Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Iran

Iran Ready For Nuclear Talks, Won't Stop Uranium Conversion

16 October 2005 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Assefi said today that Tehran is ready to resume nonconditional nuclear negotiations with Europe.

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October 16, 2005

But he said Iran will not accept a new halt on uranium-conversion activities as a precondition to fresh talks with the EU-3, Great Britain, France, and Germany.

The talks stalled in August after Iran ended its voluntary suspension of uranium conversion.

That's the process of preparing uranium for enrichment, after which it can be used in civilian power plants -- and also in bombs.

The United States suspects Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons, and wants the matter referred to the UN Security Council. Assefi said today that there is no legal grounds for taking Iran before the council.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaking today in London, gave full backing to Britain and its EU partners France and Germany over their handling of the Iranian nuclear issue.

(news agencies)

For news and analysis of Iran's nuclear program, see RFE/RL's "Iran's Nuclear Program" microsite.

Iran has stepped up its pressure on activists using the Internet

Iranian Activists, Journalists Receive Threatening E-mails

A number of Iranian activists and journalists based inside and outside the country have told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda they have been threatened in anonymous e-mails. More

A vendor in the central Bosnian town of Zenica sells heart-shaped cushions with proclamations of love for 1 euro each.

Love It (Or Hate It), It's Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, the Western holiday celebrating love, has become a global phenomenon over the past two decades. The fall of communism and the emergence of the Internet have helped February 14 become something of an unofficial international day of romance. However, not all the passions the holiday stirs are related to love. While some countries have openly embraced the holiday, others are attempting to ban it or replace it with local customs. More

Many Iranians have been claiming that their access to social networks and Internet-based e-mail sites has been blocked in recent days.

Iran Tightens Internet Control

Iranians are reporting that their access to Facebook and Internet-based e-mail sites like Gmail has been blocked, without any explanation from the government. Not even the strongest antifiltering programs have penetrated the firewall, they say. Some speculate the move is related to Iran's plan to launch a national internet, which might sever Iranians' ability to access the World Wide Web. More