Wall Street Journal: Weeks before the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, the commander of American forces here urged the Iraqi government to keep fighting extremists, especially the Iran-backed militias he said threaten to form a state within a state.
U.S. cautions Iraq to curb Iran forays
United States and its allies expand sanctions on Iran
New York Times: Major Western powers took significant steps on Monday to cut Iran off from the international financial system, announcing coordinated sanctions aimed at its central bank and commercial banks. The measures, a response to a recent United Nations report warning about Iran’s nuclear activities, tighten the vise on Iran but still fall short of a blanket cutoff.
EU reaches deal on new Iran sanctions-diplomats
Reuters: European Union governments agreed in principle on Tuesday to extend sanctions against Iran by adding some 200 names to a target list of people and entities in an effort to add pressure on Tehran over its nuclear programme, diplomats said.
Iran may have sent Libya shells for chemical weapons
Washington Post: The Obama administration is investigating whether Iran supplied the Libyan government of Moammar Gaddafi with hundreds of special artillery shells for chemical weapons that Libya kept secret for decades, U.S. officials said.
Record for UN vote on Iran, N. Korea, Myanmar
AFP: Record numbers of countries voted in favor of UN General Assembly resolutions condemning human rights abuses in Iran, North Korea and Myanmar.
France urges Iran oil purchase freeze, sanctions
Reuters: France called for new sanctions on an “unprecedented scale” against Iran on Monday in response to Tehran’s nuclear programme, urging world powers to halt purchases of Iranian oil and freeze its central bank assets.
Obama says Iranian isolation will continue
AP: President Barack Obama says that as long as Iran continues down a dangerous path with its nuclear program, the United States will continue to find ways to isolate and increase the pressure on Tehran.
Ahmadinejad’s press aide denies arrest reports
Reuters: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s media adviser denied on Monday reports in local print media that he had been arrested after holding a news conference.
U.K. to add to Iran sanctions
Wall Street Journal: The U.K. will announce that it is imposing sanctions on Iranian financial institutions, joining the U.S. in putting further pressure on Tehran after recent disclosures about its alleged role in terrorism and nuclear-weapons proliferation, people familiar with the matter said.
Iran arrests President Ahmadinejad’s press adviser: report
Reuters: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s media adviser was arrested on Monday in his office by the judiciary, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported, without giving a reason for his arrest.
