Opposite ends

Two countries, two directions in three decades : by Jalil Bahar - 08-Jul-2008

In the late 1970's, Iran and Spain stood close to each other on the world’s stage. They both had struggling monarchies with a legacy of over 30 years of dictatorship. They both had gross national products of about $50 Bn. And, they both had populations of about 40 Million. Both countries enjoyed a long history of royalty, and they had both suffered an invasion by the expanding Islamic empire over 500 years ago. This past week I witnessed Spain’s triumphant Soccer (Futbol) team beat Germany in the Finals of the Eufa Cup. And on Sunday, it was Spain’s Rafael Nadal crowned Wimbledon’s Mens Tennis Champion, beating Roger Federer. And all this right after Spain’s Sergio Garcia was named the PGA tour’s (golf) players’ champion. To whatever extent sports reflect health and prosperity; one can say Spain has arrived! By Contrast, Iran’s Soccer (Futbol) team has barely made it to the second round of World Cup Qualification, having lost or drawn in games against the great power houses of Asian soccer: Bahrain and United Arab Emirates. I have to say, it makes me boil. And, I am getting ready to hide under the sheets in about a month when the Olympics start! Iran, I am sure, will be an embarrassment again. Everything from Iran’s opening procession team parade to actual athletic performance will be a sham. Iran’s medal rankings will recede again from its heyday in the ‘70s – even in wrestling and weight lifting! In every international way, Iran’s Ayatoilets have led Iran into the toilet. Here we are 30 years later. Spain is a vibrant democracy, with a population around 40 Million and a GNP of $1 Trillion. Yes that is 20 times Spain’s GDP in 1980. Iran on the other hand is an Islamic Theocracy, with a GNP of $118 Billion and roughly double the population. If one accounts for inflation, Iran’s per capita income has actually receded substantially. This is all despite the fact that Spain has no natural resources. Iran on the other hand has been sitting on one of the largest oil and gas reserves in the world. pain hosted the Soccer world cup ('96), the Olympics ('92) ...and has visibly left behind a historic legacy of religious totalitarianism. The dark days of "the Spanish Inquisition" of the 13th century and Franco’s fascist dictatorship of the 20th century are well behind it. Spain has developed a very large and free communications industry with a free press along with multi-party pluralistic political parties. Spain is a democracy in every sense of the word. Iran on the other hand, has simply rolled back its clock some 600 years. Iranians are living through the dark days of “Islamic Inquisition”: without free speech, without free elections, under the heavy watch of the Mullah’s secret service – imp rosining any secular opposition. Iran in effect traded an Imperial Monarchy for an Imperial Theocracy and gained nothing. Iranian democracy is down the toilet.After wining the game, Rafael Nadal, jumped up to the VIP box to hug his parents, his coaches, his relatives and then ran across a series of roofs with a Spanish flag to hug the Prince and Princess of Spain in the Royal box. In his post game interview, he thanked the Spanish royals for attending. Their presence meant a great deal to him. I can not even imagine a single Iranian athlete doing anything like that. Imagine someone thanking Iran’s Supreme Leader (Khamenei) or President Ahmadinejad for anything….except maybe screwing up Iran’s soccer federation with appointing a political crony to head it (as they did recently) …leading to censure by FIFA for political involvement in the soccer federation, and nearly getting Iran kicked out of the global federation and censured from international games. We were all rooting for Spain, and we were thrilled to witness all these events! However privately, I remain saddened by Iran’s demise, and I keep wondering what will it take to turn things around for Iran? Intellectually, physically, and historically Iranians are no less than the Spaniards…dare I say than anyone else. When will our days of triumph on the world’s stage come? Can a new Iranian generation rise to glory?

Fernando Torres Goal - Euro 2008 Final

If you happen to miss the euro 2008 final, here is the only goal in the game, made by Liverpool’s wonderboy, fernando torres. What a Goal!!! I hope he will bring many success to his country and his club in years to come.

Latest News From IRAN VA JAHAN

Iranian snow storm 'kills 21'
Story Highlights - State media reports 21 dead, 88 injured - International and domestic flights cancelled, schools and government offices closed - Authorities warn more snow on the way .
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- The heaviest snowfall in more than a decade has left at least 21 people dead in Iran -- some buried under avalanches, some frozen to death and others killed in traffic accidents, state media reported Monday.The storm forced schools and government offices to close, blocking major roads and leading to the cancellation of all domestic and international flights. As much as 22 inches of snow has fallen in areas of northern and central Iran since Saturday, said meteorologist Ali Abedini.
"At least 21 people have been killed and 88 others injured ... as a result of heavy snow," state-run radio reported. "Some died of the severe cold, some were buried under avalanches and others died after their cars overturned on snow-covered roads." The cold weather has caused problems for residents in western Iran, with about a dozen towns suffering from gas cuts due to a surge in demand and a cut in gas exports from Turkmenistan. Government officials have urged citizens to reduce their notoriously high consumption of gas to ensure there are no further cuts or shortages. Authorities have also urged Iranians to cancel unnecessary travel and warned that the snowfall would continue in the coming days.

Ahmadinejad loses favor with Khamenei, Iran's top leader
IHT Monday, January 7, 2008 9:31:00 PM CET
In the past, when Ahmadinejad was attacked by political opponents, the criticisms were usually silenced by Khamenei. But that public support has been conspicuously absent in recent months....

Memo From Tehran :Memo From Tehran: A President’s Defender Keeps His Distance : Ahmadinejad and Iran’s supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.... Entities:Mohammad Khatami[1]; Ali Larijani[1]; Mohammad Reza[1]; Ruhollah Khomeini[5]; Saeed Leylaz[1];


