FEARTURE ARTICLE ROOZ ONLINE (IRAN BLOG):
Ministry of Intelligence Cleansed from the Old Guard
In the latest round of protests against Ahmadinejad administration's impartiality and attempts to cleanse the Ministry of Intelligence of the old guard, Tabnak website," affiliated with former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezaei, published an interview with an intelligence expert blasting the administration's "hurried decisions to fire or force into retirement a considerable percentage of the intelligence community's experienced, expert and elite forces…(Rooz).
Full Article:
http://www.roozonline.com/english/archives/2008/05/ministry_of_intelligence_clean.html
FEARTURE ARTICLE ROOZ ONLINE (IRAN BLOG):
Tehran and Beirut
Lately, for the first time in the history of Iran-Lebanon relations, the Lebanese government called for judicial review of Iranians who are involved in military or security operations and interfering in government's affairs under the cover of aiding Lebanon's reconstruction effort. This development was supplemented by the request of a top member of Lebanese parliament (Valid Jonbalat) to deport Iran's ambassador from Lebanon which was also followed by protests to Tehran's role in Lebanon's crises organized by the country’s leading political groups…(Rooz).
Full Article: http://www.roozonline.com/english/archives/2008/05/tehran_and_beirut.html
U.S./LEBANON: U.S. pushes for strong U.N. action over Lebanon
The United States is pushing for a strong U.N. resolution condemning Syria and Hezbollah for their actions in violence-torn Lebanon, but diplomats said on Wednesday there would be broad resistance to tough measures. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said consultations were ongoing with U.N. Security Council members over how to tackle the worst spate of violence since the 1975-90 civil war, which the United States has blamed on Hezbollah and its backers Syria and Iran."At this point, it is not entirely clear what kind of action might come out of those discussions but certainly it is important for the Council to be able to speak strongly on this issue," said Casey, who declined to provide details…(Reuters).
Full Article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14511685.htm
U.S./IRAN: Gates: U.S. Should Engage Iran With Incentives, Pressure
The United States should construct a combination of incentives and pressure to engage Iran, and may have missed earlier opportunities to begin a useful dialogue with Tehran, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday. "We need to figure out a way to develop some leverage . . . and then sit down and talk with them," Gates said. "If there is going to be a discussion, then they need something, too. We can't go to a discussion and be completely the demander, with them not feeling that they need anything from us." In the meantime, Gates told a meeting of the Academy of American Diplomacy, a group of retired diplomats, "my personal view would be we ought to look for ways outside of government to open up the channels and get more of a flow of people back and forth." Noting that "a fair number" of Iranians regularly visit the United States, he said, "We ought to increase the flow the other way . . . of Americans" visiting Iran…(Washington Post).
Full Article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/14/AR2008051403553_pf.html
LEBANON: Lebanon reverses decisions that angered Hezbollah
The government's move follows days of violence. It had outlawed the militia's communications network and fired a pro-Hezbollah official at Beirut's airport. The Lebanese government late Wednesday formally rescinded decisions that sparked days of violence in the country, a move aimed at easing tensions between American- and Iranian-backed political camps vying for power in the country…(LA TIMES).
Full Article: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-lebanon15-2008may15,0,5255672.story
JORDAN: Jordan convicts 3 of plotting to kill Bush
Jordan's military court convicted three militants Wednesday of plotting to assassinate President Bush during a 2006 visit to the kingdom and sentenced them to 15 years in jail. The verdict came as Bush arrived in Israel on the first stop of a regional tour to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding and to make a a new push for a Mideast peace deal. The Jordanian men — Nidhal Musleh al-Momani, Sattam al-Zawahrah and Tharwat Daraj, all in their 20s — were arrested Nov. 28, 2006, the day before Bush landed in the Jordanian capital Amman. Prosecutors said they were found with machine guns and large plastic bottles filled with gasoline meant to be used for bombs. They were accused of planning to attack the American and Danish embassies in Amman; Denmark had no embassy in Jordan at the time…(IHT).
Full Article: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/14/news/Jordan-US-Terrorism.php
SAUDI ARABIA/IRAN: Iran: Tehran, Riyadh Face Off Over Lebanon
Saudi Arabia has charged Iran with seeking a coup in Beirut, and Tehran is sharply rejecting the charges. The war of words, which directly follows the recent street fighting in Lebanon, highlights a growing sense in Riyadh and some other Mideast capitals that Iran is building its influence in the region at their expense…(RFE/RL).
Full Article: http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2008/05/912a4441-1a98-4213-9416-e757ce6bc9a4.html
Syrian Press: Hizbullah Action in Lebanon 'Legitimate'
Hizbullah's action in Lebanon during deadly sectarian fighting with pro-government supporters was a "legitimate defense" to a coup attempt, the official Syrian press has said. "The actions of the national resistance (Hizbullah) were a legitimate defense when faced with an attempted coup by the ruling power," the Al-Baath newspaper said…(Naharnet).
