pressure her husband and herself. Zahra Rahnavard's comments, in an interview published by a pro-reform Iranian news agency Thursday, were the latest in a series of defiant statements by Mousavi and his allies, who insist the June 12 presidential poll was rigged. Hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the declared winner, denies this, as does Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Rahnavard, a prominent artist and academic who broke ground in the conservative Islamic state by campaigning for her husband in the election, told ILNA news agency that her brother, Shahpour Kazemi, was detained more than a month ago." (http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE56M1TH20090723)

The Washington Times Editorial Board wrote today that "Stating that America will extend a security umbrella is more likely to encourage Iran's leaders than dissuade them. The umbrella is the ultimate symbol of passivity and defensive posture. It tells Tehran that the regime will be safe, which is the regime's primary objective. Meanwhile, rain will fall under the umbrella as Iran pursues its interests more aggressively at the conventional and unconventional levels of conflict through proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas. The secretary of state threatened 'crippling action' against Iran if the regime continues on its current course, but that is more slogan than policy. The proposed actions have not been spelled out in a way that makes them a credible threat, and the international community has not yet reached agreement on a coherent sanctions regime. Instead, the administration seems content for the moment to sit by the open door and hope Iran will walk through it, something the regime has shown no inclination to do. The nuclear clock is ticking, and most analysts believe Iran will have the capability to construct a nuclear device sometime this year, if it doesn't already. The countries that Mrs. Clinton sought to assuage are clearly not waiting for events in Iran to take their course. A recent report indicated Israel and Saudi Arabia have reached a modus vivendi regarding overflight rights pursuant to an attack on Iran. Israeli naval forces, including a submarine potentially armed with nuclear weapons, have transited the Suez Canal with Egypt's blessing. These countries and others in the region are not willing to take risks that the United States apparently finds acceptable. The stakes are too high and the threat too grave to let Iran become a nuclear power. The Iranian regime will move ahead regardless of the Obama administration's regional master plan, which is too little and too late. The United States would do well to begin contingency planning for the crisis that will ensue when Israel and other countries take concerted action to deal with the Iranian threat. A hard rain's going to fall, and the bumbershoot strategy will not keep us out of it." (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/23/enabling-tehrans-nukes/?...)

David Blair wrote in today's Telegraph that "For the last three years, Tehran's leaders have shunned a proposal that would allow them to build a civil nuclear power programme, complete with trade, investment and technical help from the West. Despite every appeal and overture, the Islamic Republic has shown not a millimetre of flexibility. Instead, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad insists with such frequency and vehemence that Iran will continue to enrich uranium - the chief bone of contention with America - that the possibility of retreat looks more remote than ever...Most dangerously of all, Iran's leaders probably believe that time is on their side. The process of enriching uranium is vital because it could be used to produce the essential material for a nuclear weapon. With every passing month, Iran draws nearer to achieving that capability...America's central aim has always been to prevent Tehran from ever reaching this critical juncture. But the window for diplomacy will eventually close, perhaps early next year. Meanwhile, what Mrs. Clinton called the 'nuclear clock' ticks away relentlessly." (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/5888059/Analys...)

Joe Klein wrote today in Time that "The signature foreign policy initiative of Barack Obama's presidential campaign was his desire to begin negotiations with Iran. It was ridiculed by John McCain and by Hillary Clinton, now his Secretary of State. Obama persisted, with reason: it was a good idea. How he proceeds now, after Iran's brutal electoral debacle, could be the most important foreign policy decision of his presidency. As Clinton made clear in a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations two days before Rafsanjani spoke, the Obama Administration has not wavered in its desire for talks. And yet, the body language has changed. Before the June election, Administration officials spoke of pursuing 'comprehensive' talks. They believed the Iranians would discuss their nuclear program only in the context of talks that established Iran as a major player, and necessary interlocutor, on regional issues like Afghanistan and Iraq...Of course, the idea of making any sort of introductory concession seems quite impossible now. In fact, you don't hear Administration officials talking about 'comprehensive' negotiations anymore. The focus is almost solely on the nuclear issue. 'We face a real-time challenge on nuclear proliferation in Iran,' the President said at the G-8 summit. 'And we're deeply troubled by the proliferation risks Iran's nuclear program poses to the world.' Obama offered a 'path' to peace for Iran via the ongoing Geneva negotiations, which seemed a more restrictive corridor than comprehensive talks. He set a September deadline for an Iranian response, after which there would be a renewed push for economic sanctions - which was pretty much where George W. Bush left things." (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1912132,00.html)