SUMMARY:�The manoeuvring via public relations over nuclear talks escalated on Wednesday, with President Rouhani giving an interview to an American TV channel and both Washington and Tehran confirming Rouhani�s exchange of letters with Barack Obama opening up discussions on the issue.
Rouhani, telling NBC News that Iran will never develop nuclear weapons, said he can reach an agreement: �In its nuclear program, this government enters with full power and has complete authority�.We have sufficient political latitude to solve this problem.�

Rouhani put the challenge to the US and its allies, �The problem won�t be from our side.�

The President referred to a letter from Obama, soon after Rouhani�s election in June, and his reply: �From my point of view, the tone of the letter was positive and constructive.�

He continued, �It could be subtle and tiny steps for a very important future. I believe the leaders in all countries could think in their national interest and they should not be under the influence of pressure groups. I hope to witness such an atmosphere in the future.�

The White House effectively supported Rouhani in a press conference, with spokesman Jay Carney confirming Obama told Rouhani the US is open to a resolution to the nuclear issue in which Iran proves its program is peaceful � although he added that the window for a deal �will not remain open indefinitely�.

Rouhani signalled in his interview, �We have never pursued or sought a nuclear bomb, and we are not going to do so,� he said. �We solely are looking for peaceful nuclear technology.�



Maybe Twitter and Facebook Are Blocked, Maybe They Aren�t
Amid this week�s flutters over Internet censorship � with the regime briefly lifting restrictions on Twitter and Facebook and unblocking some websites � Iran�s police chief Esmail Ahamadi Moghaddam�offers a �clarification�: the use of filtered social networks is �illegal�, but is allowed if it serves the nezam [system].
More on Release of Political Prisoners�And What May Happen Next
In a separate special, we profile Wednesday�s sudden release of 16 political prisoners and ask, �Will the President � can the President � release Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, the Presidential candidates who have been under strict house arrest since February 2011?�

This morning, more pictures of celebration � freed human rights attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh:
#Iran�lawyer Nasrin�#Sotoudeh. On her scarf: "I shall greet the sun again". Photo: Kaveh Rostamkhani via�@pedestrianpic.twitter.com/XMR2D2St3m

� Negar Mortazavi (@NegarMortazavi)�September 19, 2013
 

And a tantalizing retweet from Rouhani�s office sharing the happiness:
Lawyer Nasrin�#Sotoudeh�with her family after being released earlier today.�#hope�#iran�#progresspic.twitter.com/I8rk49JAEP

� Meet Iran (@MeetIran)September 18, 2013
 

And another name of a freed detainee: Ali Khodabakhsh, financier of several reformist newspapers.

By EA WorldView

 

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