2030 GMT: Academic Special. We’ve posted an entry noting how Iran’s regime and America’s self-proclaimed “Truthful Encyclopedia”, Conservapedia, have allied against deviant professors.
2015 GMT: Karroubi Watch. Iranian authorities have prevented the son of Mehdi Karroubi, Professor Mohammad Taghi Karroubi, from flying to Britain. Mohammad Karroubi’s passport was seized at the airport.
Mehdi Karroubi’s website, Saham News, reported, “[Mohammad Karroubi] was planning to fly to London for university related work, including the re-publication of his book ‘Just or Unjust War?’ and the completion of another book related to international law.”
2200 GMT: The Dilemma. Paused when I read this statement from Trita Parsi: “Here is the central dilemma of Iranian policy: Iran’s greens need time, but Washington does not seem to think it can afford to wait.”
2150 GMT: Political Prisoner News. Reports that journalist Payman Aref has been released for ten days on a $100,000 bail.
2140 GMT: Today’s Super Spy Case. Here is one to watch: Italian authorities have rounded up five Iranians and two Italians (according to Associated Press, the BBC says two Iranians and five Italians), with two more Iranians being sought, on charges of sending arms to Iran in violation of the international embargo. Amongst those detained is the Rome correspondent of Iranian state television, Hamid Masouminejad.
We have stated over and again that we recognise Iran’s right to a civilian nuclear programme, but they must restore international confidence in their intentions. Instead of engaging with us Iran chooses to provoke and dissemble. Iran can flaunt its isolation but this will only increase the calm, determination and unity of the international community. I urge Iran to recognise this, and to accept the outstretched hand on offer.
2020 GMT: A Holiday from Protests. Pedestrian has noted the Government’s sudden declaration that schools will be closed on 14 Azar (5 December) and that Government offices must give employees the day off if they wish. As 15 Azar (6 December) is already a holiday for Eid-e Ghadir, Pedestrian summarises:
This means that on Monday, 16 Azar, the day of the student demonstrations, many students will be away on holiday. Workers and employees will not able to take some of the day off having just gotten back after a 4 day holiday [Thursday --- some government offices, all universities and some schools are closed on Thursdays --- Friday, Saturday and Sunday]. More importantly, this will also mean that the crucial days before the demonstrations, all schools will be closed and students will not have the chance to do last minute planning.
This is not a new trick: I recall that, earlier in the post-election crisis, the Government also offered a last-minute holiday before one of the mass gatherings.
2030 GMT: El Baradei’s Clues. Want to know the state of the nuclear talks with Iran? The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammad El Baradei, offers all the necessary hints in an interview with Reuters.
1. Iran’s “swap” proposal, exchanging 20% enriched uranium for Iranian 3.5% stock inside the country, is not acceptable. “They are ready to put material under IAEA control on an (Iranian) island in the Persian Gulf. But the whole idea as I explained to them, to defuse this crisis, is to take the material out of Iran. I do not think (Iran’s counter-proposal) will work as far as the West is concerned.”
To back his line, El Baradei is playing up uncertainty over the state of Iran’s nuclear plans, pivoting on the controversy over the second enrichment plant at Fordoo: “You cannot really use it for civilian purposes. It’s too small to produce fuel for a civilian reactor.” So while the IAEA has “no indication that there are other undeclared facilities in Iran” or “any information that such facilities exist”, Fordoo’s existence raises questions about a wider Iranian programme — questions that El Baradei can use (or create) to push back the “swap” initiative.
Iranian state media has already reacted: “IAEA fails to address Iran nuclear swap concerns”. But this pretty much puts an end to Tehran’s offer: if El Baradei won’t back it, then it’s almost certain none of the “5+1″ powers will be offering any support.
2. But the talks are still very much alive, resting on a “third-party enrichment” arrangement. The plan would be one in which the IAEA would “take custody and control of the material. We’ve offered also to have the material in Turkey, a country which has the trust of all the parties…. I am open (to Iranian amendments) if they have any additional guarantees that do not involve keeping the material in Iran.”
3. So, for now, El Baradei does not see a move to aggressive sanctions: UN resolutions are mainly “expressions of frustration”.
Summary? Ball’s in your court, President Ahmadinejad (and Supreme Leader Khamenei). Don’t knock it back — take a modified “third-party enrichment” offer and everyone will be happy. Read the rest of this entry »
In an interview with the Argentine daily Clarin, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas has prodded President Obama through criticism: “For now he is doing nothing, but he has invited us to revive the peace process. I hope that in the future he can play a more important role.”
And, within weeks of Israeli President Shimon Peres’ tour of Latin America (and the same day that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was in Brasilia), Abbas called upon Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to take a more active role as mediator in the Middle East, “He can do it, because he has good relations with the two parties in the conflict and I think he can help.”
Abbas also explained that there will be no more concessions from the Palestinian side:
We accepted to have only 22 per cent of Palestine, and that is the biggest concession. And we also accepted that Israel had 78 per cent. So, what kind of concessions are they expecting from us?
Now we are ready to announce our independence if the Israelis will allow us to.
The campaign provoked criticism for “reducing” a terrorist activity to a comparison with a natural disaster. So WWF Brazil and DDB, the Brazilian ad agency that designed the campaign, have acknowledged that “the comparison should have never been made”. The joint statement says:
In no way was it done in bad faith or with disrespect to American suffering. WWF Brazil and DDB Brasil acknowledge that such an ad should never have been made, approved or published.
So is it unacceptable, at any time, to make a comparison with 9/11? Does it stand as a unique moment, because of the loss suffered on that day and/or the connection of that loss with “terrorism”?
A footnote from an interested observer: in the years after 9/11, I would offer the point that the 1984 Union Carbide chemical disaster at Bhopal in India had killed more people but had received far less attention as an example of the criminal taking of life. — WSL
President Barack Obama, at his press conference after the end of the G8 Summit in L’Aquila, Italy, focused on the environment, global economy, and international security. As for Iran, he reiterated the deep concern of the international community over the extreme violence against demonstrations and stated that the door for negotiation is open to Tehran until September, when the G20 Summit will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the US.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Please, everybody have a seat. I apologize for being a little bit late. Good afternoon.
We have just concluded the final session of what has been a highly productive summit here in L’Aquila. And before I discuss what we’ve achieved these past three days, I’d like to take a moment to express my thanks to Prime Minister Berlusconi, his staff, the people of Italy for their extraordinary hospitality and hard work in setting up this summit. And particularly I want to thank the people of L’Aquila for welcoming us to your home at this difficult time. We’ve seen how you’ve come together and taken care of each other, and we’ve been moved by your courage and your resilience and your kindness. Read the rest of this entry »
2030 GMT: Academic Special. We’ve posted an entry noting how Iran’s regime and America’s self-proclaimed “Truthful Encyclopedia”, Conservapedia, have allied against deviant professors.
2055 GMT: No Big Deal for Engagement. Iran’s declaration of plans for “10 enrichment plants” changes little in the political equation. Here is 
2030 GMT: El Baradei’s Clues. Want to know the state of the nuclear talks with Iran? The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammad El Baradei, offers all the necessary hints 
Entries (RSS)