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Protests in Iran
Submitted by toniD on Wed, 06/27/2007 - 8:25am.
Protesters torch Iran gas stations
Story Highlights
• Two gas stations torched in Tehran as angry Iranians protes fuel rationing
• Many Iranians forced to line up to fill their tanks
• Iran one of world's major crude oil exporters but lacks capacity to refine fuel
From CNN's Shirzad Bozorgmehr
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- The Iranian government's last-minute decision to ration monthly fuel allotments, as well as increase the price of gas, triggered protests and riots -- a rarity in the Islamic republic, according to Iranian media reports.
The oil ministry issued a statement late Tuesday announced the restrictions which went into effect on Wednesday.
Under the order, most Iranians will be limited to 21 gallons (100 liters) per month. The ministry also announced the price would be raised by more than 20 percent to $.11 per liter ($.44 a gallon).
That prompted hundreds of thousands of car owners to line up for miles at gas stations late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Others took to the street in protest, burning gas stations and looting other businesses, according to Fars News Agency.
The riots took place across Iran's major cities, including the holy city of Mashhad and Arak, where Iran's heavy water plant is located, according to Iran's official news agency, IRNA.
The riots were so intense that fire engines could not reach the burning gas stations, Fars reported, adding that the security forces and the Basij militia were trying to get the situation under control until 2 a.m. Wednesday.
Video showed streets jammed with cars waiting for gas. Some drivers returned to their cars with plastic cans, even a ceramic pitcher, filled with gasoline.
Iranian lawmakers plan to introduce an urgent measure in parliament, which is scheduled to take its summer recess after Wednesday's session, Fars reported.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/27/iran.fuel/index.html?eref=rss_...
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Iran: New Conditions for
Iran: New Conditions for U.S. Talks
Jun 27, 6:46 AM (ET)
By NASSER KARIMI
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran will "review with a positive point of view" an Iraqi request for a new round of Iranian-American talks, but only after the United States responds to the invitation, the Islamic republic's foreign minister said Wednesday.
"Iraqi officials have proposed this" (new round of talks), the official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki as saying.
"We will review it with positive point of view after America's response to the proposal," he said.
The announcement came after a one-day visit by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani to Tehran on Tuesday for talks with Iranian leaders.
The U.S. and Iran held groundbreaking ambassador-level discussions on May 28 in Baghdad to address security in Iraq.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari later told The Associated Press that Iraq was planning for a second meeting between American and Iranian officials.
But since the first round of talks, tensions have been rising between Iran and the U.S. over Tehran's detention of four Iranian-Americans scholars and activists charged with endangering national security. The U.S. has demanded their release, saying the charges against them are false.
Meanwhile, Iran is angered over the January detention of five Iranian officials by U.S. forces in Iraq and has warned the U.S. would "regret" the move.
Iranian officials have also accused the United States of hindering better relations between Iran and its war-torn Iraqi neighbor.
Iran considers the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq a threat to its security and has demanded they leave.
Washington, meanwhile, accuses Shiite Iran of arming and financing Shiite militias fighting American and Iraqi troops in Iraq - charges Tehran denies.
The U.S. and Iran are also at odds over Tehran's nuclear program, which Washington and its allies contend aims at making nuclear weapons and Tehran insists is peaceful.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070627/D8Q140KG1.html
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