LaNUBlog™

Businessmen trading in Irbil compare it to the Dubai of 20 years ago. Even at moments of remembrance the origins of World War One seem as distant as the fall of Rome. The steps in the doomed diplomatic dance in the summer of 1914 are hopelessly remote to the modern mind. It's not just the imperial ambitions and the strategic balances - this was a world where politicians still wore frock coats and the seditious syncopations of ragtime were an affront to Christian decency. But there are places where the furtive manoeuvrings of the politicians - which went on in parallel with the fighting - still feel like unfinished business. Very few Western Europeans could tell you what the main result of World War One really was - except that it led directly to World War Two. It brought countless indirect changes too of course, but they are hard to measure. The prosperous north of Iraq feels like a different country The role of women in parts of Europe and North America at least, was transf...

Iran's justice minister says there is "no need" for a man who survived a hanging to be hanged a second time. Lawyers want the head of the judiciary to stop a repeat hanging after the man was found alive in a morgue. Justice Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi said executing the man would have repercussions against Iran's image, the ISNA news agency reported. The government has no direct control over the judiciary which has to decide whether a second execution takes place. Iran has one of the highest rates of execution in the world. The 37-year-old convicted drug smuggler, named as Alireza M, was found alive in a morgue after being hanged at a jail in the north-eastern city of Bojnord last week. He had been left to hang for 12 minutes after which a doctor declared him dead, reports said. But when the prisoner's family went to collect his body from the prison morgue the next day, they found he was still breathing. The man was then moved to a hospital where he was...

Campaign group Amnesty International has urged Iran not to go ahead with a repeat execution for a drug smuggler who survived a botched hanging. The condemned man, named as Alireza M, was found alive in a morgue after being hanged at a jail in the north-eastern city of Bojnord last week. He is now being nursed to recovery in preparation for his repeat execution. "The verdict was the death sentence, and it will be carried out once the man gets well again," an official said. Human rights groups believe Iran is second only to China in the number of people it puts to death for crimes ranging from murder and rape to spying and drug-trafficking. In a separate incident reported by Iranian media on Monday, relatives of a condemned murderer in the western province of Ilam tried to stop his execution at a prison by hurling a grenade. Around 30 people were injured but the hanging went ahead. 'Horrific prospect' Alireza M, 37, was left to hang for 12 minutes, after which a...

Campaign group Amnesty International has urged Iran not to go ahead with a repeat execution for a drug smuggler who survived a botched hanging. The condemned man, named as Alireza M, was found alive in a morgue after being hanged at a jail in the north-eastern city of Bojnord last week. He is now being nursed to recovery in preparation for his repeat execution. "The verdict was the death sentence, and it will be carried out once the man gets well again," an official said. Human rights groups believe Iran is second only to China in the number of people it puts to death for crimes ranging from murder and rape to spying and drug-trafficking. In a separate incident reported by Iranian media on Monday, relatives of a condemned murderer in the western province of Ilam tried to stop his execution at a prison by hurling a grenade. Around 30 people were injured but the hanging went ahead. 'Horrific prospect' Alireza M, 37, was left to hang for 12 minutes, after which a ...

Talks between Iran and six world powers over Tehran's nuclear ambitions ended Wednesday on a promising note when they released a joint statement for the first time, suggesting Iranian officials appear willing to negotiate. The meeting in Geneva ended with a statement that described the talks as "substantive and forward-looking." The tone of the negotiations appeared to signal a shift, a departure from the diplomatic standoff that prevailed under former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The latest discussions centered on a proposal put forth by Iran, which wants the six powers to recognize what it says is the peaceful nature of its nuclear energy pursuits. Details, however, were scarce. "We will be doing the negotiation in the negotiating room and not in the press," Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif told reporters after the talks concluded. Discussions were scheduled to resume November 7 and 8. According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Ara...

Iranians have used social media to mock Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, after he suggested they were not allowed to wear jeans. In an interview with BBC Persian TV Mr Netanyahu said that if Iranians were free they would wear blue jeans, and listen to Western music. Hundreds of Iranians both in Iran and abroad reacted on social media sites. Many posts showed mainly young Iranians wearing jeans and listening to Western music, some in comic poses. Others mocked up scenes from ancient Persian history with the protagonists wearing denim. Jeans are not banned in Iran, where an Islamic dress code requires women to cover their hair and wear modest outer clothing. Some Western music or Western-style music is tolerated. Jeans not bombs One picture on social media sites showed a young boy in jeans whispering into the ear of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Another is a doctored photograph of Mr Netanyahu's address at the UN last year in which he drew a red line ...