Bush Trip Gave Irresistible Urge to Tweak Tail of a Superpower
January 07, 2008 The Times Richard Beeston
When the White House announced that President Bush would travel to the Middle East this week to bolster support among America’s vulnerable Arab allies in the Gulf, there was always the risk that militants in the Iranian regime would feel forced to respond. In Tehran the Gulf is known as the “Persian Gulf” and nothing could be calculated to upset the regime more than Mr Bush’s unprecedented five-day procession through the oil-rich region, where America maintains 40,000 troops, besides the forces deployed in Iraq.From Friday the US leader will work his way down the Gulf states, starting in Kuwait and travelling to Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Overhead, US fighters will be stepping up patrols to protect Air Force One, while below the warships of the US Fifth Fleet will be ready to respond to any Iranian moves.For this reason, commanders in the naval wing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) may have been ordered or encouraged to cause mischief in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passageway at the entrance to the Gulf through which 25 per cent of the world’s crude oil is shipped.The IRGC is one of the most powerful institutions in Iran, and one of its most celebrated former members is none other than President Ahmadinejad. The force was responsible last year for the ambush and capture of 15 British sailors and Marines, who were paraded on television and held for two weeks before being freed, humiliated but unharmed.The IRGC regards the Gulf waters as its own and feels that it has the right to patrol at will. With Mr Bush expected to step up his rhetoric against Iran during his visit, Tehran may have wanted to remind him – and the world – about the vulnerability of global energy supplies, particularly with crude oil selling for $100 a barrel.There is also the temptation to tweak the tail of the world’s only superpower. A year ago Mr Bush deployed two aircraft carrier battle groups in the Gulf and threatened to use force against Iran to prevent the country acquiring nuclear weapons. Many in the region believed that confrontation was inevitable.Now Mr Bush is weakened as his presidency enters its final year. A US National Intelligence Estimate published last month revealed that Washington believes that Iran has suspended its atomic weapons programme. The threat of the use of force against one of the origial “axis of evil” regimes has evaporated.Domestic politics in Iran may also have played a part in the Hormuz incident. The Iranian regime may have felt compelled to act in the increasingly tense political climate ahead of parliamentary elections in March, where the ruling hardliners are facing a stiff challenge from more moderate forces.The Iranian mission was carried out by five IRGC speed boats that “swarmed” a US Navy cruiser, a destroyer and a frigate. The confrontation was hardly an even match. Each of the multimillion-dollar US warships could have destroyed the Iranian craft in seconds.But that does not diminish the seriousness of the incident. Ever since the USS Cole was rammed by an al-Qaeda suicide boat in Aden harbour in 2000, killing 17 US sailors, US forces have been trained to use lethal force to prevent such attacks.As many Iranians remember only too well, accidents can happen in the crowded air and waterways of the Gulf.In 1988 the USS Vincennes shot down an Iran Air passenger jet, killing 290 people, after mistaking the aircraft for an Iranian fighter-bomber.After three decades of separation from the West, Iranian motives and actions are never easy to interpret. Sunday’s incident is particularly curious because it came after a speech last week by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, who raised the possibility of one day restoring relations with the “Great Satan”, as America is commonly known by the regime.“I would be the first one to support these relations,” Ayatollah Khamenei told students in the central Iranian province of Yazd. “Of course, we never said the severed relations were for ever.”But he added that no one should expect any improvements soon. “For the time being, it [restoring ties] is harmful and we should not pursue it.”Sunday’s incident in the Gulf will serve to remind those running in the US presidential elections that, for the next incumbent of the White House, resolving the festering relations with Iran remains one of America’s foreign policy priorities.

Watch the video here: Iranian ships 'harass' U.S. Navy :

(CNN) -- Five Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats "harassed and provoked" three U.S. Navy ships early Sunday in international waters, the U.S. military said Monday, calling the encounter a "significant" confrontation.The USS Hopper, seen in a file photo, was one of the ships harassed by Iranian boats, officials say.An Iranian official, however, said it was not a serious incident, the state-run news agency IRNA reported. U.S. military officials said the incident occurred early Sunday morning in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping channel leading in and out of the Persian Gulf. They said that as the guided missile destroyer USS Hopper, the guided missile cruiser USS Port Royal and the guided-missile frigate USS Ingraham were entering the Persian Gulf, five Iranian boats approached them at high speed and swarmed them. The Iranian boats made "threatening" moves toward the U.S. ships and in one case came within 200 yards of one of them, the U.S. officials said. Watch what U.S. officials are saying about the incident »
The U.S. Navy also received a radio transmission that officials believe came from the Iranian boats. The transmission said, "I am coming at you. You will explode in a couple of minutes," the U.S. military officials told CNN. When the U.S. ships heard that radio transmission, they took up their gun positions and officers were "in the process" of giving the order to fire when the Iranians abruptly turned away, the U.S. officials said. After the radio transmission, one of the Iranian boats dropped white boxes into the water in front of the U.S. ships, the officials said. It was not clear what was in the boxes, the officials said.No shots were fired, and no one was injured.

Don't Miss These : See a map of the Strait of Hormuz » / Iran patrols Persian Gulf, U.S. says

A Pentagon spokesman characterized the incident as "perplexing" and "cause for real concern."
"Such actions are dangerous and could have quickly escalated into something much worse," said Geoff Morrell, Pentagon press secretary. "We see it as further evidence that Iran is unpredictable and remains a threat." Iran's foreign ministry spokesman downplayed the incident, calling it "ordinary," IRNA reported. Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that similar incidents had occurred in the past between Iranian and American ships, and the issues were resolved as soon as the ships recognized each other, IRNA reported. The Strait of Hormuz, which is in international waters, is near much of the world's oil supplies.The White House urged Iran to refrain from "such provocative actions that could lead to a dangerous incident in the future," National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States probably would not make a formal protest to Iran about the incident.McCormack said, "I can't speak to their rationale, their reasoning, their motivations."Iran and the United States do not have diplomatic relations. Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Tehran, while Pakistan represents Iranian interests in Washington. McCormack declined to comment further on the incident but said, "The U.S. will confront Iranian behavior where it seeks to do harm either to us or to our friends and allies in the region." On Friday, the U.S. Navy announced the same team of naval ships had been searching in the Arabian Sea for a sailor missing for a day from the Hopper. The outcome of the search was not immediately known Monday. In November the U.S. military reported that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps had taken command of Tehran's naval operations in the Persian Gulf. The United States considers the Revolutionary Guard to be a major supporter of terrorist activity. Tensions between Iran and the U.S. have increased over the last few years. The U.S. has concerns about Iran's nuclear program and has accused Iran of supplying weapons to insurgents in Iraq who target American forces.In March, Iran detained 15 crew members of a British ship before releasing them after nearly two weeks. Iran alleged the British vessel strayed into Iranian waters -- an assertion Britain strongly denied.

