August 2003
United Nations Forces Take Control of the Turbulent Ituri Province in Congo - 2003-08-31
The United Nations has assumed control of peacekeeping in Ituri province, Congo, amid renewed ethnic clashes. The transition of authority was led by a French…
Mohammad Khatami: Nuclear Weapons Have No Place in Iran's Defense Policy - 2003-08-30
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami declared that nuclear weapons are not part of Iran's defense strategy while asserting the country's right to pursue nuclear technology. This…
Washington's Message to Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan - 2003-08-26
The U.S. has urged Azerbaijan to conduct free and fair presidential elections. Richard Armitage delivered this message to Prime Minister Ilham Aliyev in Washington. This…
UK Police Arrest Former Iranian Ambassador to Argentina Hadi Soleimanpour
Hadi Soleimanpour, former Iranian ambassador to Argentina, was arrested in the UK for his alleged role in the 1994 Buenos Aires Jewish community center bombing…
Iran Announces Start of Phase Two of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant
Iran is starting the second phase of the Bushehr nuclear power plant despite international concerns about its potential military applications. The Iranian Atomic Energy Council…
Mohammad Khatami's Warning to Hardliners
Mohammad Khatami warned hardliners that their opposition to his reforms is alienating Iranian youth, who seek freedom and progress. This discontent has previously sparked significant…
Half a Million Hungry People in the Democratic Republic of Congo - 2003-08-08
The World Food Program reports that nearly half a million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are facing severe hunger due to ongoing conflict.…
Islamic Republic Denies Los Angeles Times Report
The Islamic Republic of Iran has rejected a Los Angeles Times report alleging foreign scientists are aiding its nuclear weapons program. Hamid Reza Asefi, a…
Saeed Mortazavi Orders Release of 9 Student Leaders - 2003-08-06
Saeed Mortazavi has ordered the release of 9 student leaders in Iran following a request from Ayatollah Khamenei for leniency towards detained students. This decision…
Phone Conversation with Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Khomeini - 2003-08-06
Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Khomeini spoke with a Voice of America reporter about the need for the separation of religion from government in Iran and the…
The Leader of the Islamic Republic's Request to the Judiciary
The Leader of the Islamic Republic has called for leniency towards students arrested in pro-democracy protests. Approximately 4,000 individuals were detained, with the government asserting…
Violence in the Republic of Georgia - 2003-08-05
On August 5, 2003, violence erupted in Georgia, leading to four deaths and twelve injuries from two incidents: a mine explosion in Abkhazia and a…
Islamic Republic: We Will Not Hand Over Any Al-Qaeda Members to the U.S.
Iran has announced that it will not extradite any Al-Qaeda suspects to the U.S. and has dismissed negotiations for a prisoner exchange. This comes amid…
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Accuses Washington of Attempting to Undermine Iran's Government by Creating Crisis - 2003-08-01
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a prominent Iranian political figure, accused the U.S. of trying to destabilize Iran's government through crisis creation while rejecting claims that Iran…