Full Article: http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&FACB2D8876B0F8A9C225744A00182C53
ISRAEL: Top secret bio lab probes how info gets to Haaretz
Field security officials have launched an investigation to find out who leaked information about the highly-classified Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) to Haaretz. The information in question is still being reviewed by Haaretz and has not yet been published. It concerns IIBR General Director Avigdor Shafferman's handling of one of the Nes Tziona institute's developments…(Haaretz).
Full Article: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=983465&contrassID=1&subContrassID=5
IRAN/UBS: Swiss bank: Iran deals not linked to terrorism
Switzerland's largest bank, UBS AG, rejects allegations that it has helped fund Hamas and Hezbollah through financial deals with Iran…(PressTV).
Full Article: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=55756§ionid=351020101
---Haaretz Report: UBS denies funding terror in Israel
Full Article: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/983472.html
IRAQ: Interior Minister Survives Assassination Attempt
Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad Al-Bolani has survived an assassination attempt in Mossul, where Operation Lion's Roar against Al-Qaeda operatives has been underway for several days (see "Iraqi Army Launches Operation to Purge Mossul, Environs Of Al-Qaeda"). Al-Bolani said that in the past four days over 500 terror operatives have been arrested…(MEMRI).
Full Article: http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/7354.htm
IRAN BLOG: Playing with Intelligence
Iran’s ministries of Intelligence and Interior last week announced the taking into custody of “terrorists” responsible for the bombing act that took place some week earlier in the city of Shiraz, while earlier intelligence officials had been stressing that the explosion was not the result of a bombing…(Rooz).
Full Article: http://www.roozonline.com/english/archives/2008/05/playing_with_intelligence.html
ISRAEL: Rocket hits as Bush begins Israel visit
A rocket launched from Gaza struck a commercial center in southern Israel on Wednesday, hours before President George W. Bush, on a visit to Israel to mark the 60th anniversary of its founding, was to address a major peace conference here called "Facing Tomorrow." The rocket, which the police said was Iranian-made, crashed through the roof of a health clinic in Ashkelon, about 10 miles north of the Gaza Strip. It badly injured a woman and her 2-year-old daughter, both in the head, as well as their doctor at the clinic. A fourth person was also injured…(IHT).
Full Article: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/15/america/15prexy.php
VIDEO: Aftermath of Israel Rocket Attack
http://www.topix.com/world/middle-east/2008/05/aftermath-of-israel-rocket-attack
PAKISTAN/AL-QAEDA: Pakistan To Deport Al-Qaeda-Linked Arab Princes
Two Arab princes arrested in Pakistan for their alleged links to Al-Qaeda – Prince Abdul Karim of Morocco and Yemen’s Prince Abdul Haq – are to be deported. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq reported that the two princes were held on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in 2003. According to the report, Prince Abdul Karim and Prince Abdul Haq spent four years in a Pakistani jail and are being deported on the orders of the Peshawar High Court…(MEMRI).
Full Article: http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/7378.htm
PAKISTAN/NATO: Pakistan Truce Talks May Boost Afghanistan Attacks, NATO Says
Truce talks between Pakistan's government and militants in the tribal region may be causing a rise in terrorist attacks in neighboring Afghanistan, NATO said. The level of extremist violence in eastern Afghanistan last month was 50 percent higher than the same period last year and approached the peak seen during fighting in August 2007, spokesman James Appathurai said yesterday. ``The concern is that deals being struck between the Pakistani government and extremist groups in the tribal areas may be allowing them, the extremists, to have safe havens, rest, reconstitute and then move across the border,'' Appathurai told reporters in Brussels…(Bloomberg).
Full Article: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aNqwI61mSkCA&refer=india
SAUDI ARABIA/IRAN: Saudi King Invites Ahmadinejad Rival To International Conference
Saudi King Abdallah has invited Hashemi Rafsanjani, the main political rival of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to participate in an international conference on intra-Islam discourse. The king stressed the importance of Rafsanjani's participation, "because of the high status accorded to him by the Islamic world…(MEMRI).
Full Article: http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/7360.htm
KUWAIT: Kuwait's Shias seek election boost amid tension
Kuwait's minority Shias are looking to boost their strength in parliament when the country goes to the ballot box on Saturday amid sectarian sentiment and regional tensions over Shia Iran's nuclear drive. While some Shias believe that disputes with the emirate's Sunni ruling majority are being exaggerated, fears of a sectarian divide have prompted impassioned appeals for national unity during the election campaign. Both Shias -- who account for one-third of the native population of about one million -- and Sunnis running in the poll have warned of the dangers of a possible fallout from sectarian violence in Iraq and the US-Iran standoff over Teheran's nuclear programme…(AFP).
Full Article: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2008/May/middleeast_May367.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
ARMENIA/IRAN: Armenia backs Iran's nuclear program
Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian says Iran reserves the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes to attain prosperity…(PressTV).
Full Article: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=55779§ionid=351020104
PNA: Blair seeks easing of conditions for Palestinians
Tony Blair, the international envoy for Palestinian development, Tuesday unveiled a package of economic, social and security measures to be carried out in the West Bank in an attempt to show movement in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process on the eve of President George W. Bush's visit here…(IHT).
Full Article: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/13/africa/mideast.php