US Tells Iran to Back Down After Persian Gulf SkirmishThe White House has told Iran that it risked provoking "a dangerous incident" after a weekend skirmish brought the two nations to the brink of conflict. US naval commanders were about to fire on a group of Iranian attack boats after being challenged at the mouth of the Gulf on Sunday, the Pentagon has disclosed. By The Telegraph

As the Regime Cracks Down, Life Goes on Behind Closed Curtains
Last week our Iran correspondent was expelled without explanation. In his last dispatch from Tehran, he talks about the country he grew to love and which he found to be at odds with its image as an austere Islamic nation .By Robert Tait

Iran Boats 'Threatened to Blow up US Ships' : January 07, 2008 BBC News BBCi
Five Iranian speedboats harassed three US navy ships at the weekend, approaching them and radioing a threat to blow them up, US officials say. The incident happened in the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route. The US said their ships were about to open fire when the Iranian boats withdrew.The White House has warned Iran against "provocative actions that could lead to a dangerous incident".Iran played down the event, describing it as an "ordinary occurrence"."The issue is resolved after both sides recognise each other," Iranian state media quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying.'Serious provocation 'The speedboats, believed to belong to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, came within about 200m of the US vessels, Pentagon officials said."I am coming at you. You will explode in a couple of minutes," the Iranians said in a radio transmission, according to US officials.The Iranian boats were operating at "distances and speeds that showed reckless, dangerous and potentially hostile intent," said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman.He said at least some of the boats were visibly armed.US sailors assumed battle stations and the captain on one of the ships was about to order an attack when the Iranian boats turned away, dropping unidentified objects in the path of the vessel, US officials said.The confrontation, which occurred at about 0400 local time on Sunday or late on Saturday in Washington, lasted about 20 minutes, according to the US.The Pentagon has insisted that the three US vessels - identified as navy cruiser USS Port Royal, destroyer USS Hopper and frigate USS Ingraham - were in international waters.The incident follows a row that erupted last March when Iranian Revolutionary Guards captured 15 British sailors and held them for nearly two weeks.Iran said the crew had strayed into Iranian waters, a claim which Britain disputed.The Revolutionary Guards, set up in 1979 to defend the country's Islamic system, has been designated by the US as a "proliferator of weapons of mass estruction".Ready to respondThe latest confrontation comes as US President George Bush is to begin a tour of the Middle East on Wednesday.Long-standing US-Iranian tensions remain over Iran's nuclear programme, although these have been somewhat reduced since the US intelligence community released a report in late 2007 that said Iran had stopped its nuclear weapons programme in 2003.The BBC's Paul Reynolds says the key question is whether this is a one-off incident or whether it heralds a more aggressive stance by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.The latter policy would be unexpected, given the lowering of tension over the nuclear issue, he says, but as the incident of the captured British naval personnel showed, tensions are always high.There is no doubt that the US is ready to respond, our correspondent adds

Posted 7/1/2008 @ 18:2:10 GMTIran Confirms Incident with U.S. ShipsTEHRAN -- Iran on Monday confirmed there was an "incident" between Iranian and U.S. ships but gave no details, an Iranian news agency reported, after Washington said Iranian vessels threatened their ships in the Strait of Hormuz. more By Reuters

Posted 7/1/2008 @ 12:42:38 GMTIran Interrupts Natural Gas Supplies to TurkeyANKARA -- Iran has suspended supplies of natural gas to Turkey due to a cold
front which brought a sharp fall in temperatures, rain and snow in the region, Turkish television reported on Monday. more By RIA Novosti

Posted 7/1/2008 @ 12:38:10 GMTTrouble aheadWhen taking the oath of office on January 20 2009, the next president of the United States will be assuming responsibility for the most difficult, dangerous and complex set of foreign-policy challenges ever to face a newcomer to the White House. Whatever is then happening in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Arab-Israel peace process, it is safe to predict that George W. Bush will, in each case, be passing on to his successor either a daunting piece of unfinished business or a full-blown crisis. more By The Financial Times

Posted 7/1/2008 @ 10:54:10 GMTIsrael to Toughen Response to RocketsJERUSALEM -- Israeli security officials said yesterday that a rocket with a longer range than usual fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza into the coastal city of Ashkelon on Thursday had been made in Iran. It was the first such rocket to land in Israel, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel would intensify its response to the firing of such longer-range rockets. more By The Boston Globe

Posted 7/1/2008 @ 10:48:59 GMTIran, then AnnapolisEvery which way, US President George W. Bush is trying to send a signal, as he heads to the region this week, that he is with Israel and with the Arab states that feel threatened by Iran. more By The Jerusalem Post

Posted 7/1/2008 @ 10:40:22 GMTAhmadinejad Seeks Budget Boost Ahead of ElectionTEHRAN -- Iran's president proposed a bigger budget for 2008-09 to parliament on Monday that he said would promote social equality but critics fear will further stoke double-digit inflation in OPEC's second biggest producer. more By Reuters

Iran: dargiri zahedan - The Forces of Oppression shooting at defenceless unarmed Iranians in Zahedan




Bush Takes Hard Line on Iran Before Mideast VisitPresident Bush intends to use his first extended tour of the Middle East to rally support for international pressure against Iran, even as a recent U.S. intelligence report downplaying Tehran's nuclear ambitions has left Israeli and Arab leaders questioning Washington's resolve, according to senior U.S. officials, diplomats and regional experts. more By The Washington Post

Posted 6/1/2008 @ 23:57:6 GMTArmed Robbers Have Hands, Feet AmputatedIran amputated the right hand and left foot of five criminals convicted of armed robbery and hostage-taking, the student ISNA news agency reported today. The amputation, a legally permissible but rarely used punishment in Iran, was carried out in the presence of doctors in the southeastern city of Zahedan, capital of the restive Sistan-Baluchestan province. more By Agence France-Presse

Posted 6/1/2008 @ 10:55:45 GMTThe Gag is TightenedAs a literary journalist in Iran, I have often wondered why the country's greed for literature abruptly ended when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office in 2005. more By The Observer

Posted 6/1/2008 @ 10:49:15 GMTIran Says U.S. Failing in Middle East TEHRAN -- Iran accused the United States on Sunday of interfering in the Middle East after President George W. Bush said he would press allies to help keep Iran's "aggressive ambitions" in check during a regional trip this week. more By Reuters

Posted 5/1/2008 @ 23:38:18 GMTNobel Winner Slams Rising ExecutionsNobel peace prize winner Shirin Ebadi's rights group slammed the rising number of executions in Iran, including the hanging of a young mother who murdered her husband. "The Defenders of Human Rights Centre denounces the nationwide executions and their upward trend," the group of human rights lawyers led by Ms Ebadi said. more By The Australian

Posted 5/1/2008 @ 23:31:4 GMTIranians Register for ElectionsTEHRAN, Iran -- Close to 400 people registered as candidates Saturday for Iranian parliamentary elections seen as a referendum on hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. more By The Associated Press

Posted 5/1/2008 @ 23:17:59 GMTBush Says Mideast Visit to Promote Peace, Corral IranWASHINGTON -- U.S. President George W Bush said Saturday that his trip to the Middle East next week aimed to promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians and curtail Iran's "aggressive ambitions." more By AFP

