25 March, 2009

MyDD :: Iran Considers A Death Penalty for ‘Offensive’ Bloggers
By Charles Lemos
A report by Amnesty International shows Iran, Saudi Arabia and China as being responsible for 90 per cent of all executions in 2008. Now, Iran is proposing a new law that could see the death sentence imposed on Internet bloggers who …
www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/25/25442/7618

Video: The Real News Network – Iran responds to Obama | Creative-i
By The Ed
Investigative historian and journalist, Gareth Porter, speaks to Sharmini Peries about President Obama’s Nowruz greeting to Iran. Noting the significance of this unprecedented move by the US government, and the saying that this is the …
www.creative-i.info/?p=5483

US-Iran dialogue necessary but not easy, says expert
Xinhua – China
WASHINGTON, March 24 (Xinhua) — US President Barack Obama delivered a message to Iran by videotape last week on Nowruz, the traditional Iranian new year, …
news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/25/content_11070144.htm

Obama’s “New Begining” For US & Iran – Bright Hall
By Parisa Saranj
The first thing that came to my mind when I heard President Obama greeting the people and the government of Iran for the Persian New Year on Friday March 20th was how cute it was that he spoke a sentence in Farsi. …
brighthall.aol.com/2009/03/24/iran-and-uss-new-begining/

Lilos SWI Blogs. “ Blog Archive “ Yesh Din V’Yesh Dayan
By lilo
No one had time to meet with Israel’s chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi to set a plan of action on how to deal with Iran and its nuclear threat, not just against Israel, but against America as well. This is what an unnamed former US …
israel-shalom.com/blog/?p=341

The FundamentaList (No. 73) | The American Prospect
This week in religion and politics: Progressive faithful call for an “ethical audit” of the Wall Street mess, Newt Gingrich “reinvents” the conservative movement, and pro-Israel groups react to Obama’s diplomacy toward Iran. …
www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_fundamentalist_032509

Morning Coffee – 24 March 2009 | UN Dispatch
By Brian Beutler
“”Who’d have thought that the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran was a realist? Well, me, but also someone like Trita Parsi, who knows a lot more about Iran than I do. And when you think about it, Khamenei’s response was a …
www.undispatch.com/node/7910

THE BLACK KETTLE: Talking ourselves to death: Obama must get tough …
By Tim
Nuclear Iran will be a threat to U.S. national security, worldwide energy security, the efficacy of multilateralism and the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Having defied the world so brazenly, it will be emboldened to use terrorism to …
theblackkettle.blogspot.com/2009/03/talking
-ourselves-to-death-obama-must.html

Saudi Arabia executed 102 people in 2008 – report – Culture …
By robert.morris@itp.com ( Rob Morris )
The figure for Iran was at least 346 people, according to human rights organisation Amnesty International. Most executions either involved stoning or hangings, the group’s Death Sentences and Executions in 2008 report revealed. …
www.arabianbusiness.com/550516-saudi-arabia-
executed-102-people-in-2008---report

Rick Horowitz: Success in Iraq? Think Again.
By Rick Horowitz
So Iran and North Korea wouldn’t have pushed ahead with their own nuclear-weapons programs while we were otherwise occupied. We don’t get those years back — and you can thank the war in Iraq for that, too. …
www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-horowitz/success
-in-iraq-think-aga_b_177654.html

To lift the US economy, lift sanctions on America’s foes …
The US sanctions against Iran and Cuba illustrate this point well. Sanctions against Iran have forced American oil companies either to do their business elsewhere or give up their trade to foreign firms. It is not a coincidence that …
www.csmonitor.com/2009/0325/p09s02-coop.html

Israpundit “ Blog Archive “ Is Timesman Roger Cohen, the new …
By Jerry Gordon
Witness the implied comparison between Cohen and Duranty in this Wall Street Journal op ed comment by Bret Stevens today, “Will Obama Listen to Iran’s Bloggers? Stephens highlighted an interview with a courageous Iranian blogger, …
www.israpundit.com/2008/?p=11446

Obama expects ‘steady progress’ with Iran
AFP
WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President Barack Obama said he expected “steady progress” resolving disputes with Iran after he made an unprecedented video appeal to …
www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article
/ALeqM5i5yyCx3LjBrNDVZU3LG6_ZeMqSdw

World Briefing | Middle East Iran: Journalist May Be Held Longer
New York Times – United States
By AG SULZBERGER The father of an Iranian-American journalist imprisoned in Iran said Tuesday that officials had told her they would keep her in custody for …
www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/world/
middleeast/25briefs-Iran.html?ref=world

Obama Persists on Iran
Washington Post – United States
But President Obama also invoked persistence with respect to Iran. “When it comes to Iran, you know, we did a video sending a message to the Iranian people …
voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/03
/obama_persists_on_iran.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Pain Iran Can Believe In
Wall Street Journal – USA
But in the case of Iran, let’s make an exception. We say this after five years of futile diplomatic efforts — spearheaded by the Europeans and backed by …
online.wsj.com/article/SB123793752240531921.html

