2007 IRAN ARCHIVE :

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International Herald Tribune, 18 Dec 07, by Helene Cooper
Iran receives nuclear fuel in blow to U.S.
'The United States lost a long battle when Russia, as it announced on Monday, delivered nuclear fuel to an Iranian power plant that is at the center of an international dispute over its nuclear program. Iran, for its part, confirmed on Monday plans to build a second such plant.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Dec 07, by Nazila Fathi
Bush says Iran must explain past nuclear work
'President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran said Wednesday that an American intelligence report's conclusion that Iran was not currently developing a nuclear weapons program was a big victory for his country. He said the finding was a result of Iran's resistance to international pressure over its nuclear program.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Dec 07, by Steven Erlanger
Israel parts with U.S. on Iran assessment
'Israeli officials Tuesday took a darker view of Iran's nuclear ambitions than the U.S. intelligence assessment released Monday, saying that they were convinced that Iran was pursuing nuclear weapons and that it has probably resumed the weaponization program the Americans said was stopped in autumn 2003.'

BBC News, 30 Nov 07
EU and Iran in key nuclear talks
'EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is meeting Iran's top nuclear negotiator just hours before reporting to the UN on the Iranian nuclear issue.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Nov 07, by Elaine Sciolino
On nuclear seesaw, the balance seems to shift to Iran
'... Iran's intransigence is not only real; it also appears to be defeating attempts by the rest of the world to curtail Tehran's nuclear ambitions, at least for the moment.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Nov 07, by Nazila Fathi
Critique of Iranian leader reveals political rift
'An influential hard-line newspaper has made a rare direct attack on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over his recent harsh accusations against veteran politicians before parliamentary elections in March.'

Asia Times, 20 Nov 07, by Gareth Porter
A warning shot for Iran, via Syria
'The September Israeli air attack on a supposed nuclear facility in Syria - said by US officials to have been developed with assistance from North Korea - was all along intended as a warning to Iran. The message to Tehran, according to evidence now emerging, is that the US and Israel are capable of identifying its nuclear targets and penetrating air defenses to destroy them.'

Christian Science Monitor, 16 Nov 07, by Howard LaFranchi
UN debate: More anti-Iran measures?
'The lack of a single vision could stall a third set of sanctions against Tehran.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Nov 07, by Warren Hoge
Iran has been blocked many times from buying nuclear materials
'Iran has been denied purchases of nuclear-related materials at least 75 times over the past nine years because of suspicions the purchases could have been used for building bombs, the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group says.'

BBC News, 19 Nov 07
Iran nuclear work 'not worth war'
'Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi has called on Iran to suspend its controversial nuclear work to avert what she says is a mounting threat of war the US.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Nov 07, by Judy Dempsey
Merkel and Sarkozy agree on Iran strategy
'While urging Russia and China to increase the pressure on Iran, Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Nicolas Sarkozy agreed Monday in Berlin to pursue sanctions and diplomacy to deal with Tehran's nuclear program and stop it from producing nuclear weapons.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Nov 07, by Steven R. Weisman
World Bank suspends payments to Iran
'The World Bank, newly caught up in the Bush administration's campaign against Iran, has had to suspend payments for earthquake relief, sanitation and other projects there in response to new American sanctions on leading Iranian banks, World Bank officials say.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Oct 07, by Helene Cooper
U.S. mixes caution with aggression in Iran accusations
'In announcing new sanctions against an elite unit of the Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran, Bush administration officials have taken pains to offer assurances that, at least for now, the United States is not going to war with Iran.'

BBC News, 30 Oct 07
IAEA findings on Iran dismissed
'Iranian and UN officials began new talks in Tehran on Monday France and the US have dismissed a finding by the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog Mohammed ElBaradei that there is no evidence of Iran building a bomb.'

PBS Frontline, 23 Oct 07
Showdown with Iran
'In this report, that focuses on the tumultuous U.S.-Iran relations since 9/11, Frontline examines how U.S. efforts to install democracy in Iraq have served to strengthen Iran's position as an emerging power in the Middle East.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Oct 07, by Scott Peterson
Are U.S. and Iran headed for war?
'Despite hard-line rhetoric on both sides, analysts say diplomacy is the far more likely outcome.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Oct 07, by Hugh Naylor
U.S. sanctions drive Iranian businesses and exports to Syria
'Iranian companies are charging into Syria, looking to cash in on a recent privatization push as Syria's leaders try to avoid a financial meltdown.'

AFP, 01 Oct 07
Bush wants diplomatic end to 'Iran problem'
'US President George W. Bush wants a peaceful end to "the Iranian problem," the White House said Monday after a fresh report that the United States is looking at possible military options.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Sep 07, by David E. Sanger and Thom Shanker
Washington sees an opportunity on Iran
'A year and a half after President George W. Bush told top aides that he feared he might be forced someday to choose between acquiescing to Iran's nuclear ambitions and ordering military action, the struggle to find an effective alternative — sanctions with real bite — is entering a new phase.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Sep 07, by Warren Hoge
Ahmadinejad declares nuclear dispute 'closed'
'Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, considers the dispute over his country's nuclear program "closed" and says Iran will disregard the resolutions of the Security Council, which he said is dominated by "arrogant powers."'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Sep 07, by Elaine Sciolino and William J. Broad
ElBaradei at center of standoff over Iran's nuclear program
'Late in August, Mohamed ElBaradei put the finishing touches on a nuclear accord negotiated in secret with Iran. The deal would be divisive and risky, one of the biggest gambles of his 10 years as director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.'

