By Elaine Donnelly
Extending sexual misconduct to combat units
Iran has rushed to the defense of its regional ally, Syria, and vowed Israel will regret its "latest aggression" — the airstrikes over Syria last week.
Israel's defense minister indicated Sunday that his country was behind an airstrike on Syria that U.S. officials said targeted anti-aircraft weapons bound for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The United States and the European Union said Tuesday they'll press on with sanctions against Iran, even as they hope the promise of new negotiations could lead to a diplomatic solution ending the nuclear standoff.
Syrian President Bashar Assad made his first appearance on state TV in nearly three weeks Tuesday in a show of solidarity with a senior Iranian envoy even as the U.S. secretary of state urged stepped up international planning for the regime's collapse.
Proposals from both Iran and the group of six world powers will be on the table at the next round of talks in Moscow next week, not just the West's demand to halt Iran's highest-level uranium enrichment, Iran's top nuclear negotiator said Wednesday.
Iranian negotiators on Thursday rejected proposals by six world powers to curb Tehran's nuclear program and demanded answers to their own counteroffer meant to alleviate concerns about the Islamic Republic's ability to build atomic weapons.
The U.S. and five other world powers on Wednesday resumed negotiations with Iran Wednesday to try to resolve concerns over its nuclear program, as signs emerged that the sanction-plagued Islamic republic might seek a face-saving deal.
Iran made the first move Tuesday in attempts to gain an edge in nuclear talks with the U.S. and other world powers: It agreed in principle to allow U.N. inspectors to restart probes into a military site suspected of harboring tests related to atomic weapons.
The head of the U.N nuclear watchdog, in Tehran on a key mission that could lead to the resumption of probes on whether Iran secretly has worked on a nuclear weapon, said Monday that he had met with Iranian leaders amid a "good atmosphere."
The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, on a key mission that could lead to the resumption of probes on whether Iran has secretly worked on a nuclear weapon, said Monday that his meeting with Iranian leaders had a "good atmosphere."
The United States has plans in place to attack Iran if necessary to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons, Washington's envoy to Israel said, days ahead of a crucial round of nuclear talks with Tehran.
When the doors opened after Saturday's meeting of the permanent members of the United Nations' Security Council plus Germany and Iran, the Iranian delegation seemed to hold the upper hand. Lead negotiator Saeed Jalili said the talks were productive but maintained, "Enrichment of uranium is one of these rights that every individual member state [of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] should benefit from and enjoy for peaceful purposes."
Giving Iran another chance at diplomacy, deeply skeptical Obama administration officials return to nuclear negotiations this weekend looking for quick progress — or at least enough hope to hold off urgent calls from Israel for military action.
Iran's top nuclear negotiator says his country will offer new initiatives in weekend talks with world powers over Tehran's controversial nuclear program, Iranian state media reported Thursday.
The EU said Tuesday that world powers have agreed to a new round of talks with Iran over its nuclear program, and Iran gave permission for inspectors to visit a site suspected of secret atomic work.
Mr. Jalili promised that Iran would not allow a Western attack against Syria, The Associated Press reported.
Jalili, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, promised Iran would stand by Syria against its international "enemies" — a clear reference to the rebels' Western backers and others such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
