Los Angeles Times – By Leonard S. Spector and Avner Cohen: After overestimating the Iraq threat, U.S. intelligence agencies are now dangerously underestimating Syria and Iran.
Cloak and stagger
Khamenei rules out halt to Iran’s nuclear drive
AFP: Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday vowed that Iran would press ahead with its controversial nuclear programme, two days after world powers said they had prepared a new package to end the crisis. United States is drawing up plans to strike on Iranian insurgency camp
Sunday Times: The US military is drawing up plans for a “surgical strike” against an insurgent training camp inside Iran if Republican Guards continue with attempts to destabilise Iraq, western intelligence sources said last week. MI6 chief visits Mossad for talks on Iran’s nuclear threat
Sunday Times: The head of MI6, Sir John Scarlett, is to visit Israel later this month as Britain forges closer links with Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service.
Iran’s nuclear lure waning?
Washington Times – By Lord Fraser: Even as the U.N. Security Council was implementing its third round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear weapons activities, the council's five veto-wielding permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — and Germany met in London Friday to expand a 2006 offer of economic incentives to Iran in return for a freeze on uranium enrichment.
Lebanese politician calls for the Iranian ambassador’s expulsion
AP: A pro-government Lebanese politician called Saturday for the expulsion of Iran's ambassador and the ending of Iranian flights to Beirut because they might be carrying weapons and money to the militant Hezbollah group. Lebanon’s Jumblatt wants ban on flights from Iran
AFP: A leading member of Lebanon's Western-backed ruling coalition called on Saturday for a ban on flights from Iran to Beirut airport, saying the militant group Hezbollah could be flying in arms from Iran. Obama chides Clinton’s ‘cowboy’ talk on Iran
Reuters: Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama accused rival Hillary Clinton of saber rattling toward Iran on Sunday and compared her approach to that of unpopular Republican President George W. Bush. Shell, Repsol seek way out of Iran gas deal: report
AFP: European oil groups Royal Dutch Shell and Repsol YPF are under pressure from the United States to end talks with Iran about a multi-billion dollar natural gas deal, the Expansion newspaper reported Saturday. Shell and Repsol reportedly aim to leave Iran gas project
Reuters: Royal Dutch Shell and Spain's Repsol are negotiating with the Iranian government to pull out of a $10 billion (5 billion pounds) natural gas project due in part to U.S. pressure, Spanish newspaper Expansion reported on Saturday. 