WASHINGTON - For the first time since the disputed presidential elections,
Iran's
opposition Green Movement has reached out to the United States for help, via public and private channels, Time magazine reported Monday.
The opposition to the Khamenei regime has refrained so far from involving foreign elements in the internal power struggle, and US President Barack Obama has clarified in messages to Iran that Washington has no intention of working to replace the regime.
| Defiance |
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| Ahmadinejad: US, Israel lack 'courage' to attack / AFP |
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In response to question on whether he fears attack from US, Israel, Iranian president says, 'They're not even thinking about it... age of military attacks is over, we've reached time for dialogue.' Adds this is clear 'even for mentally challenged people' |
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According to the Times report, the Obama Administration has received several appeals in recent weeks to take a stronger stand against human-rights abuses in Iran, avoid military action and impose more aggressive and rapid-fire sanctions against the Revolutionary Guards and its vast business interests.
The most public message has come from Mohsen Makhmalbaf, the exiled revolutionary filmmaker turned dissident who claims to speak on behalf of the Green Movement, during a Washington visit last week.
He told US officials and Iran experts last Thursday that the military action would only strengthen the hardline regime of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "Dialogue is definitely better than war," said Makhmalbaf.
"We need certain sanctions to hurt the regime, but not the people," added Makhmalbaf, who urged Washington to quickly impose a series of sanctions on the Guards since incremental steps allow them time to develop alternatives.
Washington appears to have given up on waiting for a positive response to the proposal stating that 75% of Iran's enriched uranium would be send abroad for further processing, and the administration has begun considering additional sanctions on Tehran.
According to diplomatic sources, the US and additional Western countries, including Britain and France, have no plans to wait for a Security Council resolution and intend to start pressuring Iran ahead of the New Year. At the same time, they will launch diplomatic talks in a bid to approve a fourth round of sanctions on behalf of the Security Council.
At this stage, the Western powers hope for Russia's support and for a Chinese abstention in the vote, but the final results depends mostly on the wording of the proposed resolution.
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