Freed reporter Saberi arrives in Austria from Iran

VIENNA - US-born journalist Roxana Saberi arrive in Austria on Friday from Iran, four days after the authorities freed them from Tehran prison and lifted its eight-year sentence for espionage.

"We can confirm that they arrived in Vienna," said a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Vienna. Another U.S. official said Saberi was expected to stay in the Austrian capital for a few days. U.S. officials further comment.

Earlier, the Iranian lawyer, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, Reuters said the 32-year-old freelance journalist in Tehran, had an overnight flight for Europe and will continue in the United States.

U.S. National Public Radio said Saberi was traveling with her parents. It also has U.S. and Iranian citizenship and worked for the BBC and NPR.

It was in January to work in Iran after their press credentials had expired. She was later accused of espionage, found guilty and for eight years in prison. She was released from prison after her sentence on Monday cut on appeal to a suspension of two years.

"She was good, but sad that they do not return to Iran soon to do the reporting," Khorramshahi added.

Saberi other lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, said on Tuesday the change in the ruling was by a different interpretation of the relevant legislation not because of political considerations.

But her release on Monday removed a potential obstacle to the

President Barack Obama's attempts to thaw U.S. relations with the Islamic Republic after three decades of enmity.

Saberi Obama welcomed the release as a "humanitarian gesture".

The two countries are in dispute over Iran's nuclear program which the West fears is aimed at making nuclear bombs. Iran says it is for generating electricity.

The United States had said the charges were baseless and had demanded the immediate release Saberi. Tehran does not recognize dual citizenship, and told Washington not to disrupt.

Obama, Iran has a new beginning in relations if Iran says Washington really begin to change policy.

Analysts and diplomats have said Saberi arrest should not be interpreted as a sign that Obama rejects Iran's Overture, but they say, and their release was influenced by it.

Some saw the arrest as a warning to foreign media in Iran presidential elections in June, while others say that he had an offer from hardliners to obstruct any thaw in US-Iran relations or to use it as a "trump card".

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Iranian minister urges Dutch to ban Koran film

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister on Tuesday said the Netherlands had the power to stop a right-wing Dutch lawmaker from screening a film about the Koran which has already sparked protests in the Muslim world.

Geert Wilders, who has described the Koran as "fascist" book that incites violence, plans to show his 15-minute film later this month despite mounting unrest and appeals from the Dutch government that it will harm Dutch interests abroad.

"The Netherlands is responsible ...they can stop it," said Mahdi Safari, urging the Dutch government to invoke the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Freedom of speech should not stretch to allowing Wilders to offend the rights of others, he added, citing article 29 of the declaration.

"If such a man will insist on this it is irresponsible for the world and society," Safari told journalists at a briefing after meeting Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen.

The Dutch government has warned the short film might spark unrest and sanctions similar to those unleashed when Danish newspapers published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in 2006.

Asked how Iran would act in response to the film Safari said: "All possibilities are on the table."

"We will show an appropriate reaction," he added.

Dutch businesses fear a loss of trade in Muslim countries and Dutch embassies are braced for attack.

The Dutch government has sought to distance itself from Wilders and plans a diplomatic offensive to contain any fallout similar to the Danish cartoon controversy.

Both Safari and Iran's ambassador to the Netherlands Bozorgmehr Ziaran said they could not predict the reaction of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims to the film, or prevent possible violence.

"Why would you expect us to control 1.2 billion Muslims when you cannot control one person," Ziaran said.

He added Wilders sought to violate Muslim's rights by demonising them, and was a war-monger and troublemaker.

"We do not need further confrontation. Things are boiling. We need wise men to bridge the gaps to reach out to each other...and promote peace and co-existence."

About 15,000 people protested in Afghanistan on Saturday, some burning Dutch and Danish flags in protest at Wilders' film and to condemn the reprinting of the cartoon of Mohammad.

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Iran's top cleric praises Ahmadinejad on atom issue

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's top authority, said on Tuesday the Islamic Republic had won a victory in its nuclear programme.

File photo of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (L) reviewing a military parade in the city of Yazd, about 560 km south east of Tehran, January 4, 2008. (REUTERS/Iran Student News Agancy/Handout/Files)

In his first public comment on the nuclear issue since a U.N. watchdog report last week, Khamenei also praised the handling of the case by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has often alarmed the West with speeches vowing no compromise.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said in the report that Iran had clarified issues raised as part of a work plan agreed in August, but not claims of alleged studies into the possible weaponisation of nuclear materials.

Western powers are pushing for a third round of sanctions against Iran for not halting work they fear is aimed at building atomic bombs, a charge Tehran denies, saying it wants skills to generate electricity so it can export more of its oil and gas.

"One example of an advance by the Islamic system has been the nuclear issue, in which the Iranian nation has honestly and seriously realised a great victory ... ," Khamenei was quoted by state radio as telling Iranian officials.

Khamenei said those opposed to Iran's nuclear programme were giving ground because of Iran's determination.

"Those people who used to say Iran's nuclear activity must be dismantled are now saying we are ready to accept your advances, on condition that it will not continue indefinitely," he said, adding that this was achieved through "perseverance".

Khamenei has the final say in all state matters, including nuclear policy, under Iran's system of clerical rule which puts his word above that of the president and other state bodies.

UNEQUIVOCAL STANCE

The supreme leader echoed Ahmadinejad who said in his reaction to the IAEA report that experience had shown that when Iran resisted the West's demands, Iran's opponents backed down.

