Top Stories
WP: "Maybe there should have been a follow-up note. On April 20, President Obama sent a 2 1/2
-page letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva outlining a deal
that the United States had unsuccessfully pursued in October, one in which Iran
would swap the bulk of its enriched uranium for fuel for a medical research
reactor. At the time, Brazil and Turkey were contemplating mediation efforts
with Iran." http://bit.ly/beVGZH
WSJ: "As the U.S. and its allies march toward another
round of sanctions against Iran, the Obama administration is already engaged in
a financial and intelligence drive against Tehran's largest shipping company,
with the potential to cut sharply into the Iranian government's ability to
procure and transport illicit goods." http://bit.ly/adFaiT
AP: "The seven-member panel monitoring the implementation
of sanctions against North Korea said its research indicates that Pyongyang is
involved in banned nuclear and ballistic activities in Iran, Syria and Myanmar.
It called for further study of these suspected activities and urged all
countries to try to prevent them." http://bit.ly/ciO3CB
Nuclear Program
AP: "The U.N. secretary-general called Thursday for
Iranian leaders to make it clear to the international community that their
nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Ban also praised a compromise brokered by Brazil and
Turkey that that calls for Iran to deposit 1,200 kilograms of lightly enriched
uranium in Turkey. In exchange, Iran would get 120 kilograms of nuclear reactor
fuel." http://bit.ly/drQ2Ts
Reuters: "A top Iranian diplomat accused the United
States and other nuclear powers on Thursday of creating a 'deadlock' that could
wreck hopes for a deal on a plan to strengthen the global anti-nuclear arms
treaty." http://bit.ly/bsaBjz
AFP: "A bitter rift between the world's top powers led by
the United States and emerging nations Brazil and Turkey widened Thursday as
differences over how to tackle Iran's suspect nuclear program erupted into
sharp exchanges." http://bit.ly/ac83qE
Dow Jones: "An accord for exchange of low-grade nuclear
fuel reached recently among Iran, Brazil and Turkey satisfies requirements for
avoiding United Nations security council sanctions against Iran, the leaders of
Brazil and Turkey said Thursday. Following
a meeting in the Brazilian capital, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said security-council
members should end resistance to the accord in the interest of promoting a
peaceful resolution to a long-running diplomatic conflict." http://bit.ly/aj4xZr
LAT: "A top Russian official Thursday dismissed criticism
from the Iranian president as 'emotional,' and expressed frustration over what
he portrayed as Tehran's obstinate refusal to confront suspicions over its
nuclear program." http://bit.ly/9Xhoy8
Reuters Factbox: "Why is the West sceptical about Iran's
fuel offer? Iran has outlined a plan to
the U.N. atomic watchdog under which it would give up some of its nuclear
material but diplomats say the gesture would have no effect on a push to widen
sanctions against Tehran." http://bit.ly/c3zeoJ
Human Rights
Radio Farda: "Jailed Iranian political activist Emad
Bahavar has been transferred to a prison known for its harsh regime, his mother
has told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. Tahereh
Taherian said her son was transferred to Rejaee Shahr prison for refusing to
make a televised confession to his interrogators." http://bit.ly/cbN9q1
Radio Farda: "A short amateur video clip is making the
rounds, apparently showing a May 25 question-and-answer session with former
Iranian Culture Minister Hossein Safar Harandi in which a student at Semnan
University asks him a very tough question. 'When you talk about justice [under] Ahmadinejad's government, what is
your view about the ultimate injustice: killing people in the streets?' the
students asks while being cheered by the audience." http://bit.ly/cPFgga
USCIRF: ""During
the U.S. Commission on International Freedom's (USCIRF) Washington, DC press
conference yesterday on Iran, expert panelists disclosed information alleging
that three revolutionary court judges in Iran are responsible for the vast
majority of unfair and harsh sentences handed down to political prisoners and
other 'security' detainees. Such prisoners include innocent
journalists, human rights activists, ethnic and religious minorities, peaceful
protesters, and others." http://bit.ly/9DYpaG
Opinion
Emanuele Ottolenghi in WSJ: "On June 1 Iranian Foreign
Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will enter the majestic halls of the European
Parliament to appear before its foreign relations committee. When he does, what
could be more fitting than for the parliament to welcome him with a giant photo
of Neda Soltan-the young protester shot by an Iranian government militiaman
while she was peacefully demonstrating against Iran's rigged June 2009 election."
http://bit.ly/ds2n4R
David Ibsen in the South Bend Tribune: "A recent
Department of Defense memo acknowledged that the U.S. does not have an
effective long term strategy for countering Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons... Fortunately,
the absence of a comprehensive government strategy has not stopped the American
people from taking action independent of the government to curtail Iran's
nuclear ambitions. In fact, Americans are actively supporting a strategy of
increasing Iran's economic isolation by pressuring multinational corporations
to stop doing business with the Iranian regime." http://bit.ly/aGDoTL
Arshin Adib Moghaddam in The Daily Star: "The green
movement is the latest product of the political and socio-economic demands of
influential strata of Iranian society, expressed by a whole range of women's
rights activist, intellectuals, academics, artists and professionals. They are
driving what I have called a 'pluralistic momentum' in Iran from the bottom-up,
from society to the state." http://bit.ly/dc815Q
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