News from Iran

Here is a bit of 'propaganda' that is almost certain to be true.

Iran ‘gives guidance’ to US ship in pirate distress

Iran’s navy was the first to respond to a distress call from an American vessel attacked by pirates – despite the two countries tottering on the brink of war. The US flag vessel Maersk Texas was assailed northeast of the Arab Emirates.

RT,

24 May, 2012

The 486-foot vessel was passing through the Gulf of Oman en route back to the United States from the Strait of Hormuz.

Around noon local time on Wednesday, despite cautionary signals "numerous skiffs with armed men in each boat quickly closed” in on the ship, Maersk Line Limited, which owns the ship, said.

The Maersk Texas security team fired warning shots, but the pirates continued to approach the vessel and then fired upon it. A security team then returned fire in accordance with US Coast Guard rules of engagement.

The cargo ship was attacked northeast of Fujairah, the biggest port in the Middle East for refueling oil tankers.

The vessel’s distress call was first answered by the Iranian navy, Kevin Speers, senior director of marketing at Maersk Line.

Speers then clarified that Iran’s navy “provided guidance to the crew of the Maersk Texas by radio, but was never on scene."

The Australian warship HMAS Melbourne was also dispatched to help the merchant vessel and launched a helicopter that proceeded to it. The attackers fled the scene shortly afterwards.

All sailors on board are safe, and the vessel is now continuing its voyage to the US, Speers said.

Maersk Line is the world's largest container shipping company. In January the Danish shipping and oil firm suspended operations at several Iranian ports, potentially disrupting critical food shipments as it complies with US sanctions against Iran.

The company, a unit of A.P. Moller-Maersk, managed several refrigerated ships and container vessels that transported food to Iran.

Here is the western version (which omits the Iranian reference to peaceful use of nuclear power).

Iran insists on right to continue uranium enrichment at Baghdad nuclear talks

Haaretz

24 May, 2012

U.S. official says world powers 'obviously' not prepared to recognize Iran's right to enrich uranium; Head of U.S.delegation headed to Israel to brief Netanyahu, advisers on talks

 

Iran emphasized its right to continue to enrich uranium during crucial talks with world powers in Baghdad aimed at resolving Western concerns over its nuclear program, Iranian chief negotiator Saeed Jalili said on Thursday.

In a televised news conference after the close of the talks, Jalili said that a peaceful nuclear project was "an undeniable right of the Iranian nation ... especially the right to enrich uranium."

The negotiator said Iran had abided by its obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and it insisted on establishing a complete fuel cycle.

Jalili denied the P5+1 countries, the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany, had offered a new package of proposals during the meeting: "They proposed one suggestion about the issue of uranium."

For article GO HERE