Life as an Iranian Jew

A very interesting documentary about the life of Iranian Jews by BBC. (Real Video link)

Solana-Larijani talks. What's wrong with CNN?

Although I am not a fan of the way Ali Larijani thinks, I admire his intelligence and quickwittedness (he is a Sharif graduate, no wonder). I think he did a good job in preparing a response to the package offered by 5+1. One can imagine that the Persian version is better! (picture is taken from BBC)

I honestly don't know what is being discussed behind the closed doors. Whatever it is, it has had surprising/strange reflexes:

1. Ahmadinejad has said in Karaj that "Europeans have lowered their level of demands": He is quoted as saying that

After their unsuccessful demands that we fully suspend our nuclear programs, they agreed with 3 months of suspension; and then, because of Iranians' persistence, they lowered their demands and proposed that we suspend our peaceful nuclear program for a day and pretend that it is due to technical difficulties. (BBC-Persian)

Although this comment is extensively covered in Persian sites, including BBC-Persian, I have not seen it in the English media at all. (let me know if you have).

2. As BBC-English reports, both Solana and Larijani have called the talks productive and progressing . And that the talks are going to continue next week.

3. CNN's report of the meeting is titled: "EU, Iran fail to reach atom deal". Meaning that EU and Iran failed to reach "the deal", the one that US wants to see. Some highlights! from CNN's report:

"Why are they insisting that we suspend our atomic work? Because they control the advertising network of the world and they want to tell the nations that they were right, and Iran wanted to produce nuclear weapons, and after that they would never let us continue our programs," Ahmadinejad said.

CNN's reporters missed the main point and picked a weak argument as the main or only argument Iran has about her not suspending her nuclear program!. This is unjustified and wicked. Here is another one:

A Western diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was not clear what, if any, progress had been made. Regarding the suspension, he said Iran was "still only thinking about considering a possible suspension."

The only comment I would like to make is this:
What a sensitive and important piece of information! What a brave anonymous diplomat!

It also reports that the meeting "broke off last night", implying that it is not going to continue.

What is wrong with CNN?

Anousheh Ansari's Launch

I am watching the launch of Soyuz spacecraft from NASA TV.

To view the live coverage directly on your Windows Media Player, copy and paste the following link into its OPEN URL window: http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1369080&segment=149773

The full text of Iran's response to the package of incentives

The full text of Iran's response to the package of incentives (offered by 5 European countries+USA on June 6, 2006) has been reproduced by ISIS and can be found in PDF format. (The link is taken from ).

David Albright and Jacqueline Shire have studied the document. Here is the link to their report. (also from ISIS website).

why is Iran pursuing an indigenous nuclear fuel cycle?

Dave Schuler has recently posted some well-written well-argued pieces in his interesting blog (The Glittering Eye) about Iran's nuclear program. Andy and I usually participate in his discussions.

In his recent "taged as Iran" posts, he provides a link to an interesting report (PDF) about whether Iran's nuclear program is economically sound.

The report raises a good point and reveals a very ineresting aspect of Iran's nuclear program: If Iran is interested in independence in its nuclear program, then it should have its own supply of uranium. Apparantly, based on the current figures, Iran does not have the viable supply she needs to run her own reactors.

I think it is a fair point. However, there are some issues that need be considered:

1. The current uranium mines are not necessarily the only uranium mines. It wasn't a long time ago that a new mine was discovered and there might be more.
2. Iran is not located in an isolated planet. Countries buy steel and turn it into cars. Countries buy oil and fuel their factories. Similarly, Iran can buy additional uranium and make nuclear fuel for its reactors.
   

And then, he asks the important question: "why is Iran pursuing an indigenous nuclear fuel cycle?".
I responded to his question and I'll try to summarize my thoughts in a later post (whenever I get time).

update: The comment section of the post has become an interesting read.

Yesterday's solution stragedy is today's problem!

This is ad from 1970's and I have nothing to add.
Thanks to Sima for the link.
Picture from Iranian.com.