Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




NUKEWARS
Iran's Rouhani urges patience over opposition leaders
by Staff Writers
Tehran (AFP) Aug 29, 2015


US will be isolated if it rejects Iran deal: UN envoy
United Nations, United States (AFP) Aug 27, 2015 - The United States will be isolated on the world stage and its influence diminished if Congress rejects the Iran nuclear deal, the US ambassador to the United Nations has warned.

In an editorial published by Politico, Samantha Power argued that a "no" vote from Congress would make it more difficult for the United States to drum up support for sanctions and partner with like-minded countries to confront crises.

"If the United States rejects this deal, we would instantly isolate ourselves from countries that spent nearly two years working with American negotiators to hammer out its toughest provisions," Power wrote in a piece posted late Wednesday.

"We would go from a situation in which Iran is isolated to one in which the United States is isolated."

The US Congress is due to vote next month on whether to endorse the deal reached in July between Iran and six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.

The agreement would lift crippling UN sanctions against Tehran in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear program.

Power argued that rejecting the deal would undermine the US's ability to seek sanctions in other situations because it would convey an image of the United States as "a superpower intent on inflicting pain for its own sake."

The ambassador urged US senators and representatives to carefully consider the fallout of a "no" vote on US diplomacy.

"The price of our lonely walk away looks very high indeed," she said.

Even if the Republican-dominated Congress passes a resolution against the deal, President Barack Obama could still veto that move, but the administration would like to avoid such a scenario.

"If Congress rejects the deal, we will project globally an America that is internally divided, unreliable, and dismissive of the views of those with whom we built Iran's sanctions architecture in the first place," Power warned.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani signalled Saturday there would be no quick resolution to the house arrest of the reformist political leaders who said an election was rigged in 2009.

Though not mentioned by name, the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi was raised at a press conference to mark the start of Rouhani's third year in office.

Mousavi and Karroubi have been under such restrictions since 2011. Both said that the presidential election two years earlier, which saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected, was fraudulent.

A reporter asked Rouhani why, despite "reviving" hopes that the two former presidential candidates may be released, though again not naming them, "we have not seen anything" on the issue.

"The government cannot do everything on its own," Rouhani replied, acknowledging that the matter remained unsolved but suggesting it could be ended.

"I have made my efforts for resolving political and social problems but... more explanations can be given at the time within the framework of national interests.

"It is not vital for everything to be announced.

"We must have patience to be able to resolve and finalise issues at an appropriate time."

The question of jailed political prisoners and the house arrest of Mousavi and Karroubi has become pertinent as Rouhani said in 2013 before being elected that he hoped it could be tackled.

"I hope that within a year of this election a situation will come about that not only those under house arrest can be freed but also those in prison because of 2009," Rouhani said at a campaign event.

Rouhani's stance appealed to voters from a reformist movement crushed after 2009.

But the issue of Mousavi and Karroubi's fate remains politically explosive -- in January a lawmaker was forcibly stopped from speaking when he said their house arrest was unconstitutional.

The MP, Ali Motahari, has said the detained leaders should be put on trial or freed.

The issue is politically dangerous for Rouhani.

Some of his supporters, including members of his cabinet, have been accused of backing the sedition -- the regime's term for the street protests in which dozens were killed after the 2009 ballot.

Only recently, with the formation of two new political parties, have Iran's reformists begun to re-emerge.

With parliamentary elections scheduled for February 2016, the detentions have slid into view with domestic policy taking on more immediacy following Iran's nuclear deal with world powers.

The talks that led to that agreement dominated Rouhani's first two years in office.

The deal -- which will see international sanctions against Iran lifted in exchange for curbs on the nuclear programme -- has yet to be implemented.

US to Iran: Release Hekmati from 'unjust detention'
Washington (AFP) Aug 28, 2015 - US Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday urged Iran to free Amir Hekmati, an American who served as a US Marine, from four years of "unjust detention."

Saturday marks the fourth anniversary of Hekmati's imprisonment on what Kerry called "false espionage charges" while Hekmati was visiting relatives in the Islamic republic.

"We repeat our call on the Iranian government to release Amir on humanitarian grounds," Kerry said in a statement.

"This is a milestone no family wants to mark, and the Hekmati family has shown inspiring perseverance in the face of this injustice," he added.

