Reuters: Iran launched large-scale air defense drills in the country’s eastern half on Monday, Iranian media reported, amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over a military incident in the Gulf reported last week.
Iran launches air drills in country’s east
Russia will back US-Iran nuclear talks: FT
AFP: Russia will support one-to-one talks between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
Iran’s Bushehr plant entering final stages
UPI: Iran’s nuclear plant in Bushehr is entering its final testing stage and is expected to become fully operational by early next year, an Iranian official said.
IAEA says Iran clean-up of Parchin site ‘ongoing’
AFP: Possible clean-up activities at an Iranian military base where the UN atomic agency wants to probe evidence of suspected nuclear weapons research are “ongoing,” the watchdog’s head said on Sunday.
Iran currency crisis likely to worsen GDP shrinkage: IMF
Bloomberg: Iran’s economy may shrink more than the International Monetary Fund forecast earlier this year because of weakness in the exchange rate, the fund’s Middle East chief said.
Iran to probe alleged death of a jailed blogger
AP: Iran’s parliament announced Sunday it would probe reports that a jailed blogger died suspiciously in custody earlier this week, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Steel sanctions cut deep into Iran’s economy
Reuters: Iranian manufacturers and builders face serious shortages of steel and other metals as a new European Union export ban adds to troubles for an economy already reeling from sanctions on its finances and oil exports.
Silence is not the answer
Iran Focus: The humanitarian crisis in Iran has taken a turn for the worse, beginning a dark chapter in the country’s bleak history of violating human rights. Iran has the world’s highest execution rate per capita, and is the only country in the world which continues to execute minors.
Mideast nuke talks called off
AP: Attempts to find Arab-Israeli common ground on banning weapons of mass destruction from the Mideast have failed, and high-profile talks on the issue have been called off, diplomats said Saturday.
Iran brushes aside new US sanctions
AFP: Iran on Saturday brushed aside newly-imposed US sanctions over media censorship, which it said was essential to preserve “moral values” in the Islamic republic.
