Bloomberg: Australia plans legislation allowing it to impose its own sanctions on countries and respond quickly to international issues of concern such as Iran and North Korea, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said.
Australia plans bill on Iran, North Korea sanctions
As ugly as it gets
New York Times: I confess that when I first saw the May 17 picture of Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, joining his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with raised arms — after their signing of a putative deal to defuse the crisis over Iran’s nuclear weapons program — all I could think of was: Is there anything uglier than watching democrats sell out other democrats to a Holocaust-denying, vote-stealing Iranian thug just to tweak the U.S. and show that they, too, can play at the big power table?
British PM ups pressure on Iran, says it wants the bomb
AFP: British Prime Minister David Cameron pledged Tuesday to “ratchet up” pressure on Iran, which he said was clearly intent on building nuclear weapons.
Congress to wait on bilateral sanctions on Iran
AP: Congressional leaders putting together a new round of U.S. sanctions against Iran said Tuesday they will defer bringing their legislation to a vote to give the United Nations and the European Union a chance to first impose multinational penalties against the Tehran government over its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Iraqi election appeals rejected
Reuters: Election authorities in Iraq rejected final appeals on Tuesday against the results of a March parliamentary election, which will now move to the Supreme Court for certification.
Analysis: Turkey’s Iran standoff role irks allies
AP: Turkey’s attempts to mediate Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West have evolved into an aggressive effort to forestall new U.N. sanctions. The assertive campaign is placing Turkey in opposition to longtime allies Israel and the United States.
Boeing cites Iran in tanker battle with EADS
Reuters: Boeing Co accused rival EADS of having courted Iran and other countries at odds with the United States and said this should figure in awarding a potential $50 billion U.S. Air Force refueling plane contract.
Clinton: Iran nuclear fuel swap offer is ‘ploy’
AP: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says an Iranian plan to swap some of its enriched uranium for reactor fuel is a “transparent ploy” to try to avoid new U.N. Security Council sanctions over its suspect nuclear program.
Iran criticizes Russian stance on sanctions, stalled arms deal
Bloomberg: Iran’s ambassador to Moscow voiced frustration that Russia was giving tentative support for tougher United Nations sanctions and stalling the delivery of anti- aircraft weapons.
Report: Iran releases filmmaker Jafar Panahi
AP: Iran released an internationally renowned filmmaker and opposition supporter on bail Tuesday after more than two months in custody, state TV reported.