"And as befits a former Marine, Amir has shown tremendous courage in the face of this unjust detention."

Kerry reiterated his government's call for Iran to release two other Americans.

These include pastor Saeed Abedini, who was arrested in 2012 and sentenced to eight years in jail for gathering a group of people to study the Bible, and Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian.

Kerry also urged Iran to "work cooperatively" to help locate Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared while on Iran's Kish island in 2007.

Several lawmakers and Republican presidential candidates have argued that Washington and the international community should have negotiated the return of the Americans as a condition for finalizing the historic nuclear deal with Iran.

Tel Aviv's 'Iranian embassy' turns out to be atomic hoax
Tel Aviv (AFP) Aug 28, 2015 - A billboard in central Tel Aviv announcing the opening of an Iranian embassy that met with disbelief and curiosity turned out to be a hoax, organisers of the eye-catching stunt have said.

"Opening here soon - Embassy of Iran in Israel," proclaimed the five-storey tall hoarding emblazoned with the Iranian and Israeli flags this week.

Posts on Facebook suggested that the billboard could be an art installation or a private peace campaign by Israelis of Iranian descent.

But the truth was revealed as a massive publicity stunt in a statement Thursday from the makers of a new Israeli film comedy about a nuclear conflict between Tehran and the Jewish state.

"Mystery solved!" it said, announcing "the upcoming launch of (director) Dror Shaul's new film 'Atomic Falafel' an atomic comedy."

Opening locally on September 10, its producer Avraham Pirchi calls it "a satirical comedy mocking ultra-militarism."

Israel and Iran severed diplomatic relations in the wake of the 1979 Islamic revolution which overthrew Iran's pro-Western shah and installed a theocratic regime which did not recognise Israel.

The Jewish State vehemently opposes the nuclear deal reached in mid-July between Iran and major powers which will lead to the lifting of economic sanctions against Tehran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes the agreement is not strict enough to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons which it could use against Israel and reserved the right to stage a pre-emptive strike if necessary.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








NUKEWARS
Iran urges US to release 19 detainees
Tehran (AFP) Aug 26, 2015
Iran urged the United States Wednesday to release 19 Iranians detained on sanctions-related offences, a day after ruling out a prisoner swap with a Washington Post reporter accused of espionage. "We call on the American government and their judicial authorities to put an end to the detention of these individuals," foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said. "None of the human right ... read more


NUKEWARS
Russia Gets Ready for New Moon Landing

ASU chosen to lead lunar CubeSat mission

Russia's moon landing plan hindered by financial distress

Research May Solve Lunar Fire Fountain Mystery

NUKEWARS
Nine Real NASA Technologies in 'The Martian'

Opportunity gives clay-mineral rocks get closer inspection

Mars Rover Moves Onward After 'Marias Pass' Studies

NASA can send your name to Mars

NUKEWARS
French woman wins disability grant for 'gadget allergy'

Chinese tourists unfazed by currency fall, market turmoil

Middle School Students Write Code for Space Station

Orion parachutes pass failure test

NUKEWARS
China's "sky eyes" help protect world heritage Angkor Wat

China's space exploration potential has US chasing its own tail

China to deploy space-air-ground sensors for environment protection

Chinese earth station is for exclusively scientific and civilian purposes

NUKEWARS
ISS Crew Redocks Soyuz Spacecraft

CALET docks on the International Space Station

Japan's cargo craft delivers supplies, whiskey to space station

Whiskey Delivered to Space Station - For Science Only

NUKEWARS
Countdown for Indian rocket GSLV launch to begin on August 26

Galileo satellites are "topped off" for Arianespace's upcoming Soyuz launch

ARSAT-2 arrives in French Guiana

Success for 2 long-time Arianespace customers: Eutelsat and Intelsat

NUKEWARS
A new model of gas giant planet formation

Planetary pebbles were building blocks for the largest planets

Solar System formation don't mean a thing without that spin

Gemini-discovered world is most like Jupiter

NUKEWARS
US Needs to Upgrade Old Radars to Detect Russian Missiles - Carter

Smallest 3-D Camera Offers Brain Surgery Innovation

Scientists from NTU Singapore find electrifying solution to sticky problem

Combined disciplines, computational programs determine atomic structure




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.