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Ahmadinejad backs for Sudan against ICC genocide charges
President Ahmadinejad yesterday described a move by the International Criminal Court [ICC] to indict Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on charges of genocide as “ugly”, and as an attempt by western countries to divide Sudan into pieces.
He explained: “The colonial powers, using their own methods, want to cut up Sudan and do not want the country to play a constructive role in the region of Africa and the Islamic world.”
In line with this, Majlis speaker, Ali Larijani, said that Iran supports Sudan’s independence and political sovereignty.
The UN says nearly 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million were displaced due to fighting that began in 2003between rebels and government-backed militia groups.
Obama and Iraqi leaders confer over US withdrawal from Iraq
During his visit to Iraq, Democratic presidential hopeful Obama met with influential Sunni Arab tribal leaders to elicit their opinion about a strategic withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
After a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Obama released a statement saying “Iraqis want an aspirational timeline, with a clear date, for the redeployment of American combat forces...Al Maliki hopes for a US withdrawal of combat forces in 2010.”
Ahmed Abu Risha, tribal chief of US-backed Awakening Council, spoke to Reuters about his meeting with Obama saying, “We told [Obama] withdrawal of the US forces can happen when Iraqi forces are capable and ready to deal with the security situation in the province.”
Obama will depart Iraq today to Jordan and Israel.
Rice discusses Iran nuclear program with Arab allies
Secretary of State Rice stopped in Abu Dhabi yesterday to discuss with her Arab counterparts the question of nuclear dispute with Iran. This comes after Saturday’s nuclear talks between major powers and Iran in Geneva.
Rice had described Iran’s performance in Geneva as “meandering” and said that Iran’s failure to respond to the powers’ offer on Saturday did not “give anyone confidence in them.”
Rice is en route to Singapore for meetings with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN], including talks with foreign ministers from China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas, on Pyongyang’s progress towards nuclear disarmament.
Three convicted rapists hanged today in Bushehr
Three convicted rapists were hanged in prison this morning in the southern city of Bushehr, bringing the total number of executions carried out in Iran this year to at least 126, according to an AFP count.
Meanwhile, according to the London based Guardian newspaper, some of the eight women who have been sentenced to death by stoning in Iran are illiterate and did not understand their interrogators or the charges leveled against them.
One of their lawyers said: “These women mostly come from the illiterate masses and did not have money or access to a lawyer. Many did not understand Farsi and, of course, all the interrogations were in Farsi.”
The charges against the women include prostitution, incest and adultery.
A man, who was also sentenced to death by stoning, was convicted of having an illegitimate relationship with a student.
