Iran: June 17, 2003

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 North Korea is now sending Rodong missiles to Iran by air, via Iranian Il-76 transports. Iran began doing that after warships stopped a cargo ship off Yemen, with a delivery of North Korean SCUDS for Yemen. Iran wants to avoid the embarrassment of admitting it is importing missiles with a 1300 kilometer range from North Korea.  Iran is also under pressure from the European Union to allow inspections of Irans new nuclear power plant (which will be operational next Summer.) Iran is refusing to allow inspections, claiming that there is no nuclear weapons program and the nuclear plants are for energy production anyway.

The Islamic conservatives have apparently defused the nightly demonstrations in the capital by using a combination of police pressure and street violence, coupled with the promise of political concessions. Of course, what the religious conservatives  feared most was the street demonstrations catching on with the majority of the population they know hates them. The religious conservatives, of course, blame the US for all the unrest. But they know better, and this is causing a split in the ranks of the religious leader. 

 

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