Latest news from the War on Islamic Republic of Idiots - IRI -

Gasoline Black Market Thrives in Iran
BANDAR ABBAS, Iran -- Each day, the boulevard in this port city derisively dubbed "OPEC Street" is lined with dozens of vendors selling plastic jugs of black-market gasoline to desperate drivers who haggle over the price of a tankful.
Iran and its Economy
Last year I wrote two articles on Iranian economy, one on the U.S. plans for economic strangulation of Iran and the second on the existing systemic problems in the Iranian economy (Ahmadinejad's Achilles Heel: The Iranian Economy).

Iran extends olive branch to Israel and U.SIrish Sun 20:08 27-Jan-08
Iran vows to retaliate against U.S. basesThe Asian Age 18:35 27-Jan-08
Kayhan Editor Close To Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei: 'America...The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) 23:02 27-Jan-08
Iran vows to hit American bases in Gulf if...Arab Times 06:49 28-Jan-08
Russia Sidelined in U.S. CampaignMoscow Times 23:21 27-Jan-08
U.S. presence in the region, its Achilles heel: Iranian...Payvand 17:49 27-Jan-08
AP: Iran gets army gear in Pentagon saleIranMania News 08:14 28-Jan-08
Dr. Abbas Bakhtiar: Iran and its EconomyScoop 21:24 27-Jan-08
Too Easy to RefuseThe New York Times 05:47 28-Jan-08
Iran 'will attack US Gulf bases'Gulf Daily News 22:02 27-Jan-08

Lebanon's Struggle with Terror
Lebanon has suffered another in a string of political assassinations clearly meant to replace the rule of law with a shadowy rule of terror. The perpetrators of these killings remain unknown, but the clear beneficiaries are forces aligned with Syria and Iran against Lebanon's democratic political majority.
Bush Blasts Lebanon Bombing, Tells Syria, Iran to Butt Out
US President George W. Bush on Saturday bemoaned the latest assassination of a Lebanese official and told Syria and Iran to stop meddling in its neighbor's affairs. Investigators tried to determine if the killing was tied to attacks against anti-Syrian politicians
Iran Says It Could Attack US Bases
CAIRO, Egypt -- Iran's top military commander said Saturday that his forces would retaliate against American military bases in the Persian Gulf if they are involved in any possible future attack on Iran. General Mohammad Ali Jaafari, commander of the Iran's Revolutionary Guards, told Al-Jazeera television that it is Iran's "natural right to respond" if attacked by land or air
Ehud Barak Sharply Disagrees with the U.S. NIE on Iran's Nuclear Capabilities
Sitting at the world Economic Forum in Davos last week, Israel's Minister of Defense Ehud Barak was sharply critical of the recent U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iran. In an interview with NEWSWEEK's Lally Weymouth, Barak suggested that, contrary to the impression left by that estimate, Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons and delivery systems
Mottaki: Iran Isn't Threatening Israel and Doesn't Want Nukes- AND IS FREE TO LIE, CHEAT AND KILL THE INNOCENT IRANIANS-( Bahramerad)
"Iran is not threatening Israel and does not want nuclear weapons, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Saturday. Speaking to Israel Radio on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mottaki said that it was Israel that possessed nuclear weapons and "it is threatening Teheran."
Anger in Iran After Law Student Dies in Custody
The death of a student in the custody of Iranian intelligence officers has provoked outrage among opponents of the regime, who claim it is part of a concerted crackdown on dissent in the run-up to parliamentary elections.