Washington Post, 16 Sep 07, by Haleh Esfandiari
Held in My Homeland
'On May 8, I was arrested by agents of Iran's intelligence ministry on suspicion of working to destabilize the Islamic Republic. For the next 105 days, this cell in Ward 209 of Tehran's Evin Prison would be my "home."'

Financial Times, 09 Sep 07, by Roula Khalaf
Iran seeks end to sanctions threat
'Iran is trying to persuade European governments to give up the pursuit of a third round of United Nations sanctions and allow it the opportunity to prove that its nuclear programme is not designed for weapons production.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Sep 07, by Michael Slackman and Nazila Fathi
On two fronts, one nuclear, Iran is defiant
'Iran's leaders issued dual, defiant statements on Sunday, with the president announcing that the nation had 3,000 active centrifuges to enrich uranium and the top ayatollah appointing a new Islamic Revolutionary Guards commander who once advocated military force against students.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug 07, by Scott Peterson
US and Iran spar ahead of Iraq report
'Washington awaits a key US progress report on Iraq, where American accusations of Iranian support for anti-US militias has sharpened. And the IAEA this week unveiled a deal with Iran to "resolve" all outstanding questions by year's end, a deal that analysts say risks ending investigations too early.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Aug 07, by Elaine Sciolino
Iran-UN pact worries West
'An agreement between Iran and the UN nuclear agency aimed at allaying suspicions about Tehran's past nuclear activities is inadequate and is likely to delay further international sanctions against the country, some Western governments and nuclear experts say.'

Washington Post, 31 Aug 07, by John Ward Anderson and Joby Warrick
IAEA: Iran Cooperating In Nuclear Investigation
'The United Nations nuclear watchdog agency gave an upbeat assessment of Iranian cooperation with international inspectors in a new report Thursday that could make it more difficult for the United States to win tougher U.N. sanctions against Iran.'

Deutsche Welle, 31 Aug 07
Germany Bans All Arms Exports to Iran
'The German government has banned firms from importing goods to Iran that could be used for military purposes, thus reinforcing an earlier EU decision to tighten sanctions against Tehran in the ongoing nuclear row.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Aug 07, by Elaine Sciolino
Iran risks attack over atomic push, French president says
'In his first major foreign policy speech as president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy said Monday that Iran could be attacked militarily if it did not live up to its international obligations to curb its nuclear program.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug 07, by Scott Peterson
An intensifying US campaign against Iran
'Amid US charges of Iran's hand in Iraq's instability, some counsel caution.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Aug 07, by Helene Cooper and Nazila Fathi
In giving terror designation to Iran guards, U.S. would toughen stance
'In moving toward designating Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization, the administration of George W. Bush is adopting a more confrontational approach with Tehran, reflecting frustration at the United Nations Security Council with a stalled sanctions package, officials say.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Aug 07, by David L. Stern
Iran leader denounces U.S. missile shield plan
'Iran used the meeting of a regional security organization here Thursday to lash out at American plans for a missile defense shield, while President Vladimir Putin of Russia took an indirect swipe at Washington's "unilateral" foreign policy.'

BBC News, 14 Aug 07
Iran leader denies arms supplies
'Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has denied US allegations that Iranian weapons are finding their way into the hands of the Taleban.'

Asia Times, 14 Aug 07, by Kaveh L Afrasiabi
Iran plays the Central Asia card
'President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's tour of Central Asia will give a timely boost to a hitherto neglected aspect of Iran's foreign policy, which has been more preoccupied with the volatile Persian Gulf and Iraq. His visit will reinforce Iran's image in that region as a pillar of cooperation and stability.'

Toronto Star/AFP, 10 Aug 07
Iraqi leader's Tehran talks put U.S. on edge
'Iran's leaders have told visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that American troops must leave his country, in talks that reinforced growing Iran-Iraq ties and sparked unease in Washington.'

Boston Globe/AP, 07 aug 07, by Kim Gamel, AP
US, Iranian envoys meet on Iraqi security issues
'The US and Iranian ambassadors to Iraq met yesterday for their third round of security talks in just over two months, a US official said, despite renewed military claims that Tehran is fueling the violence.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Aug 07, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg
Bush differs with Karzai on Iran
'Iran has sent workers to Afghanistan to provide aid to villages, but American officials contend that Tehran is also funneling weapons into the country. Bush has long viewed Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism, and is deeply suspicious of its nuclear ambitions, a view he reiterated Monday even as he said he was "willing to listen" to Karzai's position.'