Heather Robinson: Let’s Support President Obama in Stopping Iran
By Heather Robinson
Let’s Support President Obama in Stopping Iran – The Huffington Post.
www.huffingtonpost.com/heather-robinson
/lets-support-president-ob_b_178712.html

ExportLawBlog “ Irish Company Indicted for Exports to Iran
By Clif Burns
In an earlier story, we reported on the arrest of a Tehran-based businessman on charges that, among other things, he exported helicopter engines from the United States to Iran. One of the intermediate consignees for that export was, …
www.exportlawblog.com/archives/479

Watching Obama In Tehran
By The Huffington Post News Team
More than once he used the country’s official title, the “Islamic Republic of Iran,” the way Iranian authorities prefer it to be called. Moreover, when he had to hint to Iran’s support of terrorism, he dropped the -ism.…
www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/24/
watching-obama-in-tehran_n_178711.html

Roxana Saberi Father Says Daughter Is Now Suicidal
By The Huffington Post News Editors
Comments. Reuters: The father of a Iranian-American journalist imprisoned in Iran said on Tuesday that his daughter had become suicidal and threatened to mount a hunger strike as her confinement drags on. Read the whole story: Reuters …
www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/24/
roxana-saberi-father-says_n_178708.html

Israel Matzav: Barack Obama should listen to Kianoosh Sanjari
By Carl in Jerusalem
Kianoosh Sanjari would say Obama placed America on the side of those who are destroying people seeking their freedom in Iran – which the Obamas and Roger Cohens of the world have no apparent interest in championing. …
israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2009/03/barack
-obama-should-listen-to-kianoosh.html

US lawmaker: Iran ‘threat’ exaggerated
PRESS TV – Tehran,Iran
A US lawmaker says an Iranian missile ‘threat’ has been exaggerated as the White House moves to reconsider a defense shield in Europe. …
www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=89511&sectionid=3510203

Irish firm charged for selling parts to Iran
RTE.ie – Ireland
The indictment says the men violated US sanctions banning the export of military technologies to Iran. They claim the men violated the sanctions by‘deceit, …
www.rte.ie/news/2009/0324/macaviation.html

24 March, 2009

RealClearWorld – Articles – Iran’s View of Obama
U.S. President Barack Obama released a video offering Iran congratulations on the occasion of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on Friday. Israeli President Shimon Peres also offered his best wishes, referring to “the noble Iranian people. …
www.realclearworld.com/articles/2009/03/irans_view_of_obama.html
RealClearWorld
www.realclearworld.com/

Khatami asked about treatment of Iranian Baha’is on Australia …
By admin
Documenting the Trials of the Baha’i Community in Iran.
www.iranpresswatch.org/2009/03/khatami-australia/

Irish Firm Charged For Helicopter Engines Sale To Iran | The …
By Seferm Post
An Irish trading company and three of its officers have been charged with sending helicopter engines and other aircraft parts to Iran.
www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2009/03/irish-
firm-charged-for-helicopter-engines-sale-to-iran.html

Peak Oil News Public Policy; Political and Legal News Why …
The issue is that, in the minds of Iranians, the West is aware that once Iran is severely threatened it has the potential and capacity to disrupt oil production in the region by attacking oil tankers, pipelines, refineries and …
peakoil.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=47107

RealClearMarkets – AP – Markets – Mar 24, 2009 – Irish firm and …
By Nedra Pickler
Nedra Pickler. An Irish trading company and three of its officers have been charged with sending helicopter engines and other aircraft parts to Iran, according to an indictment unsealed in federal court Tuesday …
www.realclearmarkets.com/news/ap/finance_business/2009/
Mar/24/irish_firm_and_officers_charged_with_sales_to_iran.html

Irish Trading Firm and Its Officers Charged in Scheme to Supply …
PR Newswire (press release) – New York,NY,USA
The object of the conspiracy, according to the indictment, was to make money for Mac Aviation and its employees; supply Iran with US aircraft parts and …
www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&
STORY=/www/story/03-24-2009/0004993980&EDATE=

US journalist held in Iran suicidal, father says
Reuters – USA
KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 24 (Reuters) – The father of a Iranian-American journalist imprisoned in Iran said on Tuesday that his daughter had become suicidal …
www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed1/idUSN2436435020090324

Iran Sanctions Renewed
Voice of America – USA
The US government has renewed its sanctions on Iran which were first put in place in 1995. The sanctions were extended in response to Iran’s continued…
www.voanews.com/uspolicy/2009-03-24-voa5.cfm

Guantanamo, Iraq and Iran — a digest : The Sirens Chronicles
By Gee Carol
Attorney General Eric Holder is indicating that he is reluctant to examine detainee treatment under the Bush administration. This followed the publication.
sirenschronicles.com/2009/03/24/guantanamo-iraq-and-iran-a-digest/

