Iran

03 March 2008 -- Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has called for U.S.-led forces to leave Iraq, saying there can be no peace in the region as long as foreign troops are there.

In a live broadcast on Iraqi television, the Iranian leader said Iraqis hated the presence of foreign troops. He said foreign forces needed to respect people in the region by leaving and allowing them to run their own affairs.    » read more »

03 March 2008 -- Two car bomb attacks have claimed multiple lives in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, despite increased security for the Iranian president's just-completed two-day visit.

Iraqi police say the deadliest attack occurred Monday in central Baghdad's Bab al-Mudham neighborhood when a car bomb detonated, killing at least 15 people and wounding more than 40 others.

In eastern Baghdad, Iraqi security officials say a suicide car bomber rammed an Iraqi army checkpoint, killing at least two police officers and wounding five others.    » read more »

02 March 2008 -- The presidents of Iraq and Iran have declared a new chapter in friendly relations, despite accusations of Iran interfering in Iraq. During the Iranian president's first visit to Iraq, the neighboring country leaders have said their renewed ties were an example for other nations in the region to follow.

Iraq's President Jalal Talabani welcomed Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and both leaders hailed the visit as a new chapter in relations.

After a red carpet welcoming ceremony the two leaders held a meeting to discuss cooperation between Iran and Iraq.    » read more »

22 January 2008 -- Foreign ministers of the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany said Tuesday they have agreed on the contents of a new sanctions resolution against Iran over its nuclear program. U.S. officials say it will toughen travel bans and asset freezes against Iranian leaders.

The agreement, which breaks a months-long stalemate over terms of a resolution, was announced by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in a brief statement capping a two-hour meeting in Berlin.    » read more »

Jan. 22, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, state lawmakers, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Public Employees' Retirement Association of Colorado today announced a new divestment policy toward companies that have a significant financial stake in Iran.    » read more »

14 January 2008 -- The Bush administration officially notified Congress Monday of its intention to sell sophisticated precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia. The action, coinciding with President Bush's visit to Saudi Arabia, is part of a broader U.S. effort to bolster Gulf allies in the face of a more assertive Iran.

The Bush administration has already briefed Congress on its arms sales plans for Saudi Arabia. Monday's announcement sets in motion a 30-day period in which the House and Senate can block the plan with a joint resolution - action that appears highly unlikely.    » read more »

13 December 2007 -- A U.S. State Department spokesman says U.S., Iraqi and Iranian officials have postponed plans to meet next week to discuss security in Iraq.

Spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters Thursday that Iran asked to delay the talks because of "scheduling conflicts".

U.S. and Iranian officials have met three times this year in Baghdad, but the talks ended inconclusively with each side blaming the other for Iraq's violence.    » read more »

December 7, 2007 -- Since the release of the latest National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, the American people are asking themselves what did the Bush White House know and when did they know it? Despite being told to the contrary by President Bush himself Tuesday, CNN reports today that President Bush was told in August that Iran's nuclear program "may be suspended." Yet the President continued to mislead the American people on Iran's nuclear program with rhetoric about Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.

Below are excerpts from CNN's report:    » read more »

Wilmington, DE (December 6, 2007) – The White House has once again changed its story about what President Bush knew about Iran’s nuclear weapons program while he was escalating his rhetoric about relations with that country. Last night, the White House said that President Bush was told in August by Director of National Intelligence John McConnell that Iran's nuclear weapons program "may be suspended.”    » read more »

A speech given to Congress in February shows that Ron Paul was right all along

December 6, 2007 -- ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – In the face of the National Intelligence Estimate stating that Iran has stopped pursuing nuclear weapons, the administration has continued to ramp up its rhetoric with Iran. The following speech on bombing Iran – made by Ron Paul to Congress on February 6, 2007 – shows that Ron Paul had the foresight to reject escalation with Iran:    » read more »

National Intelligence Estimate Shows America Cannot Afford to Make the Same Mistakes with Iran that Were Made With Iraq

December 5, 2007 -- ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – For months, while other GOP candidates have pushed for attacks on Iran, Ron Paul has rejected a pre-emptive attack and emphasized peace and diplomacy.

On June 5 at the CNN GOP debate in New Hampshire, the candidates were asked if they would support a pre-emptive strike against Iran using tactical nuclear weapons.    » read more »

12/04/2007 -- DES MOINES, IA-- New Mexico Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Richardson today released the following statement on the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran:

"This NIE tells us one of two things. Either the Bush-Cheney administration has been willfully misleading the American public on Iran's nuclear weapons capabilities or they are incompetent and were not aware of the consensus view of sixteen U.S. intelligence agencies until yesterday."    » read more »

Dec 4, 2007 -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Today, Senator John Edwards released the following statement:

"Just a couple of months ago, George Bush was telling us Iran was about to start World War III. Today – even after his own government just said that Iran stopped its program in 2003 and is no longer pursuing nuclear weapons – Bush still refuses to back down from his outrageous rhetoric.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today’s report by U.S. intelligence agencies that Iran – contrary to previous claims – ended its nuclear weapons program in 2003 “is proof positive that this pro-war administration has been manipulating intelligence and that the Presidential candidates’ all-options-are-on-the-table posture with respect to Iran reflects their inability to recognize when they’re being duped -- again.”    » read more »

December 4, 2007 -- ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - The National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, released yesterday, reinforces Ron Paul’s position that a pre-emptive attack on Iran – an option advocated by other GOP presidential candidates – would be unwise and unwarranted.

Congressman Paul issued the following statement in response to the report:    » read more »