Asia Times, 03 Aug 07, by Gareth Porter
US demands Iran rein in Shi'ite militias
'In public the Bush administration accuses Iran of supplying arms for insurgents in Iraq. However, recent statements after the latest US-Iran meeting in Baghdad suggest a different concern. Washington wants Tehran to use its influence with Shi'ites to stop attacking occupation forces. This doesn't fit well with the neo-con plan to expand the war by hyping "evidence" of an arms trail.'

Asia Times, 02 Aug 07, by Kaveh L Afrasiabi
Iran feels the chill of cold war
'Just as the United States armed its authoritarian, at times bloodthirsty, allies in the name of anti-communism during the Cold War, the same logic now operates in the name of containing Iran. There is no doubt that Tehran feels strategically threatened, making it certain that it will not concede an inch in its talks with Washington over stabilizing Iraq.'

BBC News, 31 Jul 07
Iran 'biggest threat to Mid-East'
'US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has warned that Iran poses the biggest threat to US Middle East interests, as she begins a major regional tour.'

Christian Science Monitor, 25 Jul 07, by Sam Dagher
Iran's growing presence in Iraq
'The US, Iran, and Iraq agreed Tuesday to form a subcommittee on stability in Iraq.'

PBS 'NewsHour', 24 Jul 07
U.S. Criticizes Iranian Role in Iraqi Violence as Security Talks Continue
'Three-way talks with U.S., Iranian and Iraqi officials held in Baghdad's Green Zone Tuesday over security in Iraq took a tense turn when U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker accused Iran of contributing to the violence by arming Shiite militias.'

Asia Times, 20 Jul 07, by Mahan Abedin
Iran's clerical spymasters
'The recent detentions of four Iranian-Americans in Iran on charges relating to national security have touched off a flurry of speculation about the real motives behind the arrests.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Jul 07, by Scott Peterson
Iran uses activists for propaganda
'Interviews with two detained Iranian-American activists ran on state-run Iranian television Wednesday. Analysts say their self-implicating statements were coerced.'

Asia Times, 20 Jul 07, by Kaveh L Afrasiabi
Iran-Syria alliance on uncertain ground
'Overwhelmed with Iraqi refugees, facing uncertainty in Lebanon and playing footsie with Israel and Turkey have Syrian President Bashar al-Assad under pressure to reconsider his country's previously strong alliance with Iran. Assad and Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad could find themselves rethinking, or perhaps remodeling, their bond.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Jul 07, by Scott Peterson
Under fire from US, Iran reacts by cracking down at home
'The government has put restrictions on the media, targeted academics, and detained 150,000 – including four Iranian-Americans.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Jul 07, by Scott Peterson and Nicholas Blanford
A gauge of Iran's hand in Iraq
'Iran on Wednesday denounced as "false and ridiculous claims" new US accusations that a Lebanese Hizbullah special operations chief arrested in Iraq was working against US troops on behalf of Iran's elite Qods Force.'

America Abroad, 29 Jun 07, with Ray Suarez et al
Iran: The Looming Confrontation
[audio] 'The 28 year standoff between Iran and the United States now threatens to ignite into military conflict. ... explore the regional effects of this looming confrontation, as local experts discuss Iran's growing influence in the Middle East.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Jul 07, by Nazila Fathi
Iran, low on gasoline, to be supplied by Venezuela
'Venezuela agreed to sell Iran gasoline on Tuesday, less than a week after Iran unveiled a rationing program to limit its dependence on gasoline imports.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 Jun 07, by Neil MacFarquhar
Iran accelerates crackdown on dissent
'Iran is in the throes of one of its most ferocious crackdowns on dissent in years, analysts say. with the government focusing on labor leaders, universities, the press, women's rights advocates, a former nuclear negotiator and Iranian-Americans, three of whom have been in prison for more than six weeks.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters/AP, 25 Jun 07, by Mark Landler
Iran invites UN team for talks on ending nuclear impasse
'A team of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency will travel to Tehran in the coming weeks at the invitation of the Iranian government to try to clear up longstanding questions about the Iranian nuclear program, the nuclear agency said Monday.'

BBC News, 21 Jun 07, by Frank Gardner
Iran 'unable to take Australians'
'When Iranian Revolutionary Guards captured the British sailors and Royal Marines in March, it was not exactly their first attempt. It turns out that Iranian forces made an earlier concerted attempt to seize a boarding party from the Royal Australian Navy. The Australians, though, to quote one military source, "were having none of it".'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Jun 07, by Thom Shanker
Gates says Taliban arms shipments are linked to Iran
'The flow of weapons from Iran to Taliban fighters in Afghanistan has reached such large quantities as to suggest that the shipments are taking place with the knowledge of the government in Tehran, the Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 14 Jun 07
Afghan defense minister rejects U.S. claims that Iran is arming Taliban
'On Wednesday, U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in Paris that Tehran was directly supplying weapons to the Taliban. He told CNN television there was "irrefutable evidence" that arms shipments were coming from Iran's government. The State Department later appeared to step back from Burns' assertion, but stressed that the U.S. had proof that weapons from Iran were reaching Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 05 Jun 075
President Ahmadinejad says Iraq's security, stability is important to Iran
'President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday dismissed U.S. accusations of Iran backing Shiite militants in Iraq as the "most laughing joke in recent years" and stressed that Iraq's stability remains important for Tehran. The hardline Iranian leader also repeated past chastisement of the U.S. presence in the wartorn neighbor as American meddling in Iraqi affairs.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 31 May 07
Iran promises to provide answers on past nuclear activities
'Seeking to evade new U.N. sanctions, Iran has pledged to end years of stonewalling and provide answers on past suspicious activities to the U.N. nuclear monitoring agency investigating its atomic program, an official said Friday.'

