There can be no clear winner in Iran election; US-China military talks; new China-made Airbus rolls out; Taliban leader killed by own guard; Washington halts spy satellite programme; and more
Top of the Agenda: Iran Annulment Rejected
Iran's Guardian Council, the powerful political body charged with certifying the country's electoral results, today rejected opposition party requests (BBC) that Iran's recent disputed presidential poll be annulled. A spokesman for the Guardian Council said on state television that officials had found evidence of "no major fraud or breach in the election." Yesterday the council acknowledged that the number of votes recorded in fifty Iranian cities surpassed the number of eligible voters in those cities (NYT). Meanwhile, news reports suggest Iran's government has continued to step up its efforts to crack down on protestors, many of whom swarmed Tehran and other cities in the days following the vote. TheGuardian says the government today and yesterday used teargasand fired weapons on demonstrators. The New York Daily Newsreports a sweeping technology crackdown led by Iran's government has also worked to stymie the protests. All the same, Euronews reports protests continued into today. Meanwhile, Iran's government, which has accused foreign governments of seeking to meddle with the country's election results, today singled out Britain for criticism (FT). Analysis: In a new interview, Iran expert Farideh Farhi says a clear victory by either side is unlikely, and to assume so is "unrealistic" and "dangerous." CFR's Michael Gerson argues in an op-ed that the Obama administration should have harshly criticized the Iranian regimefor the brutal crackdown on protestors. However, CFR's Leslie Gelb argues in a separate op-ed that Iran should be left to Iranians.
Senior defense officials from the United States and China are meeting in Beijing for two days of talks (BBC) expected to focus on several recent naval confrontations between the two countries in the South China Sea and the issue of North Korea's recent nuclear and missile tests. This CFR Backgrounder on China's military capabilities looks at the military relations between China and the United States. AEROSPACE: The European airplane manufacturer Airbus today rolled out its first aircraft assembled at a new plant in China. Bloomberg says Airbus is attempting to gain market share in China, the world's second largest market for airplanes. ELSEWHERE: - Pakistani breakaway Taliban leader killed by guard. - Washington discontinues controversial spy satellite program. This is an excerpt of the CFR.org Daily News Brief. The full version is available on CFR.org. PACIFIC RIM: China Military Talks