I recently ran across a report from _Al-Hayat_ containing the details of a paper that Iran presented at the Sharm al-Sheikh conference earlier this month. I couldn’t find a link for the article, but the full text is in the comments.

Anyway, the piece cites unnamed sources claiming that Iran is linking resolution of the nuclear issue with other issues, such as Iraqi security. It’s one of the more detailed discussions of the subject that I have seen.

According to the piece,

bq. …the Iranian plan for a solution in Iraq cannot be separated from the “basket of the region and the nuclear file.” Therefore, any agreement on Iraq between the two influential poles in it; namely, Iran and the United States, should be accompanied by understandings on other regional files, especially in Lebanon and Palestine.

The reason? Iran has a very firm grip on the US, um, ear and doesn’t wanna let go:

bq. These sources say that Tehran believes that the nuclear issue is outwardly separate from the other regional files, especially the Iraqi file. However, *regional files reflect on the nuclear issue negatively or positively, especially since Tehran cannot give up, or accept participation in, cards, which it holds and which it considers to be strong, without achieving any progress in its nuclear file in exchange for this.* It proposes proceeding with regional files in parallel to the nuclear file.

Given that the US doesn’t want to link the nuclear issue with anything else, this whole thing is getting increasingly complicated.

Solid.

Stop making your “Free Mousavian” sign, at least for now.

According to ISNA, Iran freed him today. I don’t have the original, but _AFP_ has a “summary:”:http://www.spacewar.com/2006/070509131248.im1kz59n.html

bq. “A two billion rial bail was issued for the release of Moussavian today, Wednesday, and the suspect was released,” said Hassan Hadad, the Tehran deputy prosecutor in charge of security issues, according to the ISNA agency.

FNA reported that, according to an “informed source,” Mousavian “has expressed regret and remorse about his deeds.”

Apparently the investigation continues:

bq. “The preliminary investigation on Musavian has been completed and the rest of the investigation will be carried out by summoning him [when necessary] to the court.

I “just can’t stop…”:http://www.totalwonkerr.net/1424/more-on-mousavian

A few days ago, the Iranian website Ansar (described as “hardline” by the BBC) provided some details about the supposed charges against Mousavian. No idea if they’re true.

Ansar reported that, according to an “informed source,” Mousavian
“was *spying for a hostile European country.*”

Mousavian is also reportedly charged with “long-time contact with an American diplomat” and “providing security intelligence to Germany.” Dunno if those things have anything to do with the nuclear program.

Interestingly, the issue may go beyond espionage. According to Ansar, Mousavian warned Sirus Naseri (who, if it’s the same person mentioned in “this _ACT_ story,”:http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2005_07-08/IAEA_Iran.asp was also an Iranian nuclear negotiator) not to obey a request from Iran’s Intelligence Ministry and judiciary to return to the country “because of something that had come up.”

That “something” was presumably connected to a corruption investigation that apparently implicated Naseri. According to Ansar,

bq. Naseri is accused of paying more than half a million dollars in bribes from his Swiss bank to the senior adviser of the Pars Oil and Gas Company in order to ensure success on oil contracts.

p=. *Ahmadinejad Meeting*

A 3 May report from the Iranian Baztab website may shed some light on the origins of the Mousavian case.

Now, this is one web site reporting on what _another_ website (Edalatkhaneh) said. So this is getting close to “somewhere on the internet” in terms of reliability.

But anyway, Ahmadinejad reportedly said “in a private meeting held some time ago,” that “Iran has gained access to some unbelievable new information on Iran’s nuclear dossier.” Specifically, Tehran had discovered “the betrayal of some nuclear dossier officials and their contact with foreigners.”

Apparently, Iran initially got this information from “a foreign source,” Ahmadinejad said, adding that “after following up the issue, the security and intelligence forces of the country gained access to new clues.”

Back to work, Iran geeks.

The Fars News Agency “has more”:http://www.farsnews.com/English/newstext.php?nn=8602160526 on that situation. [Previous post “here.”:http://www.totalwonkerr.net/1422/mousavian-arrested ]

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Iran’s MFA spokesperson said that

bq. “…Mousavian is presently interrogated by the intelligence ministry, and his accusations should not be discussed publicly before the case has been fully verified.”

But the rest of the story seems to confirm the espionage charges:

bq. *Mousavian,* a deputy head of the Strategic Research center of Iran’s State Expediency Council which is run under the two-time president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, *has been arrested on charges of spying on Iran’s nuclear activities and transferring Iran’s nuclear information and data to the West.*

A similar FNA story quotes an unnamed source who confirms the nuclear espionage charges, “according to AFP.”:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070506/wl_afp/irannuclearpolitics_070506091704;_ylt=AuWMPNvwmE6KU5y1CPlZWiFSw60A

Happy Sunday. Play outside.