Thursday, February 16, 2012

Iran

Russia Warns Against Pushing North Korea 'Into A Corner'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (file photo) (Council of Europe)

November 18, 2006 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said today the international community must be firm, but "very cautious," in dealing with the North Korean and Iranian nuclear programs.

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November 18, 2006

Lavrov, speaking to reporters at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Vietnam, warned that harsh actions against Pyongyang or Tehran could undermine efforts to resolve the disputes and increase the threat of nuclear proliferation.

He also said he was optimistic about the possible resumption of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program, despite recent Pyongyang's nuclear test.

"Now we are back to the negotiating table. The situation has not improved since [six-party talks with North Korea collapsed last year], with the testing of the nuclear device by North Korea," Lavrov said. "But the main fact is that there is an agreement to resume the talks. And I hope they would be successful, eventually."

The North Korea crisis is a key issue at the APEC summit in Hanoi.

India -- Investigators work at the site where a vehicle exploded near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi, 13Feb2012

Alleged Attacks Tehran's Way Of Lashing Out?

(INTRO) Israel has blamed Iran for two bombings targeting its diplomats in India and Georgia this week, as well as for a botched bombing in Bangkok that Thai intelligence officials said were aimed at top Israeli diplomats. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran's "terrorist activities" have been exposed, but Iran has denied any involvement. RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari spoke to Juan Zarate, senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and former Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism about the attacks and Iran's alleged role. More

Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad (center) looks on as scientists unveil a fuel rod at the Tehran Research Reactor.

Iranian Nuke Still One-To-Three Years Away, Says Expert

Iran on announced on February 15 that it has installed its first domestically produced nuclear fuel rods in a reactor in Tehran. Tehran also announced that it activated a new generation of centrifuges at its Natanz nuclear facility. RFE/RL spoke with nuclear physicist Frank Barnaby about what the advances reveal regarding Iran's uranium enrichment abilities, which Western countries allege are aimed at secretly building a nuclear weapon. More

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