Iran

(AFP) "Iran's top nuclear negotiator said Friday it was "unacceptable" to press Tehran to stop enriching uranium, insisting it can do so under international treaty rules."

(Reuters) "World powers held a "positive" meeting on Saturday aimed at agreeing more U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme and a deal on punitive measures could be reached within weeks, a French diplomat said.

The meeting of senior officials in Paris took place the day after last-ditch talks between European Union mediator Javier Solana and Iran's top nuclear negotiator, which the French diplomat described as "a disaster"."

(Haaretz) "Israel and the United States should begin an intense dialogue on ways to deal with Iran's nuclear plans and should examine ways to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, according to a new study published by an influential Washington think tank."

(And, one thought from me: Ahmadinejad will come up for election in two years. As it's unlikely that the Iranians will have a bomb by that point, should the US policy be focused on that election?

Currently, the Iranian people's biggest complaint against Ahmadinejad is that he hasn't given the economic reforms/boost he promised. Would sanctions increase that dislike or give him an outside actor to blame?

(And I know he's a loud mouthpiece player against the much stronger ruling council, I just thought I'd ask the question.))