Posted 5/1/2008 @ 19:49:43 GMTIranian Bank Shrugs Off Cost of US SanctionsUnilateral sanctions by the US have cost Iran’s Bank Saderat a third of its foreign partners but its overseas operations remain profitable, according to the institution’s managing director. By The Financial Times

Posted 5/1/2008 @ 19:46:48 GMTGerman Diplomat Told to Leave Iran in Apparent ExpulsionA German diplomat has been ordered to leave Iran, a German news agency said on Saturday, in what may be retaliation for the expulsion of an Iranian diplomat from Germany in July. By Reuters

Posted 5/1/2008 @ 19:36:24 GMTGuardian's Tehran Correspondent ExpelledThe Guardian's Tehran correspondent, Robert Tait, has been expelled from Iran without explanation after nearly three years of reporting from the country. more By The Guardian

9/11 commission leaders blast CIA on interrogation tapes

WASHINGTON (AFP) -Thursday, January 3
The leaders of a US commission that examined the September 11, 2001 terror attacks accused the CIA Wednesday of having obstructed their investigation by withholding information about videotaped interrogations of terror suspects.The goal of the blue ribbon 9/11 Commission, wrote chairman Thomas Kean and vice-chairman Lee Hamilton in The New York Times, was "to provide the American people with the fullest possible account" of what led to Al-Qaeda's attacks more than six years ago on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. But Kean and Hamilton wrote that although US President George W. Bush had ordered all executive branch agencies to cooperate with the probe, "recent revelations that the CIA destroyed videotaped interrogations of Qaeda operatives leads us to conclude that the agency failed to respond to our lawful requests for information about the 9/11 plot." "Those who knew about those videotapes -- and did not tell us about them -- obstructed our investigation."They continued: "There could have been absolutely no doubt in the mind of anyone at the CIA or the White House -the commission's interest in any and all information related to Qaeda detainees involved in the 9/11 plot."Yet no one in the administration ever told the commission of the existence of videotapes of detainee interrogations," Kean and Hamilton wrote.They said the panel made repeated, detailed requests to the spy agency in 2003 and 2004 for information about the interrogation of members of the Islamic extremist network but were never notified about the existence of the tapes.The CIA revealed last month that in 2005 it destroyed videotapes that showed harsh interrogations of two Al-Qaeda members.

9/11 Commission: CIA withheld interrogation videotapes December 22, 2007
Federal judge weighs inquiry into CIA destruction of interrogation videos December 21, 2007
House panel subpoenas ex-CIA official who ordered destruction of interrogation videos December 21, 2007
CIA to give House panel info on destruction of interrogation videos December 20, 2007
White House lawyers took part in debate on destroying CIA interrogation videos: NYT December 19, 2007
click for more...

Iran is continuing to supply weapons and personnel to train insurgents in Iraq.

In December, the Pentagon issued a report to Congress titled "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq" stating that Iran is continuing to supply weapons and personnel to train insurgents in Iraq. But now a top U.S. commander in Iraq told The Washington Times that "Iran no longer aids Iraq militants". What is going on? What has changed?
January 3, 2008 : By Sara A. Carter reports that " Iran's leaders are no longer supplying weapons or training to Islamic militants in Iraq ", according to the spokesman for the top U.S. commander in Iraq who told The Washington Times. that Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, sees Iran as following through on assurances it made to Iraqi and U.S. officials last fall not to assist extremists in Iraq, spokesman Col. Steven Boylan said, adding that other U.S. officials have noted declines in Iranian weapons and funds to Iraqi insurgents. "We are ready to confirm the excellence of the senior Iranian leadership in their pledge to stop the funding, training, equipment and resourcing of the militia special groups," Col. Boylan said. "We have seen a downward trend in the signature-type attacks using weapons provided by Iran."
In October, U.S. military officials began noticing a decrease in the supply of Iranian weapons and assistance, Col. Boylan added. The disclosure comes just weeks after a National Intelligence Estimate pruned back its assessment of Iran's nuclear program, saying "with high confidence" that the Islamic republic had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 in the wake of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Tehran's aid for Islamic militias in Iraq and its nuclear program have resulted in calls from some in Washington for military action against Iran, and these two developments are likely to dampen such calls. Some outside analysts have argued, though, that Iran-based aid may be getting to Iraqi insurgents without the approval of the government in Tehran. But the colonel cautioned that while Iran's efforts are promising, U.S. military officials remain wary, partly over some contrary events on the ground in Iraq. For example, he disclosed that U.S. troops "recently captured individuals who have been in Iran, training, as short as 45-60 days ago." He did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding the captured individuals or the possible investigation. "We are very much in the wait-and-see mode to see what happens," Col. Boylan said. In July, four terrorists linked to an Iranian smuggling operation — responsible for targeting coalition forces with powerful bombs — were captured in Iraq. The confirmation of Iran's cooperation also comes at a time when U.S. military officials have confirmed a 60 percent decrease in violence, including improvised explosive device attacks and civilian deaths in Iraq. Last year, U.S. military officials publicly released evidence of links between Iran and insurgents, including weapons, such as improvised explosive devices and mortars, that bore the markings of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The smuggling of deadly explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) — warhead-style weapons that can pierce armor and that have caused the most casualties and damage to U.S. forces — also was traced back to Iran. In December, the Pentagon issued a report to Congress titled "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq" stating that Iran is continuing to supply weapons and personnel to train insurgents in Iraq. It suggested that the recent declines in violence aren't the result of Iran's claims that it has squelched involvement in Iraq but to other factors, such as the troop surge. "There has been no identified decrease in Iranian training and funding of illegal Shi'a militias in Iraq," the report stated. "Tehran's support for Shi'a militant groups who attack Coalition and Iraq forces remains a significant impediment to progress toward stabilization." Army Lt. Col. Mark Ballesteros, a Pentagon spokesman, said the words from Gen. Petraeus' office on Iran's cutting aid don't contradict the Department of Defense Iraq report, because it was based on information obtained prior to the end of the November deadline. "The report we issued to Congress is meant to be retrospective in nature," Col. Ballesteros said. "It is meant to cover the last 90 days of data and provides a snapshot of that period on the ground." Col. Boylan stated that despite Iran's current cooperation, Islamic radicals and terrorist groups still pose a serious danger to stability in the region.

