Bloomberg: A U.S. plan to upgrade its airbase in southwestern Afghanistan just 20 miles from Iran’s border will likely rile the Islamic regime, bolstering suspicions the West is trying to pressure it with military might, analysts say.
Pentagon plan to beef up Afghan base near Iran may rile regime
Tehran prayer leader urges crackdown on dress code
Iran Focus: Tehran, May 21 – Tehran’s Friday prayer leader, Guardian Council Secretary Ahmad Jannati, urged a crackdown on violations of the dress code for women, calling for its enforcement throughout Iranian society.Mother thanks Iranians for trying to save son’s life
Iran Focus: Kermanshah, Iran, May 21 – Daye Saltaneh, mother of Farzad Kamangar, the young teacher who was hanged with four other Kurdish activists on 9 May in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison on the charge of acting against state security, in a message thanked all those who worked to try to save her son’s life.Iran plays for time
Iran Focus – Editorial: A day before a draft sanctions resolution was tabled at the UN Security Council, the Iranian government announced the signing of a trilateral nuclear agreement with Brazil and Turkey. On the face of it, Tehran agreed to send its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in return for nuclear fuel. In reality, this was an underhanded attempt to short-circuit looming sanctions.Opposition says Iranian filmmaker beaten badly
AP: An Iranian opposition website says that an imprisoned filmaker has been badly beaten and his sight damaged.
Shell trims exposure to Iran crude – sources
Reuters: Royal Dutch Shell and other oil companies are taking less Iranian crude because of poor economics and the difficulty of making financial transactions with Tehran, industry sources said on Thursday.
Proposed UN sanctions could force Iran to shift its stance: US
AFP: Fresh UN sanctions against Iran along with additional measures taken by governments could force Tehran to change its stance on uranium enrichment, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday.Russia urges Iran to tell IAEA of atom plan
Reuters: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on Iran on Thursday to send its proposal for a nuclear fuel swap deal to the U.N. atomic watchdog as soon as possible, Interfax news agency reported.Pro-reform former Iran VP assaulted: reports
AFP: A former Iranian vice president, who was among scores of pro-reform figures arrested after disputed presidential elections last June, said he was assaulted Thursday by attackers who smashed his car window, a website reported.France sees majority on UNSC for Iran sanctions: Kouchner
AFP: France expects a majority on the UN Security Council to vote for new sanctions against Iran, with only three of 15 members still reticent, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Thursday.
