Iran, Belarus Sign Defense-Cooperation Document

Presidents Ahmadinejad of Iran and Lukashenka of Belarus in November 2006 (Fars) January 22, 2007 -- Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najar and his visiting Belarusian counterpart, Leanid Maltseu, have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at expanding defense cooperation.

Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency reports the document includes exchanges of experts and cooperation in technical and educational fields.

Maltseu, who is on a two-day visit to Tehran, met on January 21 with President Mahmud Ahmadinejad and other senior officials.

Both Iran and Belarus are facing increasing isolation from the international community.

(AFP, Mehr)

The Proliferation Threat

The Arak heavy-water plant in central Iran (Fars)

BENDING THE RULES. Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, told an RFE/RL-Radio Free Asia briefing on January 9 that the West is hamstrung in dealing with Iran and North Korea because of the way it has interpreted the international nonproliferation regime to benefit friendly countries like India and Japan.