Rice and Gates Divided over Iran's Role in Iraq : Analysis by Gareth Porter*
WASHINGTON, Jan 2 (IPS) - A State Department official's assertion in late December that Iran had exerted a restraining influence on Iraqi Shiite militia violence signaled a major divergence of views between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defence Robert Gates over how to portray Iran's role in Iraq.In an interview with the Washington Post published Dec. 23, David Satterfield, a senior advisor to Rice and coordinator for Iraq, attributed to Iran a deliberate decision to help calm the situation in Iraq rather than to inflame it. Satterfield told the Washington Post that the decline in the number of attacks by Mahdi Army militiamen since August "has to be attributed to an Iranian policy decision" and suggested that the policy decision had been made "at the most senior level". Satterfield did not say that the new Iranian policy line was permanent, but he insisted that there had been such a "consistent and sustained diminution in certain kinds of violence by certain kinds of folks" that it could not be explained solely on the basis of internal factors in Iraq. U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker also told the Post that "the freeze on JAM [the Iraqi acronym for the Mahdi Army] operations that began four months ago would not exist without Iranian approval". Those positive descriptions of the recent Iranian role in Iraq came just after Defence Secretary Gates had refused to endorse such an assessment. At a press conference on Dec. 21, Gates was asked whether he had "seen any additional or more current information to suggest maybe Iran is playing a more constructive role in trying to seal its border from arms shipments and so on?" He replied, "No, not yet." Significantly, however, Gates also passed up the opportunity to say that Iran was playing a "destabilising role" in Iraq. Instead he said simply that the "jury is out" on the issue. Gates mentioned the success of military operations against the Mahdi Army as well as the "ceasefire that has been put in place" as factors in the decline in attacks and said, "[W]e don't have a good feeling...or any confidence in terms of how to weigh these different things." These differing views on whether Iran has been playing a positive role in Iraq are the first clear evidence of a split between Gates and Rice over how to deal with Iran. Rice's State Department is now leaning toward treating Iran as something other than an outright enemy in regard to Iraq, whereas Gates is not ready to soften the administration's position of casting suspicion on Iranian intentions. Gates was the last administration official to denounce Iran in harsh terms over Iraq, declaring in a speech at a Persian Gulf security conference in Bahrain Dec. 8, "Everywhere you turn, it is the policy of Iran to foment instability and chaos, no matter the strategic value or cost in the blood of innocents." That rhetoric was almost certainly aimed, however, at avoiding a stampede away from the administration's efforts to pressure Iran on its uranium enrichment programme in the wake of the stunning publication of the national intelligence estimate's conclusion that Iran had abandoned covert nuclear weapons work in 2003.
Gates hinted in comments to reporters when he arrived in Bahrain that he was much less certain of the Iranian intention than his rhetoric at the conference would have suggested. He mentioned the call by Shiite Mahdi Army leader Muqtada al-Sadr for a ceasefire as a key factor in the improved security in the Baghdad area, along with the reduction in attacks by armour-piercing rounds which had long been blamed on Iran. Gates appeared to suggest that he did not rule out an Iranian contribution to the improvement, saying it was "too early to tell" whether the reduction in militia attacks since August was due to successful military efforts to disrupt Mahdi Army networks or "what the Iranians may or may not be doing". The State Department's decision to acknowledge that Iran has contributed to the reduction in violence in Iraq has no doubt been influenced by Iranian political figures and officials who work closely with the U.S. Embassy to oppose the Mahdi Army and who have been insisting for months that Iran was helping to restrain Sadr. Iraqi Islamic Council Chairman Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, whose party is the key Shiite political ally in the U.S. effort to weaken the Madhi Army, met with Rice Nov. 30 and told her that Iran plays a positive role in establishing security in Iraq, according to the Tehran Times. Al-Hakim was quoted as saying, "There are documents proving that Iran has supported Iraq." Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, who had argued both publicly and privately last fall that Iran was behind Sadr's Aug. 29 ceasefire, met with Rice two days before the Satterfield and Crocker interviews. The implication of the advice of the anti-Sadr, pro-Iranian Iraqis is that the United States can use Iran to further weaken Sadr and the Madhi Army. The State Department strategy recognises that the Madhi Army, which poses the main threat to the George W. Bush administration's plan to maintain an indefinite U.S. military presence in the country, is too strong to be suppressed by U.S. or Iraqi military forces. And it would seek an end to the accusations against Iran regarding Iraqi Shiite militias that have been issued regularly by U.S. civilian and military officials throughout 2007. Crocker told the Post he was prepared to make the inference of a helpful Iranian role in the reduction of operations by the Shiite militias when he meets with Iran in the next round of talks. The Defence Department's view of Iranian policy is influenced primarily by the perspective of the U.S. military command in Baghdad. Gen. David Petraeus also recognises that there must be a political strategy to weaken Sadr's forces. However, he and his staff have been focusing more on the fact that the Madhi Army is continuing to attack U.S. and Iraqi security forces in the Shiite provinces of Qadisiyah, Babil and Dhi Qar, as stated in the latest Pentagon report. The military command continues to insists that the "Shi'a extremists and rogue elements" of the Mahdi Army are "Iranian-backed". That analysis clearly implies that the United States should not back away from the accusations of Iranian export of weapons to and manipulation of Shiite militias that the U.S. command has been making for nearly a year. Given President Bush's penchant for letting agencies with conflicting policies work things out themselves rather than impose a policy decision, the State and Defence Departments may continue to carry out their own policy lines on the subject of Iran's role in Iraq until a new development resolves the differences. That will introduce another layer of contradictions into an extraordinarily murky policy toward the Iran-Iraq complex of issues. *Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist specialising in U.S. national security policy. His latest book, "Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam", was published in June 2005.

AND HERE COMES THE DENIAL ....

Petraeus Aide Denies Report That Iran Is Not Aiding Iraq Militants
January 03, 2008 Fox News foxnews.com
A spokesman for Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, denied a story published Thursday in the Washington Times that said Petraeus believed Iran no longer was training or supplying weapons to Islamic militants in Iraq. Col. Steven Boylan told FOX News that the article, purported to include quotes from Petraeus and Boylan, "is inaccurate." "We do not know if there has been a decrease in the supply of Iranian weapons," Boylan wrote to news outlets that picked up the Washington Times story. "It is not clear if Iran's leaders stopped supplying weapons or training to extremist elements in Iraq. We hope that they have, but until we can confirm it, we are in the wait and see mode. "We have seen a decrease in the attacks using four specific types of Iranian weapons. However, this should not be misunderstood as anything other than lowered levels of attacks using these specific weapons," he wrote. The Times story included what it said was a quote from Boylan, saying, "We are ready to confirm the excellence of the senior Iranian leadership in their pledge to stop the funding, training, equipment and resourcing of the militia special groups. "We have seen a downward trend in the signature-type attacks using weapons provided by Iran." Click here to view the full report in The Washington Times. Several weeks ago the National Intelligence Estimate said that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

