TIMES ONLINE: A former Revolutionary Guard wanted by Interpol for allegedly masterminding Argentina’s worst terrorist attack looks set to become Iran’s new Defence Minister after Parliament signalled that it would confirm President Ahmadinejad’s provocative choice.
The development came as Saeed Jalili, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, sounded a conciliatory note to the international community, saying that Tehran was ready to present a new package of proposals to foreign governments in the hope of restarting talks on its nuclear programme.
American officials said that they had yet to receive any official notification from Tehran and it remains unclear whether the new proposal is substantively different from the one rejected by Western powers last year. Efforts to restart talks have repeatedly floundered over Iran’s refusal to halt uranium enrichment.
Representatives of Britain, the United States, France, Germany, China and Russia will meet in Frankfurt to discuss tougher sanctions targeting Iran’s energy sector.
Mr Jalili said that Mr Ahmadinejad’s re-election had given the country a powerful mandate to put forward a new proposal — a surprising interpretation of the disputed victory that has thrown the country into its worst crisis since the Islamic revolution.
The power struggle triggered by the allegedly rigged elections has opened cracks even among the conservative establishment and led to unprecedented criticism of both Mr Ahmadinejad and the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. >>> Catherine Philp, Diplomatic Correspondent | Tuesday, September 01, 2009
BUENOS AIRES HERALD: Iran's parliament is signalling support for the hardline president's choice of new defence minister, a man Argentina says was involved in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish centre that killed 85 people.
One member of parliament, Hadi Qavami, interrupted a speech by Defence Minister-designate Ahmad Vahidi to say he had initially opposed Vahidi's nomination but he changed his mind after "the Zionists' allegations" and would now vote for him.
The comment drew praise from other deputies in the assembly, who chanted "Death to Israel", state broadcaster IRIB reported.
Under parliamentary rules, two MPs can take the floor to voice opposition to a ministerial nominee, but no one did so in the case of Vahidi, a sign he will be backed by the legislature in a vote of confidence scheduled for Wednesday. >>> | Wednesday, September 02, 2009
