Iraq president, prime minister demand vote recount
In a statement issued on Sunday, al-Maliki said it was necessary to respond to the allegations of irregularities in order to preserve the country's political stability. -MNA - 3/21/10
Clinton Urges Russia to Delay Launch of Iran's Nuclear Power Plant
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Russia for talks on a wide range of international issues, including how to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. On Thursday, she urged Russia to delay starting up the nuclear plant that it built for Iran at the port city of Bushehr. -VOA - 3/19/10
Noam Chomsky on Obama's Foreign Policy, His Own History of Activism, and the Importance of Speaking Out
My favorite newspaper, the London Financial Times, a couple of days ago identified Obama's major foreign policy problem today as Iran. The occasion for the article was Hillary Clinton's failure to convince Brazil to go along with the United States on calling for harsher sanctions and President Lula's insistence that there should be engagement with Iran, commercial relations -Democracy Now - 3/18/10
Clinton Awaits Netanyahu Call, Downplays Talk of Crisis in Relationship
Clinton says the United States was dismayed and disappointed by Israel's announcement on East Jerusalem. But she is rejecting the notion the dispute has spawned the worst crisis in U.S.-Israel relations in decades. -VOA - 3/17/10
Collateral Damages of Smart Sanctions on Iran
This time, the warmongers' silly season found its apogee in U.S. neo-conservative Daniel Pipes' advice to Obama to "bomb Iran," which appeared shortly after Tony Blair, having outlined why he helped invade Iraq, remarked ominously, "We face the same problem about Iran today." -Ali Fathollah-Nejad - 3/16/10
Reports Indicate U.S. is Mobilizing for War in Iran
Israeli influence over U.S. policy is reaching new record levels, as word is announced that the U.S. is moving serious weapons into place for a possible strike on the people of Iran. -Tim King, Salem News - 3/16/10
GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN: CALLING A SPADE, A SPADE
In the case of Iran, my belief has been that the nation's spiritual centers of gravity would have retreated to their traditional seminaries in Qum and Mashhad, once the transition from dictatorial monarchy to some form of a federalist republic, albeit under Islamic tenets, was consolidated. That would have set Iran as a role model for other autocratic or dictatorial client regimes in the region to emulate. -Kam Zarrabi - 3/15/10
Asia Minor Then -- and Turkey Now...
The history of Asia Minor dates back to human settlements of the Neolithic times of over 10,000 years ago, followed by 1,650 BCE when the Hittites , settled in an area in present day southwestern Turkey-the former Anatolia. The Hittites emigrated from the area east of the Black Sea and southwest of the Caspian Sea in today's Iran. -David N. Rahni - 3/15/10
Lula's Nods to Iran Sow Brazil's Growing Confusion With Chavez
When Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defends Iran's right to a nuclear program and makes plans to visit Tehran in May, he is following the path of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The similarities only go so far. -Bloomberg - 3/15/10
Caspian states reach consensus on over 70% of sea's legal regime
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast stated on Wednesday that the five Caspian Sea states have reached a consensus on over 70 percent of the Caspian Sea legal regime. - 3/11/10
US Defense Secretary Visits Saudi Arabia After Afghan Trip
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is keeping up the pressure on Iran, consulting with close U.S. ally Saudi Arabia about how to respond to Tehran's disputed nuclear program. Saudi support is seen as key to any effective approach in putting pressure on Tehran. -VOA - 3/11/10
Ahmadinejad Uses Afghan Visit To Lambast Kabul's Western Allies
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has used a visit to Afghanistan to lambast Kabul's Western allies, particularly the United States, saying Washington -- not Tehran -- was playing a "double game" in the country. Ahmadinejad accused the United States of fighting terrorists that it helped to create. -RFE - 3/10/10
The Blooming Friendship Between Azerbaijan And Israel
When 13 years ago the late Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Baku, it was considered a bold and politically risky decision. No red carpets were rolled out, and the meeting was purposely kept low-key. -RFE - 3/9/10
U.S. To Send Ambassador To Syria
The United States will return an American ambassador to Syria after a hiatus of 5 years. President Barack Obama has nominated veteran diplomat Robert Ford for the post. -VOA - 3/9/10
Turkey's Domestic Controversy Unfolds Amidst Increasing Ties with Iran
Events the past few weeks in Turkey indicate that a sea change is occurring in the nation's domestic politics. Prime Minister Erdogan's maneuvering against the traditionally untouchable military marks a new phase in Turkey's history. -Shayan Ghajar, insideIRAN - 3/8/10
After Elections, Iran Remains A Major Player In Iraq
On March 7, millions of Iraqis "made their mark" and participated in the country's second, generally fair and democratic post-Saddam Hussein parliamentary elections -- an event that is exemplary for Iraq's Arab and Iranian neighbors. Among the good news was that election coalitions this time around were far more ethnically and confessionally mixed than they were during the 2005 polls. -Abbas Djavadi, RFE - 3/8/10
Photos: Iran launches short-range cruise missile production line