Jerusalem - A majority of Israelis would support unilateral military action against Iran, according to a poll published on Friday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government was ready to act alone. Some 65.6% of 500 Jewish Israelis surveyed by the pro-government Israel HaYom newspaper said they would support military strikes to halt Iran's nuclear programme, and 84% believed the Islamic republic had no intention of reining in its alleged drive to build a bomb. Israel and many Western countries accuse Tehran of trying to develop a nuclear warhead, a charge Iran denies. Netanyahu in a speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday said Israel was ready to act alone to stop Iran making a bomb, in a warning against rushing into deals with Tehran's new leaders. "Israel will not allow Iran to get nuclear weapons. If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone," Netanyahu told a UN summit, in an attack on overtures made by Iran's President ...

The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has endorsed overtures to the US made last month by President Hassan Rouhani in New York. "We support the diplomatic initiative of the government and attach importance to its activities in this trip," he said on his website. But he added that some of what had occurred "was not appropriate". Mr Rouhani had spoken to US President Barack Obama by phone in a bid to ease tension over Iran's nuclear programme. They were the first talks between Iranian and US leaders in more than three decades. Some of what happened on the New York trip was not appropriate Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Iran wants the lifting of UN sanctions, which were imposed over concerns that it is seeking to build nuclear weapons clandestinely - an allegation Tehran denies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the leading advocate of a hard line against Iran over its nuclear programme, has dismissed Mr Rouhani as a "wolf in sheep's...

The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has endorsed overtures to the US made last month by President Hassan Rouhani in New York. "We support the diplomatic initiative of the government and attach importance to its activities in this trip," he said on his website. But he added that some of what had occurred "was not appropriate". Mr Rouhani had spoken to US President Barack Obama by phone in a bid to ease tension over Iran's nuclear programme. They were the first talks between Iranian and US leaders in more than three decades. Some of what happened on the New York trip was not appropriate Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Iran wants the lifting of UN sanctions, which were imposed over concerns that it is seeking to build nuclear weapons clandestinely - an allegation Tehran denies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the leading advocate of a hard line against Iran over its nuclear programme, has dismissed Mr Rouhani as a "wolf in sheep's...

The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has endorsed overtures to the US made last month by President Hassan Rouhani in New York. "We support the diplomatic initiative of the government and attach importance to its activities in this trip," he said on his website. But he added that some of what had occurred "was not appropriate". Mr Rouhani had spoken to US President Barack Obama by phone in a bid to ease tension over Iran's nuclear programme. They were the first talks between Iranian and US leaders in more than three decades. Some of what happened on the New York trip was not appropriate Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Iran wants the lifting of UN sanctions, which were imposed over concerns that it is seeking to build nuclear weapons clandestinely - an allegation Tehran denies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the leading advocate of a hard line against Iran over its nuclear programme, has dismissed Mr Rouhani as a "wolf in sheep's...

Israel's prime minister says Iranians "deserve better" than their current government and that their lives could get worse if it gains nuclear weapons. In an interview with BBC Persian, Benjamin Netanyahu warned: "If they get nuclear weapons this brutal regime will be immortal, like North Korea." He also said the new President, Hassan Rouhani, could not "change the real decisions" made by the Supreme Leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Mr Rouhani have said they reject nuclear weapons. They insist Iran's nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes, but world powers suspect they are not being truthful. There has nevertheless been a recent thaw in relations between Iran and the United States, with Mr Rouhani and President Barack Obama recently discussing the issue - the first top-level conversation between the two countries for more than 30 years. On Tuesday, Iranian diplomats at the United Nations reacted angrily after Mr Netanyahu describe...

Al-Qaeda standards for membership have slipped. The organisation is admitting a new generation of members - and expanding its reach. Osama Bin Laden did not want the Somali Islamist group al-Shabab to join the al-Qaeda network. He criticised their leaders in a letterthat was found in Abbottabad after he was killed in 2011, implying that they imposed unduly harsh penalties on "those whose offences are ambiguous". Al-Qaeda's new leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, is less concerned with al-Shabab's shortcomings. Less than a year after Bin Laden's death, Zawahiri welcomed al-Shabab into the fold. "He thought it would extend the reach," says Richard Barnett, the former co-ordinator of the al-Qaeda and Taliban Monitoring Team at the United Nations. The induction of al-Shabab shows a new style of al-Qaeda leadership. Zawahiri and his cohorts are more accommodating - and also more ambitious in their scope - than their predecessors. "They've franchised them...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned against working with the Iranian government. In a speech to the UN General Assembly, he described President Hassan Rouhani as a "wolf in sheep's clothing". He said Israel would not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons, even if it had to stand alone on the issue. Iran replied that it had no intention of developing nuclear weapons, and called Mr Netanyahu's comments "extremely inflammatory". There has recently been a thaw in relations between the US and Iran, with Mr Rouhani and US President Barack Obama recently speaking on the phone together - the first top-level conversation between the two countries for more than 30 years. But Mr Obama assured Mr Netanyahu on Monday that the use of force was still on the table in dealing with Tehran's nuclear programme. Rouhani thinks he can have his yellowcake and eat it too Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Iran's Foreign Minister, Javed Zarif,...