Washington Post, 31 May 07, by Glenn Kessler
Rice: U.S. Will Not Change Conditions for Iran Nuclear Talks
'Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday the United States would not alter its demand that Iran suspend uranium enrichment before she would join talks on its nuclear program, exactly one year after she first made the offer in a dramatic gambit to halt Tehran's push to obtain nuclear expertise.'

Washington Post, 29 May 07, by John Ward Anderson
U.S., Iran Open Dialogue On Iraq
'The United States and Iran held their first official high-level, face-to-face talks in almost 30 years Monday to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Iraq, and officials emerged generally upbeat about the renewed dialogue, suggesting additional meetings were likely.'

BBC News, 28 May 07
US warns Iran over arming Iraqis
'The US has called on Iran to stop arming militants in Iraq at the first bilateral public talks between the two countries in almost 30 years.'

Christian Science Monitor, 25 May 07, by Scott Peterson
Stakes rise in US-Iran standoff
'As the UN reports substantial progress in Iran's nuclear program and US ships gather in the Persian Gulf, US and Iranian diplomats prepare to meet in Iraq.'

Washington Post/AP, 24 May 07, by Edith M. Lederer, AP
World Powers Weigh Options Against Iran
'Experts from the United States and five other powers leading efforts to rein in Iran's nuclear program plan to meet within the week following a U.N. report that Tehran has expanded its uranium enrichment program.'

Washington Post, 24 May 07, by Karen DeYoung
Iranian Defiance of U.N. Detailed
'Iran has again defied U.N. demands to suspend its nuclear enrichment programs, according to a report issued yesterday by the International Atomic Energy Agency, leading Bush administration officials to demand increased pressure on Tehran. The IAEA report said that Iran has significantly accelerated its enrichment capability and has not provided a range of verification information to the agency.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 May 07, by Jesse Nunes
Iran detains two on accusations of plotting 'velvet revolution'
'US official labels Iranian claims against US scholar and philanthropist "absolutely absurd," as calls mount for release.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 23 May 07, by Helene Cooper and David E. Sanger
U.S. uses new IAEA report to urge Iran sanctions
'The Bush administration said Wednesday that it would use a new report on Iran's progress in enriching uranium to encourage its European and Asian allies to greatly expand sanctions against Tehran, as part of an economic crackdown that would go beyond what the United Nations Security Council has authorized.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 07, by Nicole Itano
Another theater for US-Iran fallout: the South Caucasus
'Armenia, an ally of both countries, shows how tensions between the two could upset the region's diplomatic balancing act.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 May 07, by Judy Dempsey
Iran and Belarus forge 'strategic partnership'
'Belarus and Iran, two countries isolated by the United States and the European Union, agreed Monday to forge closer economic, trade and political ties, strengthening what the Belarus president termed "a strategic partnership."'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 21 May 07
Tehran charges Iranian-American academic with conspiracy
'Iran on Monday charged Haleh Esfandiari, an Iranian-American academic, with seeking to topple the ruling Islamic establishment, state-run television reported. ... State TV, quoting an Intelligence Ministry statement, said she and the Wilson Center were conspiring to topple the government by setting up a network "against the sovereignty of the country. This is an American designed model with an attractive appearance that seeks the soft-toppling of the country."'

Washington Post, 18 May 07, by Robin Wright
Tehran Denying Rights to Detained Scholar, Lawyer Says
'Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner and the lead attorney for imprisoned American scholar Haleh Esfandiari, charged yesterday that the Iranian government has turned down her request to represent [Esfandiari], refused information on the charges against Esfandiari and denied a legal team access to its client.'

Washington Post, 15 May 07, by Robin Wright
Tehran Both Warns And Reassures U.S.
'Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned yesterday that Iran would retaliate against any U.S. strike on his country and urged U.S. troops to "pack their bags" and leave the Persian Gulf region. But during a visit yesterday to the United Arab Emirates, he also acknowledged that Tehran is "ready and prepared" to hold talks with the United States.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 May 07, by David E. Sanger
Inspectors cite big gain by Iran on nuclear fuel
'Inspectors for the International Atomic Energy Agency have concluded that Iran appears to have solved most of its technological problems and is now beginning to enrich uranium on a far larger scale than before, according to the agency's top officials.'

The Times (London), 14 May 07, by Jenny Booth and agencies
Iran 'will fight back if America attacks'
'President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran today threatened severe retaliation if the United States attacked his country. ... The Iranian president's comments followed those by Dick Cheney, the US Vice-President, who said on Friday from the deck of an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf that the US and its allies would prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and dominating the region.'