Bill O’Reilly: Stratfor.com Intel Briefing – Stratfor.com: Iran’s …
By George Friedman, Stratfor.com
BillOReilly.com is the home of Bill O’Reilly on the web.
www.billoreilly.com/blog?action=view
Blog&blogID=58731903040872567

Obama’s Iran Endgame: More Than Meets the Eye | Atlantic Council
By Bernard Finel
There has been a lot of discussion over the last several days about Iran, mostly prompted by President Obama’s outreach to the Iranian public on the Iranian New Year. Most of the discussion, as far as I can tell fall into one of three …
www.acus.org/new_atlanticist/obamas-iran-endgame-more-meets-eye

Althouse: “Barack Obama extended the olive branch to Iran’s …
By Ann Althouse
This was following the letter that Obama sent to Russia asking to make a deal with Iran/Poland over missile defense. That letter also got‘shot-down’ and again there was no comment from the White House. That foreign policy thing isn’t …
althouse.blogspot.com/2009/03/barack-
obama-extended-olive-branch-to.html

Water Technology – Celebrations in Iran Mark the Conclusion of the …
For over three years various high-performance processes for the removal of nitrates from drinking water, including two in-house developments from WABAG, were tested in Mashhad, which, with 2.6 million inhabitants, is Iran’s second …
www.water-technology.net/contractors/wastewater/va-tech/press7.html

NewsDaily: IAEA to vote for new chief, stalemate possible
By Mark Heinrich
Broad backing from rich and poor nations is key to IAEA cohesion in a more precarious world — Iran’s disputed uranium enrichment drive, growing demand for nuclear power throughout the Middle East, and a need for more donor funding and …
www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre52n2mh-us-nuclear-iaea-election/

World View: Ayatollah Khamenei’s Response to Obama Echoes Online
By Ammu Kannampilly
As Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s responded to President Obama’s Persian New Year message over the weekend, most news reports (including ours) focused on his dismissive wait-and-see reaction: we’ll wait for real change in …
blogs.abcnews.com/worldview/2009/03/ayatollah-khame.html

Joseph A. Palermo: President Obama Offers Iran “A Promise of a New …
By Joseph A. Palermo
President Obama Offers Iran “A Promise of a New Day” – The Huffington Post.
www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-a-palermo
/president-obama-offers-ir_b_178446.html

Lessons Learned: Iran-Contra, the CIA, the CRS, and Cheney’s …
By Emptywheel
A look at how Cheney gamed the restrictions put into place after
Iran-Contra.
www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/133073/lessons_learned:_iran-
contra,_the_cia,_the_crs,_and_cheney’s_assassination_squads/

Instapundit “ Blog Archive “ BRET STEPHENS: Will Obama Listen to …
By Glenn Reynolds
BRET STEPHENS: Will Obama Listen to Iran’s Bloggers? Posted at by Glenn Reynolds at 10:03 am. RSS Feed · Podcast RSS Feed · Email Instapundit. Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc! Making even the dumbest sh** interesting! — Oxblog …
pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/74450/

‘Iranian missile threat exaggerated’ | Iran news | Jerusalem Post
One US lawmaker downplays risk from Teheran while another says US, Russia to discuss defense.
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPos
t/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1237727524632

US lawmaker: missile threat from Iran exaggerated, page 1
By ModernAcademia
Discusion about US lawmaker: missile threat from Iran exaggerated in the AboveTopSecret.com website alternative topics discussion forum Breaking Alternative News.
www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread448578/pg1

Levin Hopes Missile Defense Compromises Lead to Russian Assistance …
By senatus
If the U.S. and Russia set aside differences on missile defense and began cooperating against Iran they could make a decisive difference in weakening Iran as a missile threat, Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services …
senatus.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/levin-hopes-missile-
defense-compromises-lead-to-russian-assistance-on-iran/

Watching America : “ New Era in the United States: Unexpected …
By Holly Fernandez
President Barack Obama shook up the leaders of the world yesterday with an explicit offer of a “new beginning” in relations with Iran, a country with which the United States has maintained decades of confrontation, its highest point …
watchingamerica.com/News/23678/new-era-in-the-
united-states-unexpected-about-face-in-us-diplomacy/

Israpundit “ Blog Archive “ Israel could use ballistic missiles …
By Ted Belman
Israel is widely assumed to have Jericho missiles capable of hitting Iran with an accuracy of a few dozen meters (yards) from target. Such a capability would be free of warplanes` main drawbacks — limits on fuel and ordnance, …
www.israpundit.com/2008/?p=11396

Obama on Iran: History in the Making | BlackNewsTribune.com
By Editor
People don’t usually realize when history is being made, but this week history was made when US President sent a message of good … Read full story.
blacknewstribune.com/2009/03/obama-on-iran-history-in-the-making/

Report Says Executions Doubled in 2008
New York Times – United States
After China were Iran (346), Saudi Arabia (102), the United States (37) and Pakistan (36), according to the group. “Together they carried out 93 percent of …
www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/world/25amnesty.html?ref=world