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been met by hardline protesters chanting "Death to America" on his return from the UN forum in New York. During his trip, President Rouhani had signalled a shift in tone on Iran's controversial nuclear programme. This culminated in a phone call with US President Barack Obama - the first such top-level conversation in 30 years. Hundreds of people gathered at Tehran airport, with supporters hailing the trip and opponents throwing shoes. 'US initiative' An Agence France-Presse journalist said some 200-300 supporters gathered outside the airport to thank Mr Rouhani for his efforts. But opposite them were about 60 people shouting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel". Mr Rouhani raised his hand to the crowds as he was driven off. Analysis ByAmir Paivar BBC Persian The hardline protesters are angry at the prospect of a detente between Tehran and Washington, which they see as contrary to the principle...

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been met by hardline protesters chanting "Death to America" on his return from the UN forum in New York. During his trip, President Rouhani had suggested a shift in tone on Iran's controversial nuclear programme. This culminated in a phone call with US President Barack Obama - the first such top-level conversation in 30 years. Hundreds of people gathered at Tehran airport, with supporters hailing the trip and opponents throwing shoes. 'US initiative' An Agence France-Presse journalist said some 200-300 supporters gathered outside the airport to thank Mr Rouhani for his efforts. But opposite them were about 60 people shouting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel". Mr Rouhani raised his hand to the crowds as he was driven off. Analysis ByAmir Paivar BBC Persian The hardline protesters are angry at the prospect of a detente between Tehran and Washington, which they see as contrary to the principle...

US President Barack Obama has spoken by phone to Iran's Hassan Rouhani - the first such top-level conversation in more than 30 years. Mr Obama spoke of a "unique opportunity" to make progress with Iran's new leadership, amid a flurry of diplomacy over its nuclear programme. Earlier, Mr Rouhani said Iran was keen to reach a deal soon. He also asserted that Iran did not seek a nuclear bomb, as Western powers have long suspected. Describing meetings at the UN this week as a "first step", he said he believed the nuclear issue could be settled "within the not too distant future". Mr Rouhani said initial discussions had taken place in an environment that was "quite different" from the past. 'Full backing' Analysis ByJames Reynolds BBC Iran correspondent Hassan Rouhani's actions in New York reveal a man dealing with the inherent, overwhelming contradiction of his job: he has a popular mandate without actual power. In a spe...

The highest-level talks on Iran's nuclear programme for at least six years have been held at the United Nations in New York. US Secretary of State John Kerry met Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Diplomats from the P5+1 group - China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany - were also present at the talks. They agreed to hold substantive talks on the issue in the Swiss city of Geneva, beginning on 15 October. Following the meeting, Mr Kerry said he was pleased that Mr Zarif "put possibilities on the table", but said a lot of work remained to be done and that Iran would have to answer questions about its nuclear programme. "One meeting and a change in tone, which was welcome, doesn't answer those questions yet," he said. 'Nothing but peaceful' Analysis ByJames Reynolds BBC Iran correspondent In recent years, the travelling brigade of nuclear negotiators has seen much of the world. Air miles aside, they have achieved almost nothing ...

UNITED NATIONS Iran showed new urgency Wednesday to revive stalled negotiations with six world powers over its disputed nuclear activities, seeking to ease crippling international sanctions as quickly as possible.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says he wants to reach a deal with world powers on Tehran's nuclear programme in three to six months. He told the Washington Post he saw a resolution of the issue as a "beginning point" in easing US-Iran relations. Mr Rouhani said he was fully empowered by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, to negotiate on the issue. On Thursday, Iran will hold talks with the P5+1 group of world powers on Tehran's uranium enrichment programme. In a rare encounter between US and Iranian officials, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry as well as diplomats from the UK, France, Russia, China and Germany in New York. On Tuesday, Mr Rouhani told the UN General Assembly that he was prepared to engage in "time-bound and results-oriented" talks on the nuclear issue. Iran has been negotiating with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany, since 2006 about its nucle...

She was a "shy" girl from Buckinghamshire but the name Samantha Lewthwaite is once again being linked to a global atrocity. The media have linked her to the Kenyan shopping centre attack and the speculation has been fuelled by the Kenyan foreign minister who has said one of the militants from the Somali-based al-Shabab group was a British woman. But BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said Whitehall officials continue to advise caution about the reports. There has been no confirmation of Ms Lewthwaite's involvement, either as an attacker, organiser or fundraiser. Al-Shabab has denied that any women were involved. Ms Lewthwaite was first thrust into the spotlight after the 7 July bombings in London in 2005, as the widow of bomber Germaine Lindsay, who killed 26 people when he blew up a Piccadilly Line Tube train near King's Cross. A Muslim convert dubbed the "White Widow" by much of the media, she has no terrorism record in the UK but is currently...