Washington Post, 14 May 07, by Michael Abramowitz and Robin Wright
U.S., Iran Plan Talks on Pacifying Iraq
'The White House confirmed yesterday that the U.S. ambassador in Baghdad is likely to meet in the next several weeks with Iranian officials about stabilizing Iraq, as the administration embraces a tactic outsiders have long recommended as essential to reducing sectarian violence in Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 May 07, by Hassan M. Fattah and Michael Slackman
U.S. and Iran struggle to come to the table
'Iran and the United States remained locked in a diplomatic struggle Sunday as officials from both countries toured the Middle East trying to undermine the other's position, even as the first signs of a possible thaw in relations appeared.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 May 07, by Neil MacFarquhar
Iranian-American academic is reported imprisoned in Tehran
'Haleh Esfandiari, an Iranian-American academic who is prominent in Washington, has been imprisoned in Iran, four months after being barred from leaving the country, according to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. Esfandiari, director of the Middle East program at the Wilson center, endured repeated interrogations since December about her work there ...'

Washington Post, 10 May 07, by Robin Wright
U.S. Faults Detention by Iran of Dual Citizens
'The State Department yesterday sharply criticized Iran's detention of Washington scholar Haleh Esfandiari and journalist Parnaz Azima and acknowledged a growing problem with Tehran over its actions against U.S. and dual U.S.-Iranian citizens.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 May 07, by Judy Dempsey
Security Council and Germany agree to resume Iran talks
'Senior diplomats representing the United Nations Security Council and Germany agreed Thursday to resume negotiations with Iran in a bid to persuade it to stop its uranium enrichment program.'

Washington Post, 10 May 07, by Glenn Kessler
U.S., Iran Forge Bonds in Small Steps
'At a time of rising tensions between Tehran and Washington -- and after 27 years without diplomatic relations since the Iran hostage crisis -- the Bush administration has attempted to break the ice with a series of cultural and artistic exchanges.'

San Jose Mercury News/AP, 08 May 07, by George Jahn, AP
Iran accepts compromise at nuke meeting
'Iran on Tuesday accepted a compromise on the agenda of a 130-nation nuclear conference, clearing the way for the meeting to approve it and end six days of deadlock that threatened to doom the gathering to failure.'

Worldpress.org, 03 May 07, by Niusha Boghrati
Is Ahmedinejad's Star Fading?
'It has been a while since Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has shocked the media with another fiery speech. And while many critics remain skeptical about the importance of the apparent reduction in Ahamdinejad's appearances, others believe that the dissatisfaction of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei regarding the handling of political, and most importantly economic, issues has silenced the young president to a considerable extent.'

Asia Times, 04 May 07, by Richard M Bennett
Iran: A careful look before a US leap
'Despite all the military, political and moral doubts over the advisability or even the legality of a preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear-research infrastructure, it is a strange twist of fate that a critically important precedent was established for just such a violent course of action 27 years ago. Significantly, this was not established by either the United States or Israel, but by Iran itself.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 May 07, by David Montero
Report: Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan aided Iran
'The jury is still out as to whether Pakistan's nuclear proliferation network, run by scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, is truly dead. But evidence presented this week, by the London-based think tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), suggests it is not and raises new questions about how that network accommodated Iran's nuclear ambitions.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Apr 07, by Kirk Semple
Iran to attend regional talks on Iraq strife
'The government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran announced Sunday that it would attend a regional conference on Iraq later this week, setting the stage for the first cabinet-level meeting between Iran and the United States since the end of 2004.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Apr 07, by Sabrina Tavernise
Diplomats see progress in Iranian nuclear talks
'Diplomats said Thursday that progress had been made in talks over Iran's nuclear program but that they had fallen short of the breakthrough needed for the resumption of formal negotiations.'

BBC News, 11 Apr 07
US says Iran arming Sunni groups
'The US military has for the first time accused Iran of arming Sunni militants fighting in Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Apr 07, by Nazila Fathi
Iran says it can enrich uranium on a large scale
'Iran said Monday that it was now capable of industrial-scale uranium enrichment, a development that would defy two United Nations resolutions passed to press the country to suspend its enrichment program.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Apr 07, by Mark Rice-Oxley
Lessons learned: Iran's release of British prisoners
'The release of 15 British naval personnel Wednesday, coming after several days of intensified negotiations, was welcomed in Britain as evidence that a "softly, softly" approach could prove effective with Iran – as it did in a similar prisoner crisis three years ago.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Apr 07, by Peter Grier
Might Iran deal on nukes, too?
'Tehran showed some geopolitical skill in the manner in which it conducted itself during the prisoner crisis, say experts.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Apr 07, by Edward Wong
U.S. weighs Tehran's request to visit 5 Iranians held in Iraq
'An American military spokesman said Wednesday that the United States was reviewing an informal request from the Iranian government for an envoy to visit five Iranians imprisoned following an American raid in northern Iraq in January.'

New York Times, 03 Apr 07, by Alan Cowell
British Captives Admit Illegal Entry, Iran Says
'Iran said Monday that all 15 captured British sailors and marines had confessed to intruding illegally into Iranian waters on March 23, when they were seized at gunpoint.'

