Obama to Tighten Bush's Iran Sanctions

Once agency was certain this spring, Obama kept info as leverage for talks

(NEWSER) - The CIA knew about Iran's recently revealed uranium-enrichment facility and had been collecting intelligence on it since 2006. The US, the UK, and France had been on the lookout for a new secret plant since the 2002 revelation of the Natanz facility. When intelligence and covert operations uncovered a new project “built into a mountain,” CIA director Leon Panetta tells Time, “obviously that raised question marks.” More»

West will get tough on Iran; Israel will freeze settlements

(NEWSER) - In exchange for a tougher US and European line on a nuclear Iran, Israel is prepared to freeze the majority of settlement construction in Palestinian territory, paving the way for renewed Mideast peace talks, the Guardian reports. The groundwork—George Mitchell and Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to hammer out the details tomorrow—could allow President Obama to announce a resumption of talks before the end of next month. He hopes to make the announcement flanked by the Israeli and Palestinian heads of state and have a comprehensive deal in place within two years. More»

(NEWSER) - In negotiations with Iran, the Obama administration may be willing to accept less than a complete halt of uranium enrichment activities for civil use, the Financial Times reports. Insiders say an internal review of the administration’s policies now under way will take into account the apparently immovable stance of the Iranian regime. The “zero enrichment solution, though still favored, simply is unfeasible,” a watcher said. More»

First offer from Iran in 2 years a bit fuzzy

(NEWSER) - International inspectors can have "full supervision" of Iran's nuclear program for five years—if UN sanctions are lifted, according to the first offer to come out of Iran in two years, reports the New York Times . The offer, presented by the head of Iran's atomic energy agency, was a bit vague. But one White House official said that the offer was a sign “that the sanctions are wearing on the leadership.” The significance of the offer depends on the meaning of "full supervision." There is a "list of tunnels to look at that is so long, it would take years," said one American official. More»

Move illustrates internal tensions as nuclear talks loom

(AP) - Iran's president abruptly fired his foreign minister today and named nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi as acting top diplomat. It's the latest sign of a rift at the top levels of the Islamic theocracy as the country faces intense pressure from the West over its nuclear program. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave no explanation for the change in a brief statement on his website. More»