Iran

Israel is currently sounding off over what it views as the limited effectiveness of economic sanctions as a way of stopping Iran's nuclear weapons program. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized President Obama's failure to specify what would provoke a U.S. military strike against existing Iran's nuclear facilities. Mr. Obama's current wait-and-see policy is clearly the wrong approach. Iran has no moral right to weapons of mass destruction, while Israel does have a moral right to prevent Iran from obtaining them.

Sun letter writers shouldn't worry that the U.S. is moving closer to war with Iran, since neither President Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney back up their words with action ("Obama should resist the drumbeat for war with Iran," Aug. 6). Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta not only has said that the U.S. won't take military action against Iran but constantly repeated President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's mantra that a diplomatic solution is the only option on the table, reinforced by sanctions that aren't working.

The article, "Iran talks yield little progress" (May 25), describes the hypocrisy that drives U.S. foreign policy. We demand that Iran not be able to enrich uranium, even though the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty allows it, while offering Iran nothing in return. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton admitted that there would be no letup in sanctions against Iran, even as talks continue. Almost all of the hostility in the U.S. toward Iran comes from Israel and its powerful pro-Israel lobby, which has near total control over our politicians and our Middle East policy.

Tens of thousands of students, many shouting "Death to the Dictator!" and burning pictures of Iran's supreme leader, took to the streets on more than a dozen campuses Monday in the biggest anti-government protests in months. Riot police and pro-government Basij militiamen on fleets of motorcycles flooded Tehran's main thoroughfares, beating men and women with clubs as crowds of demonstrators hurled bricks and stones. "Death to the oppressor, whether it's the shah or the leader!" the students chanted, according to witnesses - making a comparison between Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the pro-U.

LONDON - Iran is holding five British sailors after stopping their racing yacht in the Persian Gulf, the British government said Monday. The move could heighten tensions between Iran and major world powers, including Britain, that are demanding a halt to its nuclear program. The yacht owned by Sail Bahrain was stopped on its way from the tiny island country to the Gulf city of Dubai on Wednesday when it "may have strayed inadvertently into Iranian waters," Britain's Foreign Office said.

In the race between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, it is instructive to watch how each candidate for president behaves when the subject of Israel is mentioned. Every four years, citizens running for the highest office in this country feel duty-bound to show off their inexhaustible support for Israel, attempting to persuade the Israelis how, if elected, their approach toward Iran will increase pressure on the Islamic state. Mr. Romney stated on his recent visit to Israel that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear capability should be America's "highest national security priority," stressing that "no option should be excluded" in the effort.

Kevin Love scored 13 points and Kevin Durant 12 to lead a balanced attack as the United States remained perfect at the FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, beating Iran 88-51. Derrick Rose chipped in 11 points and Danny Granger 10 for the Americans, who improved to 4-0 to secure the top spot in Group B. The U.S. will conclude preliminary round play Thursday against winless Tunisia. "We were a little bit fresher," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "In our last game, when we played Brazil, that was our sixth game in 10 days in three countries.

The fast and loose talk being thrown around by the Israelis, the administration and the Romney camp about drawing lines in the sand for Iran to cross should be very worrisome to all Americans. All parties mentioned above share the imperative that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon, but getting there is the problem. The Israelis and Mitt Romney embrace the line in the sand approach; if the line is crossed, a military attack will be imminent. The consequences of this approach can be very troubling.

The Democratic congressional candidates in Maryland's 6th District largely agree on major issues facing the country: They all favor immigration reform, more infrastructure spending to help boost the economy and a woman's right to have an abortion. But despite broadly similar positions, a few subtle differences emerged at a forum in Gaithersburg on Sunday, where several hundred voters turned out to hear the five candidates speak. They offered different answers on how to handle Iran, for instance, and what should be done to address ethical lapses in Washington.

TodayLife in Iran goes on with gusto, more normal, diverse and unrestricted than outsiders imagine.Tomorrow morning in the SunThe war between Iran and Iraq is over, but daily life is a war of nerves.WednesdayEleven years after the revolution, antipathy toward America and insistence on the veil are the twin pillars of the Islamic Republic, yet much that is Western persists in Iran.FridayAyatollah Ruhollah Khomeini shaped the values of the revolutionary republic; now his successors seek to come to terms with those values.