Protesters attack Italy's embassy in Iran http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?ID=168230

About 100 Iranians protested Tuesday in front of the Italian embassy in Teheran, shouting "Death to Italy, Death to Berlusconi, " Italy's foreign minister said. Protests were also held outside the French and Dutch embassies.The protests came a week after Premier Silvio Berlusconi announced — in Israel — that Italy was scaling back its economic dealings with Iran and wanted tighter sanctions against the Teheran leadership. Italy has long been Teheran's biggest trading partner in the EU.

Television footage of the protests shown on Sky TG 24 showed protesters throwing stones and eggs at the Italian embassy. Foreign Ministry officials said none of the protesters managed to get inside and that police intervened.Frattini told the Senate that the protest was "hostile" and that the group tried to assault the building.The Italian news agency ANSA, citing unidentified sources, reported Tuesday that the Iranian Foreign Ministry had summoned the Italian ambassador to protest Berlusconi's remarks in Israel.

Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency reported that a group of university students had gathered in the afternoon at the gates of the French and Italian embassies, which are next to each other in downtown Teheran.The students hurled eggs and tomatoes at both buildings and denounced what they said was Italian and French support for Iran's opposition movement, the report said.The protesters demanded Iran scale back its relations with both countries and they shouted the word "takeover" in a reference to the 1979 student takeover of the US Embassy.

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Now, It's Brazil's Defense Minister Who Comes in Defense of Iran http://www.brazzilmag.com/component/content/article/82-february-2010/11857-now-its-brazils-defense-minister-who-comes-in-defense-of-iran.html

After declarations by Brazil's Foreign Minister, Celso Amorim, in favor of dialogue with Tehran, the Brazilian minister of Defense, Nelson Jobim, made it public that he also is in favor of further talks with Iran after that country announced it will enrich uranium to 20%.That announcement caused a strong negative reaction in most of the international community and prompted the threat of sanctions from the United States and France, among others.Jobim criticized what he called "radicalizing," and signaled that Brazil may continue to support the Iranian position. "Brazil is not against anybody. We have a tradition of resolving things through dialogue," said the minister.

Jobim pointed out that enrichment to 20% is necessary for the manufacture of pharmaceutical goods and some kinds of food. Enrichment to 5% is what is used for running a nuclear reactor that generates electricity, which is what Brazil does at its nuclear power plants in Angra dos Reis, he explained.Asked if Brazil would fight in favor of Iran, Jobim rebutted the question: "I don't know if that would be in favor of Iran or in favor of ourselves."