The Latest News

"Kayhan": Iran's Reformists Are Collaborating With U.S. Today's editorial in the Iranian daily Kayhan, which is affiliated with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned that reformists in Iran are collaborating with the Americans to topple Iran's current Islamic regime in the upcoming March '08 parliamentary (Majlis) elections. The editorial based its position on the U.S.'s NIE report, which it said stated that the U.S. preferred a toppling of the Iranian regime via activity by internal forces. In contrast, today's editorial in the Iranian reformist daily Aftab-e Yazd stated that the attempt by the government of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to present itself as friendly and rational in the international arena was endangering Iran, because "this policy of finding favor" presents concessions to the lusts of countries such as India, Russia, China, Bahrain, and Indonesia, which sometimes take anti-Iran stands. Sources: Kayhan, Aftab-e Yazd, Iran, January 1, 2008-Read full entry
Human Rights Group: Iranian Government Intensifying Repression, Killing In Province
Following the December 31 arrest of 150 residents of Ahwaz province in southern Iran, the Central Authority for Human Rights in the province announced that the Iranian authorities had stepped up repression and killing in Ahwaz. The group reported that five residents were executed, the bodies of three long-term prisoners were discovered, and two prisoners' bodies were handed over to their families last week. Other families in the province claimed that family members had been executed by the authorities and that their bodies had been hidden. The human rights group has asked Arab and international organizations to step in to prevent the continuing massacre of residents and to stop the arrests. Source: Al-Siyassa, Kuwait, January 2, 2008 - Read full entry
"Sobh-e Sadeq": U.S. Agreeing To Negotiate With Iran Without Preconditions Due To Defeats
An article in the Iranian weekly Sobh-e Sadeq, the mouthpiece of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei circulated among Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, stated that the defeat of the U.S. in Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Iraq versus the impetus of Iran's relations with the Arab countries – manifested by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's participation in the GCC conference in Doha and by Ali Larijani's visit to Cairo – had forced the U.S. State Department to announce recently that the U.S. was agreeing to negotiations with Iran without preconditions. Source: Sobh-e Sadeq, Iran, December 31, 2007 - Read full entry
Iranian Report: Most Important Outcome Of 9/11 – Rise In Central Asia's Status In U.S. Foreign Policy
A report by Iran's Majlis (Parliamentary) Strategic Research Center stated that the most important outcome of 9/11 has been the rise in Central Asia's geopolitical status in U.S. foreign policy. It also stated that the U.S. is aspiring to prevent the rise of an again-powerful Russia as well as Iranian and Chinese influence in the region. The report concludes that the first item on the U.S. agenda is obtaining the energy resources of the Caspian Sea, and recommends that Iran resist any foreign presence in the region by drawing closer to China and Russia by using the Shanghai alliance. Source: Aftab-e Yazd, Iran, January 1, 2008Read full entry
"Sobh-e Sadeq": Bhutto Assassination Brings Opportunity – For U.S. In Pakistan, For Iran In Afghanistan
The Iranian weekly Sobh-e Sadeq, the mouthpiece of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei circulated among Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, wrote that the assassination of former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto "is likely to serve the U.S. as a pretext for direct military intervention" because of the fear that Pakistan's nuclear bomb would fall into the hands of extremist Islamists.An article on the Iranian website Alef, which is affiliated with conservative MP Ahmad Tavakkoli, director of the Majlis Strategic Research Center, stated that Bhutto's assassination had shifted the U.S.'s focus to Pakistan from Iran. It also noted that the assassination would bring about a drop in the power of the Sunnis in the Islamic world, and would give Iran an opportunity to strengthen its position in Afghanistan following a weakening of Pakistan there. Sources: Sobh-e Sadeq, Iran, December 31, 2007; Alef, Iran, January 1, 2008Read full entry
Contest Between International Zionism, Offspring Of Khomeini Will Affect World's Future
At the weekly meeting of the conservative Iranian group Ansar Hizbullah, Mojtaba Rahmandoust, secretary-general of the Iran-based Society in Defense of the Palestinian Nation, stated, "The contest between international Zionism and the offspring of the Imam Khomeini will be the focus of the political processes that will affect the future of the world."
He said that the U.S., Europe, and Israel would step up their pressure as the armed struggle bore fruit, and that the current Israeli and U.S. pressure on Egypt was evidence of the success of the armed Palestinian struggle. He added that the Palestinians were now producing longer-range missiles than in the past. Source: ISNA, Iran, December 31, 2007Read full entry
On Ahmadinejad's Orders, Iran's Center For Intercultural Dialogue Disbands
Iran's Center for Intercultural Dialogue between Islam and Christianity has been disbanded, on orders of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In its stead, the National Center for Globalization Studies has been established, under Ahmadinejad's direct oversight.Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London; Aftab-e Yazd, Iran, December 31, 2007 Read full entry
What Did Ahmadinejad's 41 Trips To Neighboring Countries Accomplish?
An article on the Tabnak website, which is affiliated with Iranian Expediency Council secretary Mohsen Rezai, demanded that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad give details on the contribution to Iran of his 41 trips to neighboring countries. Hinting that Ahmadinejad's trips were pointless, the article stated, "The countries in the region are more impertinent towards Iran than in the past, and are taking anti-Iran stands." Source: Tabnak, Iran, December 27, 2007Read full entry
Larijani: Weakening Of U.S. Role In Region Encouraging Egypt-Iran Relations; Iran Will Help Egypt With Nuclear Technology
At a meeting with intellectuals and writers during his visit in Egypt, Ali Larijani, representative of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Iran's Supreme National council, stated that international circumstances and regional changes, including "the weakening of the exclusive role of America in the region," are encouraging Egypt and Iran to increase their mutual cooperation.
Larijani added that Iran is ready to help Egypt develop nuclear technology, in accordance with International Atomic Energy Agency regulations. Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, December 31, 2007Read full entry
Unrest At Universities Across Iran
The online Iranian reformist daily Rooz reports on unrest in universities across Iran because of increasing rumors that over 30 students, detained since early December, have been tortured in order to extract confessions, and because of the delay of the release on bail of the three students from Amir Kabir university even after their bond was posted. At Isfahan University, students who have barricaded themselves since December 24 are continuing with their hunger strike against the repression of the student movement and the restriction of freedom of expression.
The student movement issued a communiqué protesting against the arrest of over 100 students in the past nine months. Source: Rooz, Iran, December 30, 2007Read full entry
Iranian Prisoners' Rights Organization Chairman Back In Jail After Second Heart Attack
Iran's Prisoners' Rights Organization chairman Emad Baghi, who has been under arrest for 80 days, was returned to Evin prison after being rushed to the hospital following his second heart attack since Decemberf 26. Dissident journalist 'Issa Saharkhiz said sarcastically that this policy towards Baqi and others was Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s way of putting Shi'ite justice into action. Source: Rooz, Iran, December 30 and 31, 2007 Read full entry
Shirin Ebadi: "Kayhan" Newspaper Making Up Stories About Me
At a conference of reformist journalists, Iranian Nobel Prize laureate and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi referred to that claims by the Iranian daily Kayhan that she was acting to increase economic sanctions against Iran and that she had called the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) "terrorists."Ebadi said that the paper was making up stories, and that she had called for political sanctions against the Iranian government, not for economic sanctions that harmed the entire people. Source: Kayhan, December 23, 2007; Rooz, Iran, December 31, 2007Read full entry
Iranian Ayatollah Montazeri Urges Iranian Reformists To Act For Free Elections
In a meeting with reformist activists in Iran, Ayatollah Hossein 'Ali Montazeri, one of the senior Iranian clerics critical of the Iranian regime, said that the regime was acting illegally by approving candidates for the March 2008 Majlis (parliamentary) elections based on the candidates' political proximity to the regime. Montazeri encouraged activity to pressure the regime to hold free elections, and reiterated that the slogan of Iran's Islamic Revolution was "independence, freedom, and Islamic revolution." Source: Montazeri's blog, Iran, December 28, 2007 Read full entry
Iran Gets Second Russian Fuel Shipment
Russia has delivered a second consignment of nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr power plant, said Iranian Atomic Energy Organization deputy head today, December 28. He said that the delivery was the same amount as was supplied in the first consignment, which arrived December 17. Russia is to deliver a total of 82 tons of nuclear fuel to Iran, over two months and in eight separate consignments. Source: Fars, Iran, December 28, 2007Read full entry
Tehran Friday Sermon: Ayatollah Jannati Blasts U.S. For Lebanon Political Crisis, Says Christ Would Have Fought Oppression, Labels Israel "Cancerous Tumor" Planted By U.S.
In his sermon today, Tehran interim Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati congratulated all "real believers" in Christianity on the new year, and said that Jesus should be considered among the oppressed prophets "because certain individuals who allege to be an advocate of Christ, such as U.S. President George W. Bush, kill innocent people and trigger crisis among the world nations." He lambasted those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ while committing murders in different parts of the world, and said that of the three options of silence, supporting the oppressors, and fighting with the oppressors, Jesus Christ would have certainly chosen the third if he was present among us. He went on to slam the U.S. administration for sowing discord in Lebanon, saying that the ongoing political crisis there had been created and exacerbated by Washington. He said, "America has planted the occupiers of Quds [Israel] as a cancerous tumor in the heart of the Arab countries in order to create crises in Palestine and Lebanon." He also said that Iran's upcoming March 2008 parliamentary elections would "show the world that religion and democracy are not incompatible." Source: IRNA, IRIBnews.ir, Fars, Iran, December 28, 2007Read full entry