Washington Post, 03 Apr 07, by Mary Jordan
Iran, Britain Tone Down Rhetoric
'Iranian officials said Monday that all 15 British sailors and marines arrested March 23 have admitted to illegally entering Iranian waters, but the officials said they would not broadcast any further "confessions" on Iranian television due to positive "changes" in British attitude.'

New York Times, 02 Apr 07, by Jim Rutenberg
U.S. Keeping Pressure on Iran Over Seizure of 15 Britons at Sea
'The White House on Sunday sought to increase pressure on Iran to return the 15 British sailors and marines it is holding, but took care to defer to Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has emphasized that he is seeking a diplomatic solution.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Apr 07, by Iason Athanasiadis
On Iran streets, diverse views on clash over British captives
'On vacation when the crisis arose, the Iranian public is now debating what to do.'

Washington Post, 29 Mar 07, by Mary Jordan and Robin Wright
Britain Must Admit Error, Iran Says
'Iran's foreign minister said Wednesday that in order to win the freedom of 15 navy personnel seized last week in the Persian Gulf, the British government must acknowledge that the team illegally entered Iranian waters.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar 07, by Dan Murphy
US hawks see strikes on Iran as less likely now
'Influential thinkers who backed a US-led invasion of Iraq now say containment, not confrontation, is best for Iran.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Mar 07, by Scott Peterson
Face-off with Iran takes tougher turn
'Tehran spurned UN Security Council sanctions Sunday as it still held 15 British captives.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Mar 07, by Thom Shanker and William J. Broad
Iran to limit cooperation with nuclear inspectors
'The government of Iran Sunday denounced as illegal a sanctions package approved unanimously over the weekend by the United Nations Security Council, and in retaliation announced that it would limit cooperation with the United Nations' nuclear oversight agency.'

Washington Post/AP, 24 Mar 07, by Ali Akbar Dareini
Iran: U.K. Troops Admit to Illegal Entry
'The Iranian military questioned 15 detained British sailors and marines Saturday and said they had confessed to illegally entering Iranian waters in an act of "blatant aggression." Britain has demanded the return of the sailors and marines and denied they had strayed into Iranian waters while searching for smugglers off Iraq's coast.'

Asia Times, 27 Mar 07, by Kaveh L Afrasiabi
Iran: A mountain that doesn't move
'Despite another round of UN sanctions, Iran will not suspend its uranium-enrichment activities, a stance that is gaining support in the international community. Indeed, by seizing 15 British sailors, Tehran has shown that those who inflict pain will pay a price, even if it means a new spiral of proxy attacks and hostage-taking leading to bigger and deadlier showdowns.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Mar 07, by Steven R. Weisman
U.S. tightens financial squeeze on Iran
'For all of the U.S. efforts to apply economic and political pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, Washington has never used a potentially potent tool in its arsenal — penalties on foreign companies that assist Iran in producing oil and natural gas.'

Christian Science Monitor, 16 Mar 07, by Howard LaFranchi
UN poised to pass more Iran sanctions
'A second resolution, which could come next week, adds an arms-export embargo and more financial measures.'

BBC News, 15 Mar 07
UN agreement over Iran sanctions
'Diplomats at the UN have reached agreement in principle on a package of new sanctions against Iran, following its refusal to stop enriching uranium.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Mar 07, by Brian Knowlton and Alissa J. Rubin
U.S. and Iran call Iraqi conference a 'first step'
'Both U.S. and Iranian diplomats Sunday cautiously welcomed as an important "first step" the results of the regional meeting in Baghdad that brought a rare face-to-face encounter between the two sides.'

Washington Post, 08 Mar 07, by Dafna Linzer
Former Iranian Defense Official Talks to Western Intelligence
'A former Iranian deputy defense minister who once commanded the Revolutionary Guard has left his country and is cooperating with Western intelligence agencies, providing information on Hezbollah and Iran's ties to the organization, according to a senior U.S. official.'

Washington Post/AP, 08 Mar 07, by George Jahn, AP
IAEA Freezes Assistance Programs to Iran
'Delegates to a 35-nation meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday approved the suspension of nearly two dozen nuclear technical aid programs to Iran as part of U.N. sanctions imposed because its nuclear defiance.'

Canada.com/AP, 07 Mar 07, by George Jahn, AP
Iran accuses West of misinforming world on its nuclear intentions
'Iran accused the United States and its allies Wednesday of misinforming the world about its nuclear intentions, saying they cooked up "poisonous food" and served it to the UN Security Council to force it to act against Tehran.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Mar 07, by Howard LaFranchi
Momentum builds for more sanctions against Iran
'Representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany are expected to begin work in New York this week on a second resolution of sanctions against Iran. The idea is to preserve Security Council unity – keeping Tehran's friends China and Russia on board – while ratcheting up the pressure on Iran.'

RIA Novosti, 06 Mar 07
Iran to conduct air defense exercises
'Iran will conduct air defense exercises Tuesday in preparation for a possible air strike on its uranium ore conversion center at Isfahan, the IRNA news agency said Tuesday.'