The Defense Ministry inaugurated on Sunday the production line of a short-range cruise missile dubbed Nasr 1 (Victory 1). The Nasr 1 missile is capable of destroying 3000-ton boats, Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi told reporters during the inauguration ceremony. -Photos by Vahid-Reza Alaei, MNA - 3/7/10
Iran in Its Intricacy
A year has passed since President Obama's groundbreaking Nowruz offer to Iran of engagement based on mutual respect. Iran is now a different country, its divided regime weaker and confronted by the Green movement, the strongest expression of people power in the Middle East and a beacon for the region. -Roger Cohen, NY Times - 3/6/10
US Genocide Vote Riles Turkey
A U.S. congressional committee approved a resolution condemning the 1915 slaughter of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide, rejecting a last-minute Obama administration effort to derail it and putting a chill on relations with Turkey. -VOA - 3/6/10
Photos: Iraqi expats in Iran cast their ballots
Thousands of Iraqi expatriates went to polling stations across Iran on Friday to cast their ballots ahead of the main polling day for Iraq's general election on Sunday. Around 50,000 Iraqi expatriates living in Iran are expected to vote in the parliamentary poll, Iraq's ambassador to Iran told reporters on Friday. -Photos by Mohsen Rezaei, MNA - 3/5/10
Iran's Hopes And Fears As Iraqis Prepare To Vote
Behind the populist rhetoric about "brotherly relations between Iran and Iraq," however, Iran's role in Iraqi affairs seem to be directed more toward gaining influence in order to reduce security threats against Iran rather than to destabilize Iraq. -Abbas Djavadi, RFE - 3/5/10
Chalabi Takes Center Stage In Iraqi Election Dispute
Chalabi, who once championed the U.S. toppling of Saddam Hussein, is today the man many accuse of doing the most to spoil U.S. hopes for politically stabilizing Iraq. He also is viewed as one of Iran's most effective allies in Baghdad, working as actively with Tehran as he once did with Washington. -Charles Recknagel, RFE - 3/3/10
Iran says new guided-bomb ready for test
Iran plans to test a "more powerful and accurate" generation of a 2000-pound guided-bomb with a "longer range," Air Force commander Brigadier General Hassan Shah Safi said Monday. -Press TV - 3/1/10
Iran, Syria Rebuke US
The presidents of Iran and Syria have rebuked the United States for its policies in the Middle East and for its criticism of both nations. Their remarks came after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continued to call for sanctions against Iran, and called on Syria to distance itself from Iran. -VOA - 2/28/10
Iran: Khamenei sees Palestine independence as 'definite'
Palestinian leaders, including Hamas Leader Khaled Meshaal and Islamic Jihad of Palestine Secretary General Ramadan Abdullah Mohammad Shallah, met with Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran Saturday morning. - 2/27/10
Israel Calls For Significant Sanctions Against Iran
Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak is calling for significant sanctions against Iran, saying it is clear the country wants to be a nuclear weapons power. Barak made the comments during a visit to Washington. -VOA - 2/27/10
Iran, Qatar sign defense cooperation agreement
The Iranian Defense Ministry's strategy is to expand defense cooperation with the littoral states of the Persian Gulf, Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said on Wednesday. Vahidi made the remarks upon his arrival in Doha for a two-day visit to Qatar. - 2/25/10
Iran President In Damascus For Talks
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will hold talks with his Iranian counterpart Mahmud Ahmadinejad in Damascus today to discuss regional and international developments. -RFE - 2/25/10
War game shows how attacking Iran could backfire
With diplomacy failing and precious intelligence just received about two new secret Iranian nuclear facilities, Israel launches a pre-emptive strike against Tehran's nuclear complex. The strike is successful, wiping out six of Iran's key sites and setting back its suspected quest for a bomb by years. -McClatchy - 2/23/10
Israel launches drone fleet able to reach Iran
Israel's air force has introduced a fleet of large surveillance UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) that can fly as far as Iran and the Persian Gulf. -Press TV - 2/22/10
Iran's Larijani warns Obama about the consequences of Clinton's policies
The Majlis Speaker, Ali Larijani, warned President Barack Obama on Sunday about the repercussions of policies followed by his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The policies being followed by Clinton has been simply undermining the U.S. national interests, Larijani noted. - 2/22/10
Top Russian General: An American Attack on Iran would lead to US Collapse
Russia's General of the Army Nikolay Makarov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, warned that an American attack on Iran now, when the US is bogged down in two wars, might well lead to the collapse of the United States. He said that such an attack would roil the region and have negative consequences for Russia -Juan Cole - 2/22/10
Iran Sacks Greek flight-attendant over Persian Gulf
Greek top flight attendant of Iran's Kish Air airline with flight number 7081 was sacked by the order of Iran's Minister of Road and Transportation following using the forged name of Arabian Sea instead of Persian Gulf on the plane's monitor. -ISNA - 2/21/10
Key Iraqi Sunni Political Bloc Pulls Out of March 7 Parliamentary Election
Mutlak's spokesman, Haidar al-Mullah, told reporters that his National Dialogue Front was "boycotting the upcoming election" and urged other parties to do the same. He supported the decision by citing complaints by U.S. commander in Iraq General Ray Odierno and Ambassador Christopher Hill over Iranian interference in the electoral process. -VOA - 2/21/10
