Ali Safavi
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ capture-at-gunpoint of 15 British sailors in the waters off the Iraqi coast last week was a brazen act in every respect. But, it was only the latest in the long chain of the Iranian regime’s outlaw behavior over the past two decades.
This act of belligerence, just before the United Nations Security Council adopted a second sanction resolution against Tehran, was a reminder that no matter how generous the incentives and how willing the gullible Europeans to offer them, Tehran is not about to abandon its nuclear weapons program, which it considers to be indispensable to its strategic survival.
And how have the British government reacted so far? Quite pathetic to say the least, still holding out the hope that it could convince the mullahs to release the captives through negotiations. Meanwhile, the sailors continue to "confess" and "write letters of apology."
Once again the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted on a resolution asking Iran to halt its nuclear activities. It gave Iran 60 days to execute the contents of the resolution.
Jubin Afshar
Among the most curious aspects of the debate over how to handle the rogue Iranian regime is perhaps the strew of Iran pundits who consistently argue in favor of accepting the current status quo in Iran, recognizing the Iranian regime as a major regional power, and providing security guarantees for its political survival, and recognizing it on par with a regional superpower to be reckoned with. 
Political initiatives to resolve the Iraqi crisis usually attract much attention. The International Baghdad Conference on10 March drew together Iraq’s regional and international partners for a one day conference. The spotlight however was more than anything else on the US delegates, Ambassadors David Satterfield and Zalmay Khalilzad, and the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi. 
Let’s face it. Iran’s nuclear drive is a "train with no brake and reverse gear," with a driver named Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Unless the world leaders find the stop button quickly, a collision might be inevitable. That is an eventuality nobody wants to see. All indications call for need of a new, bold initiative but the EU appears hell-bent on pursuing the threadbare policy of appeasing Tehran once more and the mullahs are always ready to exploit all these signs of craven weakness.
New Europe, the European Weekly, Feb 18– A group of Members of the European Parliament met with the Iranian resistance movement in Strasbourg on February 14 to discuss plans to change Iran from within. 
