The U.S. congress passed a bipartisan resolution urging the government to file a case against Iran at the Human Rights Council due to alleged charges of repression committed by the government against its citizens. The first anniversary of the contested presidential poll was marked by sporadic skirmishes between demonstrators and government security forces.
Meanwhile, European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton is exploring possibilities on how to go further than the new United Nations sanctions in pressuring Iran to stop its nuclear program. She had written to Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, to resume negotiations. The U.S., meanwhile, welcomed the move of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council in taking up strong measures against Iran. In response to this, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned of “retaliation” against any country that will enforce the latest U.N. nuclear sanctions while the country’s parliament is considering the decision to reduce U.N. inspections of Iran’s atomic facilities.