Nagorno-Karabakh Forces 'Committed' To Cease-Fire
Military officials in Nagorno-Karabakh have denied violating a cease-fire following a report of casualties by Azerbaijan on February 18, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports. Military spokesman Senor Hasratian said on February 19 that Stepanakert remains committed to the cease-fire regime along the line of contact with Azerbaijani armed forces. -RFE - 2/21/10
Iran launches first domestically manufactured destroyer
Iran's first domestically designed and manufactured destroyer was launched in the Persian Gulf and officially joined the fleet of the Iranian Navy on Friday in Bandar Abbas in a ceremony which Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei attended. -MNA - 2/19/10
US Policy Appears to Single Out Arab, Muslim Travelers
Civil liberties advocates are joining Arab and Muslim American groups in expressing concern over the government's recent decision to single out travelers from more than a dozen mostly Middle Eastern countries for increased scrutiny. Critics of the policy argue it could lead to practices that are both discriminatory and ineffective. -VOA - 2/19/10
Hard Mideast Truths
For over a century now, Zionism and Arab nationalism have failed to find an accommodation in the Holy Land. Both movements attempted to fill the space left by collapsed empire, and it has been left to the quasi-empire, the United States, to try to coax them to peaceful coexistence. The attempt has failed. -Roger Cohen - 2/19/10
This is no ripping yarn, but a murder to fan more conflict
Imagine for a moment what the reaction would be if Iranian intelligence was almost unversally believed to have assassinated a leader of one of the organisations fighting the Tehran government in a western-friendly state. -Guardian - 2/18/10
Turkey's Treads Fine Line as Mediator in Iran Nuclear Issue
Turkey is willing to serve as the venue for an exchange of Iranian nuclear fuel, in a bid to ease tension between the West and Iran over its nuclear program. But questions are beginning to surface as to which side of the fence Turkey will be on when it comes to any showdown with Iran. -VOA - 2/17/10
Russia delays delivery of S-300 missiles to Iran: report
A senior Russian official said on Wednesday that the delivery of S-300 air defense missiles to Iran has been delayed for technical reasons. -MNA - 2/17/10
US Commander Says Iran Planned Political Dispute in Iraq
The top American commander in Iraq is accusing Iran of engineering the disqualification of 145 Iraqi Sunnis from next month's election, a move that could leave the country's Sunni community feeling unrepresented and angry when the results come in. -VOA - 2/17/10
Commentary: 'Mossad' murder mystery has plenty of red herrings
When a senior member of Hamas' armed wing – and one allegedly responsible for smuggling Iranian weapons to the blockaded Gaza Strip – is found dead in a Dubai hotel room, there as many possible suspects as in a well-plotted murder mystery. -TIMES Online - 2/17/10
Clinton Urges Iranians to 'Take Back Authority' from Revolutionary Guards
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday she hopes Iran's mainstream leaders can recapture authority from the country's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps that she said threatens to take the country toward a military dictatorship. Clinton is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on the last leg of Persian Gulf trip focusing on Iran's nuclear program. -VOA - 2/16/10
U.S., Israel Seek To Shore Up Support For Tough Iran Stance
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is meeting with the Saudi leadership in Riyadh today, hoping to enlist the kingdom in persuading China to support a tougher stand against Iran's nuclear ambitions. -RFE - 2/15/10
Clinton Urges Iran to Change 'Dangerous' Nuclear Policy
Clinton encouraged Iran to reconsider what she calls "dangerous policy decisions" involving its nuclear programs and human rights issues. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton flatly declared at the Doha forum that Iran is seeking a nuclear-weapons capability, despite its professions of peaceful intent. -VOA - 2/15/10
Russia Says No Delay On Sale Of Military Gear To Iran
Russia sees no reason to stall on the sale of its S-300 anti-aircraft systems to Iran, the Kremlin's powerful Security Council said today, hours before the premier of Iran's adversary Israel was due to visit Moscow. -Reuters - 2/15/10
Clinton Prepares for Persian Gulf Trip and Talks on Iran, Mideast Peace Efforts
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leaves Washington Saturday on a trip to Qatar and Saudi Arabia and talks with U.S. allies on Iran and efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. The Obama administration has been helping Persian Gulf states upgrade defenses in the face of Iranian nuclear efforts. -VOA - 2/13/10
Banging the War Drums, playing Pipes, Sarah Palin calls the Wrong Tune
In a Fox News interview with Chris Wallace on Sunday, political aspirant and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin confused and conflated the neocon "bomb, bomb Iran" message of Daniel Pipes, founder and Director of the right-wing neoconservative Middle East Forum with the views of conservative MSNBC news commentator and Townhall.com blogger Pat Buchanan. -Marsha B. Cohen - 2/10/10
Iran knows location of U.S. missile shields in region: general
Iran is fully aware of the locations of the U.S. missile defense shields in the region, Brigadier General Ahmad Miqani said on Tuesday. The missile shields have been based around Iran for some time now, Miqani told reporters. -MNA - 2/9/10
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