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L’AQUILA, Italy (Reuters) – French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Israel that any strike against Iran would be catastrophic for the world and told Tehran to expect more sanctions if it refused to discuss its nuclear program.
Sarkozy urged against any military action.
“A unilateral attack (by Israel) would be an absolute catastrophe,” he told reporters during the annual summit of the Group of Eight rich nations.
“Israel should know that it is not alone and should follow what is going on calmly,” he said, adding that he had not received any assurances that Israel would hold off on any action ahead of the September deadline.
Sarkozy said patience with Iran was running thin.
Russia blocked Western countries at the G8 from immediately pushing for further sanctions.
(IsraelNN.com) – A unilateral Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities would be an “absolute catastrophe” for the world, warned French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the G8 summit in Italy. Among other issues, the forum discussed Iran’s nuclear program which is believed by leading Western powers to be secretly pursing an atomic bomb.
Speculations that Israel might attack Iran grew earlier in the week after U.S. Vice President Joe Biden responded to a question about that possibility by saying that Israel had a sovereign right to decide what were its best interests.
September deadline
Leaders at the summit agreed to pursue a negotiated deal with Iran, setting a September deadline for the theocracy to accept negotiations on its nuclear program.
(JPost) – Both the US and Israel believe Iran has the technical capacity to build one nuclear bomb within a year if it decides to do so, but both countries also believe the chances that Teheran will indeed make that decision are slim, according to assessments made known to The Jerusalem Post.
The assessments come in the wake of comments made Sunday by US Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to the effect that Iran could be as little as a year away from completing a nuclear bomb, while Mossad head Meir Dagan recently surprised many by saying Iran won’t have a nuclear weapon until 2014.
Haystack (as in, “try to find a needle in a haystack”) along with a place to donate. Found via a Persian-American friend.
Looks like Tor Project may also be useful.
The Haystack link comes from someone tech-savvy with family in Iran, so there’s at least that level of care involved.
features and drawbacks.
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TEHRAN, Iran – Iran is preparing a package of proposals to present to Western powers that could be a basis for future talks, the country’s foreign minister. Manouchehr Mottaki told a news conference that the package deals with political and economic issues as well as security and international affairs but did not say whether its proposals also covered Iran’s nuclear activities.
The U.S. and its European allies want to draw Iran back into negotiations over its nuclear program. At the G-8 summit in Italy this week, President Barack Obama said there is now a September “time frame” for Iran to respond to offers to discuss its nuclear program.
“We are drawing up general discussions in the political, economic, security and international fields within the framework of a proposed package. We consider this package a good basis for talks (with the West),” the official IRNA news agency quoted Mottaki as saying.
Iran’s webcast
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.".
(France24) – Indian troops will star at France’s Bastille Day military parade, with a proud 400-strong detachment marching down the Champs Elysees under the eyes of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
France has been building closer ties with India, an emerging economic giant, and is seeking contracts to supply weapons and civilian nuclear technology.
The troops’ presence shows France believes “India has a primary role on the international scene, and that we support India?s candidacy to become a UN Security Council permanent member,” President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office said.
Bastille Day parade where the Indian Prime MinisterManmohan Singh will be guest of honour. (AFP)
Drawn from the army, navy and the air force, the contingent will parade to the sound of Indian martial music played by a 90-member band as they descend the chic Parisian avenue alongside thousands of French soldiers.
“It is a proud day for India as our troops will march in a country where they fought during World War I,” defence ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar told AFP as the contingent left last week on two Airbus planes sent by France.
Indian soldiers under British command were part of two Allied divisions that fought the Germans around the northern French town of Neuve-Chapelle in 1915.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."