Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Iran

Russia Says Iran Must Resume Enrichment Moratorium

Sergei Lavrov (file photo) (AFP)

30 January 2006 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said today Iran must be persuaded to resume a moratorium on uranium enrichment.

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January 30, 2006

Lavrov is scheduled to take part in talks on Iran's nuclear program later today in London involving U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and foreign ministers from Britain, France, Germany, and China.

Speaking ahead of his trip, Lavrov said the talks will consider ways to persuade Iran to resume the enrichment moratorium.

Germany, France, Britain, and the United States have called for Iran to be referred to the UN Security Council, a move that could lead to sanctions. China and Russia remain unconvinced.

The EU has said a Russian proposal to enrich uranium for Iran on Russian territory could be a way out of the impasse.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said today that Moscow is considering the possibility of China also taking part in the plan.

(AP, ITAR-TASS, Interfax)

Security Guarantees For Iran?

Hans Blix (CTK)

SECURITY GUARANTEES On January 26, RFE/RL Radio Farda correspondent Fatemeh Aman spoke with former UN chief weapons inspector HANS BLIX about the confrontation between Iran and the international community over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Blix urged the United States to participate in direct negotiations with Tehran and to offer Iran security guarantees that are similar to those being discussed with North Korea...(more)

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Listen to the complete interview (about five minutes):

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THE COMPLETE STORY: RFE/RL's complete coverage of controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear program.

CHRONOLOGY

An annotated timeline of Iran's nuclear program.

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

Web-savvy Iranian oppositionists are renowned for their ability to use proxies and other means to circumvent Tehran

Explainer: Iran's National Internet

Reports that Iran has stepped up its Internet censorship in recent days -- as evidenced by a general slowdown of the web, Internet blackouts, and the blocking of sites such as Google -- has raised speculation that the country might be testing its controversial "national Internet." More

A cardboard Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini arrives in Tehran to mark the 33rd anniversary of his triumphant return to Iran following the Islamic Revolution.

Iran's 'Cardboard Khomeini' Faces Criticism, Condemnation

Iran's "Cardboard Khomeini" is fueling a firestorm of criticism in the Middle Eastern country after cutouts of the Islamic republic's founder appeared at a number of events, and photos mocking the mock-up went viral. More