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Iran Uses Non-Aligned Movement Summit to Criticize U.S., West
(Los Angeles Times) Ramin Mostaghim - On Sunday the Islamic Republic welcomed attendees of a weeklong gathering of nonaligned nations, a Cold War-era movement that Iranian officials have embraced as a counterweight to U.S.-led efforts to isolate their country. A balloon with a message hailing Iran as a "cradle of peace and justice" hovered near the site of the former U.S. Embassy, where Iranian militants held 52 people hostage almost 33 years ago. The gathering is shaping up as a global stage for Iran to thumb its nose at the U.S. and dispute Washington's insistence that Tehran is an isolated rogue state and sponsor of terrorism. Those expected to attend include President Mohamed Morsi of Egypt, the first Egyptian head of state to visit the Islamic Republic, and India's prime minister, Manmohan Singh, whose nation remains a major oil client of Iran.