BBC News, 05 Mar 07, by Gordon Corera
Iran: Can a military strike work?
'A new report from a respected British nuclear weapons scientist warns that a military strike on Iran could speed up rather than slow down Iran's production of a nuclear bomb.'

Reuters, 05 Mar 07, by Mark Heinrich and Karin Strohecker
Iran's atomic defiance sets it apart
'Iran's failure to clear up concerns about its nuclear activities after concealing them for almost 20 years sets it apart from all other nations, the U.N. atomic watchdog chief said on Monday.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Feb 07, by Richard A. Oppel Jr. and Helene Cooper
Iran to join U.S. at Iraq talks
'Iran's top national security official indicated Wednesday that Iranian officials would probably participate in a regional security conference on Iraq, an event that would bring the first high-level contact between American and Iranian officials in more than two years.'

BBC News, 28 Feb 07, by Paul Reynolds
US switch on Iran adds 'missing link'
'The decision by the United States to attend a conference in Baghdad with Iran and Syria adds what many observers have felt was a "missing link" in US policy in the region.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb 07, by Peter Grier
Iran worries US officials beyond its nuclear plans
'New intelligence czar Michael McConnell checked off homeland-security threats in a Senate briefing Tuesday.'

BBC News, 26 Feb 07
Diplomats meet for key Iran talks
'Top diplomats from six key nations are meeting in London to discuss further moves to make Iran comply with demands to end its nuclear programme.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Feb 07, by Brian Knowlton
Iran takes bold tone on eve of meetings
'No "reverse gear" Ahmadinejad says, as rivals plan next move'

BBC News, 26 Feb 07
US body 'to plan attacks on Iran'
'The US Pentagon has set up a special planning group to co-ordinate possible attacks on Iran, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh has reported.'

New York Times/Reuters, 22 Feb 07
U.N. Atomic Report May Expose Iran to Wider Sanctions
'A U.N. watchdog report due on Thursday is likely to confirm Iran has expanded rather than halted its nuclear fuel program, exposing Tehran to possible wider sanctions over fears it secretly wants to make atom bombs.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Feb 07, by Howard LaFranchi
Why US is now turning to diplomacy
'After success with Libya and North Korea, the US is bringing its multilateral approach to Iran.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Feb 07, by Nazila Fathi
Iran says insurgent bombers are trained in Pakistan
'The Iranian Foreign Ministry has charged that Sunni insurgents from Iran used Pakistan as a base to plan a bombing that killed 11 people and wounded more than 30 in the southeastern border city of Zahedan last week, and an official said that the ministry had demanded an explanation from the Pakistani ambassador.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 20 Feb 07
Ahmadinejad says Iran ready to halt enrichment program provided the West does the same
'Ahmadinejad told a crowd of thousands in northern Iran one day ahead of a U.N. Security Council deadline that it was no problem for his country to stop, but that "fair talks" demanded a similar gesture from the West.'

Xinhua, 19 Feb 07, by Xia Xiaopeng
Iran's military exercises start across country
'The ongoing war game, dubbed Eqtedar (Grand), were being carried out in 16 of Iran's 30 provinces. It has been reported that 20 brigades of Revolutionary Guards' ground forces had joined the maneuvers and "the most advanced weapons" would be tested during three days.'

Washington Post, 15 Feb 07, by Karen DeYoung
Skepticism Over Iraq Haunts U.S. Iran Policy
'The specter of the war in Iraq -- a war the Bush administration denied it was planning, supported by evidence that turned out to be false -- looms large over administration policy toward Iran.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Feb 07, by Arthur Bright
Sunni rebels claim deadly terror attack in Iran
'Iranian officials say a Sunni militant group has claimed responsibility for a deadly car-bomb attack Wednesday morning against Iran's Revolutionary Guard in the provincial capital of Zahedan.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Feb 07, by Brian Knowlton
Bush defends buildup of pressure on Iran
'Under pressure to explain the buildup of American military and economic pressure on Iran, President George W. Bush said Wednesday that highly lethal explosives smuggled into Iraq had certainly come from an arm of the Iranian government, and that it did not much matter whether top Iranian government officials had sanctioned the smuggling.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Feb 07, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Marc Santora
Bush declares Iran's arms role in Iraq is certain
'President George W. Bush said Wednesday that he was certain that factions within the Iranian government had supplied Shiite militants in Iraq with deadly roadside bombs that had killed American troops. But he said he did not know whether Iran's highest officials had directed the attacks.'

PRI's The World, 12 Feb 07, with Lisa Mullins
Weapons interview
[audio] 'Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with Matt Schroeder, Manager of the Arms Sales Monitoring Project of the Federation of American Scientists, about US charges that Iran is supplying weapons to Iraq.'

Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb 07, by Liz Sly
U.S. offers evidence of Iran arms in Iraq
'U.S. military officials presented evidence Sunday that Iran is supplying Shiite insurgents with weaponry to attack U.S. forces, including an advanced and particularly deadly form of explosive device that has claimed the lives of 170 coalition personnel since 2004.'

