Tehran's Limited Options

Saturday's Daily Briefing on Iran.
Tehran's Limited Options.

• Amir Taheri, Asharq Alawsat argued that having lost the initiative on the issue of Iran 's nuclear ambitions, the Khomeinist leadership in Tehran is trying to hide behind a number of threats.

Iran's anti-U.S. President Heads to Venezuela.

• The Washington Post reported that Ahmadinejad left Iran on Friday for his second trip to Latin America in four months, starting with a visit to Venezuela and talks with its anti-U.S. President Hugo Chavez.

Squeezing Iran.

• The Wall Street Journal argued that the United States has known for years that Syria and Iran are supporting Sunni insurgents and Shiite radicals in Iraq . On Wednesday, President Bush finally suggested he'll do something about it.
• Kenneth R. Timmerman, FrontPageMagazine.com noted that President Bush went easy on the word “victory” on Wednesday. In his entire 2,916 word speech outlining a new Iraq strategy, he used it only twice, and in the same paragraph.

Gates Denies US Forces Will Enter Iran.

• The Financial Times reported that Robert Gates, the US defense secretary, on Friday dismissed concerns that the Pentagon would send US troops across the Iraqi border into Iran to disrupt networks allegedly supplying weapons to Shia militias in Iraq.

Al Jazeera notices: Democrats Attack Bush’s Iraq Plan.

• Al Jazeera reported that Democratic lawmakers yesterday attacked President George W. Bush’s new plan to send more US troops to Iraq.

Here are two news items you may have missed.

• Hugh Hewitt, TownHall published the transcript of his interview with the infamous liberal Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan aka Hoder.
• Cox & Forkum published a cartoon: The 800-Pound Guerrilla.

Thank you, Doctor Zin and Team, for your continued news service. It is so helpful, and we wish you the best. Everyone have a nice day.