Sunday Telegraph: A tragedy is presently unfolding in Iraq that makes a mockery of the boast by US defence secretary Leon Panetta that American forces are leaving it a “free, independent and sovereign country”. And in two weeks’ time it seems set to come to a bloody climax.
As US troops leave Iraq, an assault is planned that should shame us all
Iran says it arrests suspected US spy
AP: Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said Saturday that its agents have arrested a person of Iranian origin on suspicion of spying for the United States.
Political turmoil flares in Iraq as U.S. pulls out
CNN: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is asking lawmakers to withdraw confidence from his deputy after Saleh al-Mutlaq made controversial comments this week over American forces withdrawing from Iraq, state media reported late Saturday.
Iran says its delayed news of US drone capture
AP: Iran deliberately delayed its announcement that it had captured an American surveillance drone to test U.S. reaction, the country’s foreign minister said Saturday.
Pilot error may have caused Iran drone crash
Reuters: The United States is investigating a combination of pilot error and mechanical failure as possible causes for the crash of a classified U.S. drone in Iran and does not believe Iran brought down the plane, according to two U.S. government officials.
Russian customs seize Iran-bound radioactive metal
AP: Russia’s customs agency announced Friday it has seized pieces of radioactive metal from the luggage of an Iranian passenger bound for Tehran from one of Moscow’s main airports.
German trade with Iran shows sanctions hit—and miss
Wall Street Journal: When the United Nations Security Council blacklisted Iran’s Sepanir Oil & Gas Engineering Co. last year, the company’s main German intermediary terminated their trading relationship, the German firm says—an apparent victory for international sanctions.
Indian refiners explore replacing Iranian oil – sources
Reuters: Indian companies have begun talks with alternative suppliers to slowly replace Iranian oil, fearing their current mechanism for payments to Tehran for some 350,000 barrels a day (bpd) via Turkey could soon succumb to sanctions, industry sources said.
Iran warns of downing other US drones in its skies
AP: Iran will hunt down more American spy drones if the U.S. continues to violate its air space, a senior Iranian military official warned Friday, the latest in triumphant rhetoric from Tehran over the capture of the unmanned aircraft two weeks ago.
Executions for drug crimes surge in Iran: Amnesty
Reuters: Iran has executed more people for drug-related crimes in 2011 than in the previous two years combined, in “a killing spree of staggering proportions,” Amnesty International said Thursday.