BBC News, 12 Feb 07
Iran president attacks US claims
'Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says US accusations Tehran is fomenting violence in Iraq are an attempt to hide Washington's own failures.'

Washington Post, 12 Feb 07, by Craig Whitlock and Thomas E. Ricks
Iran Softens Tone, Declares Readiness To Resume Talks
'Facing the prospect of broader international sanctions, Iran's president and national security chief on Sunday offered to resume negotiations over their country's nuclear program and eased up on some of the contentious rhetoric of the past, including threats to destroy Israel.'

BBC News, 04 Feb 07
US ex-generals reject Iran strike
'Three former high-ranking American military officers have warned against any military attack on Iran.'

NewsHour, 29 Jan 07, with Gwen Ifill
U.S. Will 'Respond Firmly' as Iran Seeks Greater Role in Iraq
'President Bush said Monday that the United States would "respond firmly" to Iran's intentions to expand its economic and military ties with Iraq, as outlined by Iran's ambassador to Baghdad. Analysts discuss the possible outcomes.'

New York Times, 29 Jan 07, by James Glanz
Iranian Reveals Plan to Expand Role in Iraq
'Iran's ambassador to Baghdad outlined an ambitious plan on Sunday to greatly expand its economic and military ties with Iraq - including an Iranian national bank branch in the heart of the capital - just as the Bush administration has been warning the Iranians to stop meddling in Iraqi affairs.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jan 07, by Peter Grier
How US is putting more heat on Iran
'The US isn't facing a two-front war, exactly - but as the Pentagon begins its new push in Iraq, the Bush administration simultaneously is increasing military and political pressure on Iran.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Jan 07, by David E. Sanger
News Analysis: Confronting Iran, Bush burdened with legacy of Iraq distortions
'As President George W. Bush and his aides calibrate an escalating confrontation with Iran, they are discovering that their words and strategies are haunted by echoes from four years ago - when their warnings of terrorist activity and nuclear ambitions were clearly a prelude to war.'

China Post/AP, 29 Jan 07
Iran looks for Russian support on enrichment
'Iran is looking to Russia for support on the Persian country's standoff with the international community over its nuclear program, the Iranian state radio reported Sunday, as a ranking Russian diplomat met top Iranian leaders.'

BBC News, 23 Jan 07
Russia fulfils Iran missile deal
'Russia has completed a contract to sell some 30 air defence missile systems to Iran, a senior official has said.'

BBC News, 18 Jan 07
Washington 'snubbed Iran offer'
'Iran offered the US a package of concessions in 2003, but it was rejected, a senior former US official has told the BBC's Newsnight programme. Tehran proposed ending support for Lebanese and Palestinian militant groups and helping to stabilise Iraq following the US-led invasion. Offers, including making its nuclear programme more transparent, were conditional on the US ending hostility.'

Jerusalem Post, 17 Jan 07, by Yaakov Katz
Israel warns Russia on Iran arms sale
'Voicing extreme concern over Russia's recent sale of advanced anti-aircraft missiles to Iran, senior diplomatic and defense officials warned Moscow Tuesday that the deal could have serious security implications that would even "get back to Russia."'

Christian Science Monitor, 16 Jan 07, by Nicholas Blanford
Is Iran driving new Saudi diplomacy?
'Saudi Arabia is playing a more assertive diplomatic role in Lebanon, attempting to bridge rising tension between Lebanese Sunnis and Shiites while curbing Iran's influence in the tiny Mediterranean country, analysts say.'

Middle East Online, 15 Jan 07
Bush warns Iran to keep clear of Iraq
'A US failure in Iraq would empower Iran and threaten world peace, President George W. Bush said Sunday, warning Tehran that if any Iranians are caught in Iraq "we will deal with them."'

New York Times, 11 Jan 07, by Helene Cooper and Mark Mazzetti
To Counter Iran's Role in Iraq, Bush Moves Beyond Diplomacy
'In promising to stop Iran from meddling in Iraq, President Bush returned Wednesday night to a strategy of confrontation in dealing with Tehran, casting aside what had been a limited flirtation with a more diplomatic approach toward it.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Jan 07, by Helene Cooper and Steven R. Weisman
U.S. and allies tighten financial pressure on Iran
'The United States and its allies in Europe, in a tacit acknowledgment that sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council in late December are too weak to force Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, have embarked on a new strategy to increase the financial and psychological pressure.'

New York Times, 02 Jan 07, by Helene Cooper and Steven R. Weisman
West Tries a New Tack to Block Iran’s Nuclear Agenda
'The plan is to use the language of the resolution to help persuade foreign governments and financial institutions to cut ties with Iranian businesses, individuals in its nuclear and missile programs and, by extension, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Stuart Levey, under secretary of the treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence.'

"Hunt for the Somali Pirates" airs soon on the National Geographic Channel.
When Somali pirates hijack the Maersk Alabama -- and international headlines -- Navy SEALs launch a sneak attack to rescue the ship's American captain. Pirate Hunters recounts the harrowing five days from hijack to final fatal shots, and reveals sophisticated Navy SEAL training methods that prepare the world's most elite reconnaissance teams for daring missions with no second chances.