Iran Says It Could Attack U.S. BasesForbes 22:51 26-Jan-08
Iran says break with U.S. won't last foreverWashington Post 21:20 26-Jan-08
Iran says it could attack US basesBoston.com 23:56 26-Jan-08
Iranian Foreign Minister praises U.S. moves in IraqInternational Herald Tribune 26-Jan-08
Iran & Bush's Crisis of Truthconsortiumnews.com 15:06 26-Jan-08
Iranian commander warns US of response in case of...Viewlondon.co.uk 10:37 27-Jan-08
GC rejects US allegations on Iran''s upcoming electionsKuwait News Agency (KUNA) 26-Jan-08
Top Iranian commander warns USAljazeera.Net, Qatar 06:39 27-Jan-08
Iran vows to retaliate against U.S. bases in GulfThe Globe and Mail 02:33 27-Jan-08
Iran: Break with US won't last foreverChina Business Weekly 02:24 27-Jan-08
Chomsky on World OwnershipForeign Policy In Focus 13:06 25-Jan-08
U.S. will not attack IranRIA Novosti 15:53 25-Jan-08
Column One: Is Livni the answer?Jerusalem Post 20:30 25-Jan-08
Saddam's FBI interrogator says Iraqi dictator didn't expect a...Irish Sun 09:23 26-Jan-08
Saddam did not expect invasionLos Angeles Daily News 08:07 26-Jan-08
Iran no longer wants to talk to USIranMania News 06:12 26-Jan-08
Iranian: Normal ties to U.S. impossible (AP)Yahoo! US 00:40 26-Jan-08
Interrogator: Saddam didn't think U.S. would invade IraqHouston Chronicle 21:58 25-Jan-08
US Democrats challenge Bush to renounce waterboarding, close Guantanamo...International Herald Tribune 19:18 25-Jan-08
Iran Condemns US Criticism Of Election Process -AFP

Key excerpts from Iran sanctions proposal
FOLLOWING are key excerpts from “elements” of a third round of sanctions circulated to the UN Security Council on Friday. The proposal was agreed to by Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Russia and China and will be the basis of a formal resolution intended for the Security Council to approve in the next few weeks. Voluntary travel restrictions: “Calls upon all States to exercise vigilance and restraint regarding the entry into or transit through their territories of individuals who are engaged in, directly associated with or providing support for Iran’s proliferation sensitive nuclear activities or for the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems.” This affects people “engaged in, directly associated with or providing support for Iran’s proliferation sensitive nuclear activities or for the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems, including through the involvement in procurement of the prohibited items, goods, equipment, materials and technology specified (in an earlier resolution).” Mandatory travel bans “Decides that all States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into or transit through their territories of individuals designated in Annex II to this resolution ... provided that nothing in this paragraph shall oblige a state to refuse its own nationals entry into its territory.”... Freezing of assets: The proposal calls for an expansion of earlier asset freezes, saying they “shall apply also to the persons and entities listed in Annex I and III to this resolution, and any persons acting on their behalf or at their direction, and to entities owned or controlled by them.” Export credits: “Calls upon States to exercise vigilance in entering into new commitments for public provided financial support for trade with Iran, including the granting of export credits, guarantees or insurance, to their nationals or entities involved in such trade in order to avoid such financial support contributing to the proliferation sensitive nuclear activities, or to the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems.” Monitoring financial institutions: “Calls upon States to exercise vigilance over the activities of financial institutions in their territories with all banks domiciled in Iran, in particular with Bank Melli and Bank Saderat, and their branches and subsidiaries abroad, in order to avoid such activities contributing to the proliferation sensitive nuclear activities, or to the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems.” Cargo inspection: “Calls upon all States ... to inspect the cargoes to and from Iran, of aircraft and vessels at their airports and seaports owned or operated by Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line, provided there are reasonable grounds to believe that the aircraft/vessel is transporting goods prohibited under this resolution or (earlier) resolutions.” Iran’s refusal to suspend enrichment: The proposal “(notes) with serious concern that ... Iran has not established full and sustained suspension of all enrichment related and reprocessing activities and heavy water-related projects ... nor resumed (full) cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).” Offer of diplomacy: “China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States are willing to take further concrete measures on exploring an overall strategy of resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through negotiation on the basis of their June 2006 proposals.” IAEA report: “Requests within 90 days a further report from the Director General of the IAEA on whether Iran has established full and sustained suspension of all (enrichment, reprocessing and other) activities.” reuters

