AFP: Iran on Tuesday spurned a request by the IAEA for access to a military base where Tehran allegedly conducted nuclear weapons research, saying the issue should be addressed in a wider agreement with the UN atomic agency.
Iran spurns UN call for Parchin visit
Clock runs as Obama faces pressure for strike on Iran
Bloomberg: U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said there remains “time and space” for diplomacy aimed at averting military action to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear weapons power.
Iran assails Western criticism, defends nuke talks
AP: An Iranian spokesman on Tuesday said the country’s nuclear talks with world powers yielded “positive results” and assailed what he described as “negative” remarks by some Western officials following those negotiations.
Big powers want fast results in revived diplomacy with Iran
Reuters: Six world powers called on Tuesday for quick and concrete results in nuclear negotiations with Iran that have resumed after an eight-month hiatus, aimed at averting the threat of a new Middle East war.
2 sentenced in plot to ship aircraft parts to Iran
AP: An Iranian national has been sentenced to 23 months in federal prison and an American who worked as an airline pilot received a 46-month sentence for their roles in a plot to ship helicopters and aircraft parts to Iran’s state-run civilian airline in violation of the U.S. trade embargo.
Biden, Netanyahu set tone on Iran for Obama visit to Israel
Reuters: U.S. Vice President Joe Biden insisted on Monday that President Barack Obama was not bluffing about using force to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions if all else fails, even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a “credible military threat” against Tehran.
Vatican, Iran resist UN effort fighting violence on women
AFP: The Vatican, Iran and other religious states are resisting efforts by a UN conference, which started Monday, to demand tougher global standards to prevent violence against women and children.
Standard Chartered set for record $7 billion profit despite Iran fine
Reuters: Standard Chartered (STAN.L) is set to report its 10th successive record annual profit on Tuesday after strong growth in its core Asian markets offset a big fine for breaking sanctions on Iran.
Hagel vows Pentagon to help combat Iran’s ‘malign’ role
Bloomberg: U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has vowed to Congress that he’ll “focus intently on countering Iran’s malign influence”. “Iran’s activities are malevolent and intended to be destabilizing,” Hagel wrote.
48 Syrian soldiers killed in Iraq ambush
AP: Dozens of Syrian soldiers who had crossed into Iraq for refuge were ambushed Monday with bombs, gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades in an attack that killed 48 of them and heightened concerns that the country could be drawn into Syria’s civil war.
