Iran Focus: Tehran, May 28 – The hard-line government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad again faces embarrassing controversy over the academic credentials of a top official.
Minister under fire for fake degree
APNewsBreak: Diplomats say Iran removed equipment
AP: U.N. nuclear inspectors revisiting an Iranian laboratory to follow up on activities that could be linked to a secret nuclear weapons program recently discovered that some equipment believed used in the experiments has disappeared, diplomats said Friday.
Clashes in central Tehran
Iran Focus: Tehran, May 28 – Serious clashes broke out on Thursday between a group of people and security forces near a petrol station in Tehran’s Vali-Asr (Mossadeq) Street.
Iran awards Pars gas phases to Revolutionary Guards: report
AFP: Iran has awarded a business unit of the elite Revolutionary Guards the rights to develop phases 13 and 14 of the giant South Pars gas field, the Mehr news agency announced on Friday.
Senate panel votes new Iran constraints
Reuters: The Senate Armed Services Committee voted to require Pentagon contractors to certify that they are not doing any banned business with Iran.
Brazil, Turkey sharpen tone with US over Iran
AFP: Brazil and Turkey lashed out at the United States Friday in a deepening confrontation over Iran, saying it and other nuclear powers lacked credibility in demanding Tehran hobble its atomic program.
U.S., Brazilian officials at odds over letter on Iranian uranium
Washington Post: Maybe there should have been a follow-up note. On April 20, President Obama sent a 2 1/2 -page letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva outlining a deal that the United States had unsuccessfully pursued in October, one in which Iran would swap the bulk of its enriched uranium for fuel for a medical research reactor. At the time, Brazil and Turkey were contemplating mediation efforts with Iran.
Pakistan, Iran sign major gas pipeline agreement
AFP: Pakistan and Iran on Friday signed a “sovereign guarantee” agreement paving the way for the completion of a 7.5-billion-dollar gas pipeline project within the next four years.
U.S. sees Iran, Afghanistan as gains in Russia relationship
Reuters: Russia’s support for fresh U.N. sanctions against Iran and its help on Afghanistan show how Washington’s “reset” of relations with Moscow is delivering results, President Barack Obama’s top adviser on Russia said.
US, Brazil have ‘serious disagreements’ on Iran: Clinton
AFP: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday the United States and Brazil had serious differences over how to curb Iran’s nuclear program, even if bilateral ties remain good in other areas.
