Wall Street Journal: The strategic Strait of Hormuz has long been the subject of terrorist threats and piracy worries, but has operated free of oil-tanker sabotage since the 1980s.
Tensions in a key shipping route
China rejects U.S. pressure on Iran trade ties
Reuters: China pushed back at U.S. pressure on its business and oil trade with Iran in comments published on Wednesday, while Iran’s oil minister was in Beijing seeking to shore up ties with the big customer.
Obama offers Iran an opening on engagement
Washington Post: President Obama put the issue of negotiating with Iran firmly back on the table Wednesday in an unusual White House session with journalists. His message was that even as U.N. sanctions squeeze Tehran, he is leaving open a “pathway” for a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue.
Ahmadinejad says Iran building three-stage rocket
AFP: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran is working on a three-stage rocket to carry a satellite 1,000 kilometres (more than 600 miles) into space, Fars news agency reported on Thursday.
Iran denies Ahmadinejad assassination claim
Iran Focus: Tehran, Aug. 04 – Sources in the office of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed, then denied, that the hard-line President’s motorcade convoy came under attack on Wednesday minutes before he gave a speech in Hamedan, western Iran, broadcasted live on state television.
Mass. pension to divest Iranian oil players
Reuters: The $41.3 billion Massachusetts pension fund will have to sell investments in any company involved in Iran’s oil industry under new rules adopted on Wednesday.
Iran stoning lawyer requests asylum in Turkey: UN
AFP: The lawyer of an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery is in Turkey and has requested asylum, the UN refugee agency said Wednesday.
Russian company: US sanctions bar Iran plane deal
Reuters: U.S. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme are preventing a state-connected Russian company from delivering five passenger jets to Iran under a 2007 contract, the head of the company said on Tuesday.
Iran claims to have S-300 surface-to-air missiles
AP: Iran has obtained four S-300 surface-to-air missile systems despite Russia’s refusal to deliver them to Tehran under a valid contract, a semiofficial Iranian news agency claimed Wednesday.
Iran petchem plant explosion kills five – media
Reuters: Around five people died on Wednesday in an explosion at an Iranian petrochemical plant, Iranian media reported.