36 hours in Ibiza, Spain

36 hours in Ibiza, Spain - By Ann Marie Gardner : Published: November 2, 2007



During high season, the beachside bar Café Mambo in Sant Antoni village is the place to watch the sunset and listen to the D.J. Pete Tong spin his electronica mixes. (Stefano Buonamici for The New York Times)

As a nucleus of the electronic music scene, Ibiza attracts party people of every age and demographic, from London fashionistas and Goa-style ravers to French bobos and the prime minister of Spain. But after Oct. 1, when Ibiza's club season comes to a euphoric finale, this Spanish island eases back into its Mediterranean groove. Whether it's hibernating in yoga retreats, trekking through Unesco World Heritage sites or lounging by turquoise blue water and white-sand beaches, Ibiza offers plenty of laid-back after-party spots. Plus, there are phenomenal seafood and glamorous hippies. And if the itch to party should strike, don't worry, the island's original party palace is open year round.
Friday : 4 p.m. 1) BEACH SPOTTING



Get into the groove at the Jockey Club (Playas las Salinas; 34-971-395-788; www.jockeyclubibiza.com), a trendy but casual restaurant along the powdery white sands of Salinas Beach, a beautiful stretch with the beautiful people. It's a great place to grab a late-afternoon drink and watch sunbathers, while DJ's spin their Balearic beat.
8 p.m. 2) GET THE PARTY STARTED
During high season, the beachside bar Café Mambo in Sant Antoni village (Vara del Rey, 40; 34-971-346-638; www.cafemamboibiza.com) is the place to watch the sunset and listen to the DJ Pete Tong spin his electronica mixes for his popular Friday night show, broadcast live on BBC Radio One. Off season, Guarana takes over as the spot to start and finish the weekend (Puerto Deportivo de Santa Eulalia; www.guarana-ibiza.com).
11 p.m. 3) LATE LATE DINNER
It's dinnertime in New York — and Ibiza — so head to the foodie village of San Rafael. On the beautiful Plaza de Iglesia, across from the cathedral, sit under the trees at the Provençal restaurant El Clos Denis (Plaza de Iglesia; 34-971-198-545), order the roast suckling pig and drink lovely Spanish and French wines. The casserole dishes are big and hearty. About 60 euros ($87 at $1.45 to the euro) a person. If you're with a larger group, book at Bambuddha Grove (Santa Eulalia, kilometer 8.5; 34-971-197-510; www.bambuddha.com), a modern Mediterr-Asian-fusion restaurant in a space that is part temple and part Japanese garden with Buddha statues and ornamental wood carved doors. Dinner about 60 euros. After dinner, go to Restaurant L'Elephant (Plaza Iglesia; 34-971-19-8354; www.elephant-ibiza.com), a minimalist-white restaurant with a happening roof bar that offers wonderful views of historic old Ibiza Town. It's a place to be seen before heading to the clubs.
2 a.m. 4) NIGHT OWL



