AP: An Iranian man has been indicted in New York on charges that he plotted to illegally export military and civilian aircraft parts from the United States to Iran.
Iranian man charged in military aircraft part scam
Turkmen gas company says flows to Iran restored
Reuters: Turkmenistan has resumed gas supplies to Iran after a brief stoppage for repairs along a stretch of pipeline linking the two countries, the head of Turkmenistan’s state gas company told Reuters on Friday.
Powers to map Iran strategy, Tehran wants to meet soon
Reuters: Major powers will discuss negotiating strategy towards Iran next Wednesday amid signs of a renewed push to resolve the nuclear dispute peacefully after U.S. President Barack Obama’s re-election last week.
Iran ready to ramp up nuke program
AP: Iran is on the threshold of being able to create weapons-grade uranium at a plant it has heavily fortified against Israeli attack, diplomats told The Associated Press on Thursday, calling into question an Israeli claim that Iran had slowed its nuclear time table.
U.N. experts ask Iran to explain blogger’s death in jail
Reuters: U.N. human rights experts called on Iran on Thursday to say how Iranian blogger Sattar Beheshti died in police custody. Beheshti who wrote a blog critical of the government, was arrested on October 30 and died some days later after saying he had received death threats and was being tortured in jail.
Iran condemns Israeli attack on Gaza Strip
AP: Iran has condemned Israel’s military assault on the Gaza Strip. Iranian state TV on Thursday quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as calling the Israeli bombardment of Gaza “organized terrorism.”
Russia nuclear envoy makes snap visit to Iran
AFP: Russia’s representative in international talks with Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, Sergei Ryabkov, met Tehran’s top negotiator on a surprise visit on Wednesday, news agencies reported.
Iran to open Somali embassy, Turkey rebuilds parliament
Reuters: Iran said it would set up an embassy in Mogadishu and Turkey promised to rebuild Somalia’s parliament building, as the two neighbors, at odds over Syria, vied for influence in the Horn of Africa country.
Iranian human rights lawyer in fourth week of hunger strike
Toronto Star: Nasrin Sotoudeh’s awards would cover a wall. But 49-year-old Iranian human rights defender has no walls on which to hang them. She is entering the fourth week of a hunger strike that her family fears she will not survive.
Iran helicopter crash kills 10
Daily Telegraph: Ten people were killed on Wednesday when a rescue helicopter ferrying wounded people from a vehicle accident to hospital hit power lines and crashed to the ground in northeastern Iran, media reported.