North Korea apparently supplying Iran-backed group

WASHINGTON — The United States believes North Korea has become a major supplier to the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah. The U.S. Congress raised the prospect that North Korea was providing weapons, technical assistance and military training to Hizbullah. The Congressional Research Service cited reputable sources that Pyongyang equipped Hizbullah with missiles and rockets used during the war against Israel in 2006. CRS, which provides independent analysis to Congress, discussed the purported North Korean aid to Hizbullah amid plans by the Bush administration to remove Pyongyang from the State Department list of terrorist sponsors. The report, first obtained by the Reuters news agency, cast doubts on claims that North Korea has ended support for groups deemed terrorists. "Questions about the credibility of the claim are relevant in view of the appearance of reports from reputable sources that North Korea has provided arms and possibly training to Hizbullah in Lebanon and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka," the CRS report said. Hizbullah has been on the State Department list of terrorist organizations. The State Department has asserted that North Korea ended its sponsorship of terrorist groups more than 20 years ago. CRS said North Korea could have become a major supplier to Hizbullah. The report cited a September 2006 report by Paris Intelligence Online that North Korea provided extensive assistance to Hizbullah. The North Korean program was said to have begun in the 1980s when Hizbullah fighters were trained in Pyongyang. In 2000, during the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, the cooperation expanded and North Korean engineers were sent to Lebanon to instruct Hizbullah on the construction of underground facilities to store weapons, food and medical equipment. Pyongyang was also said to have helped install hundreds of remote-controlled underground 122 mm Katyusha rocket launchers throughout southern Lebanon. The network enabled Hizbullah to elevate a Katyusha launcher from a bunker via hydraulic lift, fire a salvo of rockets and then return underground. "This significantly improved Hizbullah's ability to fight the Israelis," CRS said.

1 Killed in Palestinian Shootout in Gaza

By IBRAHIM BARZAKAssociated Press WriterMarch 11, 2007, 12:25 AM ESTGAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Palestinian gunmen from Hamas and Fatah exchanged fire in the Gaza Strip early Sunday, killing a local militia leader and wounding seven people in the most serious flareup of violence since a power-sharing deal between the political rivals last month.Both sides blamed each other for starting the battle in the northern town of Beit Hanoun.Hamas said a truckload of Fatah gunmen opened fire on the militant group's forces near the town's sports club, killing a Hamas field commander, Mohammed Kafarneh. Fatah said the shooting began when Hamas attacked a compound of the security forces with rocket-propelled grenades. Later, Hamas and Fatah gunmen also exchanged fire for a few minutes in Gaza City.In another incident, two Gaza fishermen were wounded when an Israeli navy vessel fired on their boat near the Gaza-Egypt border, Palestinian security officials said. The Israeli military had no immediate comment.Sunday's death was only the second since last month's Saudi Arbaia-backed Hamas-Fatah cease-fire which cleared the way for talks on setting up a Hamas-Fatah coalition government.The violence followed an incident in the West Bank on Saturday in which gunmen fired on the car of Prisoners Affairs Minister Wasfi Kabaha of Hamas, security officials said. Nobody was injured in the attack, which Hamas blamed on Palestinian security officials with ties to Fatah. Security officials said they did not know who was responsible.The Palestinian unity government was intended to halt months of fighting in which more than 130 people were killed. But tensions have remained high since the accord was announced weeks ago.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah hopes the coalition government, to be formed within two weeks, will also help end an international boycott of the year-old Hamas government and lead to a resumption of peace talks with Israel.The international community has said it would withhold judgment until it sees the new government's political program. However, the coalition, in deference to Hamas, is unlikely to agree to the world's conditions for acceptance, including recognition of Israel.With the Hamas-Fatah coalition not yet established, little progress was expected at a meeting Sunday between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin said Israel will not consider a resumption of peace talks unless it wins recognition from a new Palestinian government, and unless Palestinian militants halt rocket fire from Gaza."We are not at a phase where we're actually talking about substance," Eisin said. "We're at a point in which we're trying to build confidence between the sides."The Palestinians want to resume talks on a final peace deal which broke down more than six years ago. However, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said progress toward that goal is unlikely at the moment. "These are difficult times between us and I don't want to raise expectations," Erekat said.Abbas will ask Olmert to halt Israeli military operations in the West Bank, as part of an effort to broaden an informal cease-fire, in place in Gaza since November, Erekat said. Olmert and Abbas will also discuss Egyptian attempts to win the release of an Israeli soldier kidnapped in Gaza in June, Erekat said.Sunday's meeting is the second between Olmert and Abbas in a month. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hosted the previous talks on Feb. 19 and is expected back in the region later this month, Israel Army Radio said.