"(Khamenei) regarded the role of the person of the president in the advance of the nuclear as outstanding," radio quoted Khamenei as saying.

The U.N. Security Council has demanded Iran halt uranium enrichment, the part of its nuclear programme that most worries the West because the process can be used to make fuel for power plants or, potentially, material for bombs. Iran has refused.

Khamenei took aim at the last parliament, which was controlled by pro-reform politicians. That camp, now out of power, has often questioned Ahmadinejad's handling of the atomic case by saying his uncompromising approach has isolated Iran.

"Unlike the efforts of some in the previous term, the seventh majlis (this parliament) acted steadfastly," he said.

Before Ahmadinejad took office in 2005, the previous administration agreed to suspend enrichment. Since that deal was scrapped, Khamenei has said Iran would not compromise.

Iran had said it considers the nuclear file closed and said it should no longer be in the hands of the U.N. Security Council, which has slapped two rounds of sanctions on Iran so far. But Tehran says it will still work with IAEA.

"Although Iran's (August) work plan ... was completed successfully, Iran is ready to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency in the framework of the (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) regulations," Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The IAEA has said Iran should sign up to an Additional Protocol to give the agency inspectors more access to make checks. Iran halted voluntary implementation of that measure in 2006 when its case was referred to the Security Council.

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Iran, Iraq to revive parts of border deal-report

Iran and Iraq have agreed to reactivate some elements of a 1975 border agreement which was the centre of a row in December when the Iraqi president said the treaty was void, a statement he later retracted.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani appeared to reopen an old border row in December when he said the 32-year-old Algiers treaty had been "voided by the current government", a statement he then reversed but said Iraq wanted to negotiate changes.

Alireza Jafarzadeh, a member of the foreign affairs committee of the opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), speaks at a news conference in Brussels February 20, 2008. (REUTERS/Yves Herman)

An Iraqi team arrived in Tehran this week to discuss the agreement which covers the border along the Shatt al-Arab waterway, known as Arvand Rud in Iran, at the head of the Gulf.

The dispute over the waterway was a factor leading to the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, in which around 1 million people died.

"The deputy foreign ministers of Iran and Iraq agreed on continuing expert talks about details over using the Arvand Rud and also on problems related to their joint borders," Iran's Resalat newspaper reported.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Reza Baqeri held talks with Iraqi counterpart Mohammed al-Hajj Humoud to discuss establishing "security at joint borders and removing existing problems", Resalat reported, without giving details.

They also agreed to reactivate "technical mechanisms" mentioned in the 1975 treaty and additional protocols, the daily said. The report did not give details about those mechanisms.

The official IRNA news agency quoted Baqeri as saying the 1975 treaty was not negotiable, but it said he had agreed with his Iraqi counterpart on the importance of delineating the border and constructing border signs destroyed during the war.

The Iraqi official said their agreement during the talks in Tehran showed the two countries' desire for good neighbourly relations, IRNA said, adding work on restoring river conditions would start once a final deal was reached.

The border talks come ahead of a visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Iraq in March, the first official trip to Iraq by an Iranian leader since the 1979 Iranian revolution that overthrew the U.S.-backed Shah.

Analysts say Iran wants to show its support for the government of Shi'ite Muslim Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. Shi'ites are the majority religious group in Iran and increase Tehran's influence in Iraq.

Iran has called on U.S. troops to quit Iraq and to hand over more powers to Iraqis.

An Iranian analyst said Ahmadinejad would seek to show the Iraqi government -- at least publicly -- did not view Tehran as an interfering neighbour, a charge Washington often makes.

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Iran says U.S. talks delayed for technical reasons

Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday technical reasons were behind the delay in talks between Iranian and U.S. officials on Iraq and denied new U.S. charges that Tehran was stoking violence in its neighbour.

Tehran on Thursday postponed what would have been a fourth round of talks. The move has prompted Washington to question Tehran's commitment to dialogue.

Washington accuses Iran of destabilising Iraq. Tehran blames the U.S. occupation for the unrest. David Satterfield, the U.S. State Department's Iraq coordinator, said on Friday Iran was "intent on continuing to promote violence within Iraq".

The U.S.-Iranian security talks are one of the few forums in which officials from the two bitter foes have direct contact. Diplomatic ties between Washington and Tehran have been frozen for almost three decades.

"The postponement of Iran-U.S. talks has been due to technical reasons, it has nothing to do with any other issues," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said in a news conference. The comments were carried and translated by Iran's English-language Press TV.

He said an exact date for talks would be announced later.

Washington has used the talks to urge Iran to stop giving weapons and training to Shi'ite militias in Iraq, including armour-piercing bombs known as explosively formed penetrators that have killed hundreds of U.S. troops. Iran denies any role.

U.S. officials said on Friday a U.S. Treasury official met Iranian representatives in Paris on Jan. 24 as part of a gathering to discuss "terror financing", in a departure from Washington's usual policy. Iran has played down the meeting.

"This is an international forum and the U.S. is also a member of that international forum. So no direct talks were held," Hosseini said.

Iranian Economy Minister Davoud Danesh-Jafari said of the meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that it was not a "special meeting" or at a senior level.

In response to Satterfield's comments, Hosseini said Iran "has had no hand in the unrest in Iraq, there are no pieces of evidence in this regard".

Hosseini said preparations for the visit to Iraq by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, expected on March 2, were going ahead. He did not give details.

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