AFP: Evidence suggests Iran has played a key role in supporting war-torn Sudan’s weapons production and that Tehran has also been Khartoum’s second-biggest supplier of arms, a study said Monday.
‘Significant’ Iran role in Sudan arms sector: study
Big gaps remain in Iran nuclear talks but deal possible: U.S.
Reuters: A senior U.S. official on Tuesday cautioned against excessive optimism over six world powers’ nuclear talks with Iran but said disputes could be overcome and a deal reached by their self-imposed July 20 deadline.
BNP Paribas may pay more than $3 billion to end probes: sources
Reuters: BNP Paribas is in talks with U.S. authorities to pay more than $3 billion to resolve probes into whether the French bank violated U.S. sanctions on Iran, Sudan and other countries, people familiar with the matter said.
UN’s nuclear probe of Iran falters
AP: A once-promising U.N. attempt to probe suspicions that Tehran worked on atomic arms is faltering – and with it, hopes that Iran and six world powers can meet their July target date for an overarching nuclear deal.
Assad’s military gains challenge Obama’s Syria strategy
Bloomberg: With the Syrian uprising in its fourth year, U.S. President Barack Obama may be further than ever from his goal of seeing rebels topple President Bashar al-Assad. Obama is scheduled to meet this week with the president of the Syrian Opposition Coalition, Ahmad al-Jarba.
Israeli suspected of selling US gear to Iran arrested
AFP – An Israeli subject to a US federal arrest warrant for allegedly selling American military equipment to Iran was arrested on Monday at Tel Aviv airport, police said. A US court had already sentenced the Israeli to six months in prison for illegally trading US military materiel.
Iran, UN atomic watchdog tight-lipped after talks
AFP: Iran and the UN atomic watchdog IAEA were tight-lipped on Monday after talks aimed at improving transparency and clearing up long-standing allegations of Tehran’s past efforts to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran says it has built copy of captured American drone, will take it on test flight
Fox News: Iran says it has “succeeded” in copying an American drone it captured in 2011 and will soon take the replicated aircraft on a test flight. State television in Iran broadcasted images Sunday apparently showing a replicated US RQ-170 Sentinel drone alongside the original one.
No nuclear deal with Iran unless actions ‘verifiable’ – Obama aide
Reuters: Iran must agree to “verifiable action” to satisfy U.S. concerns about its nuclear program or else there will be no final deal, President Barack Obama’s top national security aide said on Monday on the eve of a new round of talks between Iran and world powers in Vienna.
Nuclear talks will confront Iran’s future capability to enrich uranium
New York Times: As Iran and six world powers meet this week in Vienna to begin drafting language to resolve their nuclear standoff, negotiators say they are finally confronting a crucial sticking point to a permanent agreement — the size and shape of the nuclear fuel production capability that Iran will be permitted to retain.