The center of Ibiza night life is still Pacha (Avenida 8 d 'Agost; 34-971-313-612; www.pacha.com) and has been for 40 years. After 2 a.m., Pacha turns into a sea of people dancing with their arms in the air. The mainstream house music and party atmosphere are electrifying. If you're rolling with an entourage, reserve a VIP table (125 euros a person, which includes a half a bottle of liquor and mixers; otherwise entry is 60 euros). Red Bull and vodka is the drink of choice. Open year round.
Saturday 11 a.m. 5) SHOPPING FIX
Don't miss the outdoor hippie market Las Dalias, near the tiny village of San Carlos on the island's northeastern tip (Carretera San Carlos, kilometer 12; 34-971-326-825; www.lasdalias.es). This is not a cheap flea market but a kind of year-round trunk show where vacationing fashion designers and editors come to forage for one-of-a-kind jewelry, amazing dresses from India and Bali and handmade leather sandals. Afterward, duck into Ganesha in Ibiza Town (Montgri, 14; 34-971-193-605), a vintage shop run by Vicente Hernández and filled with treasures from his trips to South America. He is an institution (Jade Jagger, Elle and all the Ibiza girls shop here). If you're looking for a flowing Ibiza-style dress, the local designer to seek out is Harvey Musin (Plaza de la Constitucio, 7; 34-971-311-516).
1 p.m. 6) OUT TO SEA
Charter a boat (or take a ferry) to Ses Illetes, the famous white-sand beach with turquoise water on the neighboring island of Formentera. Hike to the natural mud baths on the island's northernmost tip, dunk yourself in mud — it will dry and crack as you walk under the hot sun — then plunge into the sea to rinse it off. For 40 euros, ferries depart hourly from Ibiza Town and Sant Antoni (www.balearia.com). A concierge service called Deliciously Sorted (Calle Venda de Llatzer 25, Santa Gertrudis; 34-971-197-867; www.deliciouslysortedibiza.com) can locate Rivas, sailboats, Sunseekers and Turkish schooners for charter starting at 750 euros a day. It also arranges VIP passes, villa rentals, restaurant reservations and helicopter rides. Concierge services à la carte from 25 euros per reservation.
3 p.m. 7) PAGEANTRY OF BOATS
In Formentera, you can feast on calamari and drink sangria under giant white umbrellas at Juan y Andrea (Carretera La Savina-es Pujols; 34-971-187-130), an elegant restaurant tucked in the sand dunes overlooking a clear blue harbor filled with yachts. It is a favorite hangout for the beautiful people, who come to nibble paella and baked fish and argue over who has the biggest boat at the beach — the Saudi king or the king of Spain? Three courses with wine about 80 euros a head.
7 p.m. 8) CULTURAL BREAK


Trentemoller & King Unique - The funniest videos clips are here

Ibiza Town was a fortress before its cobblestone streets were filled with quaint restaurants and endlessly cute clothing and crafts shops, many built into the stone ramparts. The oldest part, Dalt Vila, is a Unesco World Heritage site with a tiny modern art museum, Museu d'Art Contemporani (Ronda Narcis Puget; 34-971-302-723) that is worth seeing. Afterward, climb to the top of the Our Lady of the Snows Cathedral for panoramic views of Ibiza and the sea.
10 p.m. 9) HAPPY WAITERS



Grab a cheap predinner drink at the gay hangout Café Tomate & Company, with tables right on the market square (Mercado Viejo; 34-971-399-234). Then walk up the hill to La Bresa (Via Annibal; 34-971-301-202; www.ibiza-restaurants.com/labrasa), a cozy seafood restaurant inside the town's old stone walls where the good-natured waiters set the mood for your next party. The kitchen serves traditional Ibizan seafood like sea bream or salmon with lobster sauce; the house specialty is cactus fruit pudding. About 40 euros for dinner. This is the real Ibiza — in this neighborhood, laundry hangs to dry and kids play in the doorways while parades of neighbors and tourists pass.
Midnight 10) JAZZ INTERLUDE
For a break from the usual Ibiza scene, trot down to Teatro Pereyra (Calle Conde Rosellón, 3; 34-971-304-432) for some live jazz, which may include the singer Kim Mazell. Or stop by Km 5 (Carretera San José, kilometer 5; 34-971-396-349; www.km5-lounge.com), a restaurant and bar that goes until 4 a.m. and bills itself as an escape from the "pounding club culture."
Sunday 11 a.m. 11) CAFFEINE INJECTION
Croissant Show in Ibiza Town's market square (Mercado Viejo; 34-971-317-665) serves a traditional French breakfast 23 hours a day. It's especially popular in the morning, with sunglass-wearing clubgoers on their way home before going to bed.
1 p.m. 12) DOWNTIME
Time to rest? The beach clubs on Playa Es Jondal in San José are the perfect antidote to the island's kinetic scene. Tropicana Beach Club (Cala Jondal; 34-971-80-2640; www.tropicanaibiza.com) is popular with families, while Blue Marlin draws Speedo- and thong-wearing singles (Playa Es Jondal; 34-971-410-117; www.bluemarlinibiza.test.daxx.ru). Both offer lounge chairs, umbrellas, chill music, waiter service and surfside massages along the sheltered cove. After a beachfront lunch and some rosé, the decision is clear: extend the trip and leave mañana.
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Ibiza police detonate suspicious parcel : June 30, 2007 - 11:04PM

Police detonated a suspicious parcel at Spain's Ibiza airport after the airport was evacuated following a bomb warning, newspaper El Pais reported on Saturday. Earlier El Pais said a small bomb had exploded, without providing further details. The island is currently enjoying the start of the high tourist season, traditionally a magnet for thousands of British and German holidaymakers. The airport was evacuated after Basque newspaper Gara, the habitual mouthpiece of Basque separatist guerillas ETA, received a telephoned warning, Gara said on its website. The caller did not say whom they represented. Police officials confirmed earlier that Ibiza airport had been evacuated after a bomb alert, but declined to comment further. Basque rebels ETA said on June 5 they were calling off a 15-month-old ceasefire, which it had already effectively broken by bombing Madrid airport in December. Spain's Socialist government had attempted peace talks with ETA last year but called them off after the Madrid bomb, which killed two people. The armed separatists have killed more than 800 people in four decades of armed struggle for independence of ancient Basque territories in northern Spain and southern France. Polls show most inhabitants of the Basque Country, which already enjoys considerable autonomy, do not want to full separation from Spain.

SPANISH PM TO VISIT IRAN - WHY - ? -

SPANISH PM TO VISIT IRAN
March 10, 2007 , 16:16

MADRID MARCH 10 (BNA)-- IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO SPAIN DAWOOD SALEHI ANNOUNCED THAT SPANISH PRIME MINISTER JOSI LUIS RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO WILL SOON BE VISITING HIS COUNTRY.

PREPARATIONS ARE ALSO ON FULL SWING FOR THE UPCOMING VISIT OF THE KING OF SPAIN JUAN CARLOS TO IRAN, HE SAID.

THE AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT HIS COUNTRY LOOKS AS THE RELATIONS WITH SPAIN AS STRATEGIC CONSIDERING THAT IT IS AN EU MEMBER.