POLITICS: Big Powers Skirt Anti-Nuke Terrorism Treaty

A long-awaited international convention against nuclear terrorism will come into force next week, nine years after it was originally proposed by Russia and 10 months after it was adopted by the 192-member General Assembly.

POLITICS-US: Iranian "Terror" Expert Has Hardcore Resume

Alireza Jafarzadeh first burst onto the Washington political scene in 2003 when he exposed Iran's clandestine uranium enrichment facility in the small township of Natanz.

ECONOMY-IRAN: Fear of Sanctions Drives Petrol Rationing Plans

As Iran reluctantly begins implementing Thursday a plan to reduce consumption of mostly imported petrol by cutting massive consumer subsidies, it is with an eye to possible tightening of international sanctions for the country's controversial nuclear programme.

POLITICS-US: A New General for God’s Army?

In recent appearances on two U.S. cable news networks, he was slinging and zinging - the well-rehearsed pitchman for the Biblical "End Times" was dead certain that "Iran is going to have to be attacked" before 2008.

US-IRAN: New War Rhetoric Undercuts Iraq Talks

U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman's call for cross-border raids into Iran appears to be the culmination of a two-week long campaign by proponents of war to put the military option centre-stage in the U.S. debate over Iran once more.

ENVIRONMENT-INDIA: Mega Nuclear Plant Hits Popular Opposition

Even as the Indian government gropes in the dark for a coherent policy on energy and the environment, it is rooting hard for a highly unpopular nuclear power project here, close to the peninsula's southern tip.

POLITICS: For U.S. Base, Bush Finds Czech Enthusiasm, Polish Reserve

U.S. President George W. Bush this week discussed a U.S. missile base in Eastern Europe with Polish and Czech officials, but the results were merely words, and the two European countries showed some naivety as international players.

POLITICS-US: Could al Qaeda Attack Trigger War With Iran?

Following revelations of a George W. Bush administration policy to hold Iran responsible for any al Qaeda attack on the U.S. that could be portrayed as planned on Iranian soil, former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinksi warned last week that Washington might use such an incident as a pretext to bomb Iran.

RUSSIA: Putin to Stand Firm at G8 Summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to reaffirm his disagreement with Washington's view of Russian democracy, reiterate objections to the proposed U.S. missile shield in Eastern Europe and give more meaningful explanations on the rules of the international community at the Group of Eight (G8) summit under way in Germany this week, analysts say.

INDIA-US: Impasse Over Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Rights

High official-level talks between the United States and India to clinch the nuclear cooperation deal initialled in July 2005 have failed to narrow mutual differences and produce an agreement.

POLITICS: U.S. Base Splits Europe Again

U.S. President George W. Bush is visiting the Czech Republic and Poland this week as part of Washington's ongoing diplomatic effort to convince the region's leaders of the need for a missile defence system in Eastern Europe - revealing a potential new division amongst European countries.

MIDDLE EAST: Iranian Art Bridges Regional Divide

While Iran's leaders maintain a confrontationist attitude towards the international community, Iranian artists are playing a friendlier tune in the immediate neighbourhood.

POLITICS: U.S. Ramps Up Missile Tests in the Pacific

Earlier this year, when China blasted one of its satellites into thousands of little floating pieces, it was condemned by Washington as a provocative act.

IRAQ: Anxiety in Wake of U.S.-Iran Talks

U.S.-Iranian talks about Iraq have been received with scepticism and some foreboding here, with some calling for limitations on the extent of issues that the two countries can negotiate regarding Iraq.

POLITICS: Security Council Called Hypocritical on Nukes

The political and moral authority of the five veto-wielding members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to sit in judgment over nuclear non-proliferation is being challenged in a new report released Thursday.

INDIA/US: Last Lap Hurdles in Nuclear Deal

The United States-India nuclear cooperation agreement, initialled almost two years ago, has run into obstacles in the final stages of negotiation.

U.S./IRAN: Scholars Bear Brunt of Anti-Diplomacy Backlash

With only a few days left until the United States and Iran are expected to hold much anticipated talks, several factors point to the potential for a real diplomatic breakthrough.

IRAN: Nuclear Parleys Run Parallel to Iraq Talks

While the Iranian regime has been categorical that negotiations with the European Union over its controversial nuclear programme are isolated from planned talks with the United States over security in Iraq, the timing of the parleys are such that overlap may be hard to avoid.

POLITICS-US: Commander’s Veto Sank Threatening Gulf Buildup

Admiral William Fallon, then President George W. Bush's nominee to head the Central Command (CENTCOM), expressed strong opposition in February to an administration plan to increase the number of carrier strike groups in the Persian Gulf from two to three and vowed privately there would be no war against Iran as long as he was chief of CENTCOM, according to sources with access to his thinking.

IRAN: Afghan Refugees – Pawns in Standoff with West

As the Iranian regime firmly implements a plan to repatriate the bulk of an estimated one million Afghan refugees living illegally on its soil, it is apparent that the move is aimed at embarrassing the West over its failures in the region.

POLITICS-US/IRAN: Another Step Toward Realism

Realists in the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush appear to have won another victory over the dwindling ranks of neo-conservatives and others hawks with this weekend's announcement that Washington will soon engage in bilateral talks with Iran.