Reuters: Despite a diplomatic thaw, Western banks are steering clear of attempts by Iran to get them involved in financing humanitarian transactions, fearing they could be penalized under U.S. sanctions, bankers and government officials told Reuters.
Western banks cold-shoulder Iran trade finance scheme
UN chief criticises Iran for executions, rights breaches
AFP: UN chief Ban Ki-moon strongly criticised Iran Wednesday for doing too little to improve its human rights record, noting more executions, the detention of regime opponents and discrimination against women.
Iraqi government continues to deny food to Camp Liberty residents
Iran Liberty: The Iraqi government continues the inhuman siege on Camp Liberty, near Baghdad. It is now seven days that agents of the Iraqi Prime Ministry Office are preventing food supply purchased by the residents from entering the camp.
Iran thaw seen re-stoking $6 billion market for steel
Bloomberg: Even after seven years of international sanctions and the economic pain they’ve inflicted, the Islamic Republic still consumes more steel than France or the U.K. It’s a major carmaker and needs massive infrastructure for its oil and gas industry.
Iraq close to ungovernable
ABC: In Baghdad roadside bombings are commonplace government troops are battling tribal fighters in the west there is even growing strife over oil revenues in the usually peaceful Kurdish-controlled north.
Iran hosts Syria conference of Assad sympathizers
Reuters: Iran hosted a rival version of a “Friends of Syria” conference on Wednesday, convening lawmakers from allies around the world to push for a diplomatic solution to Syria’s civil war and lambaste alleged Western interference.
Rouhani has not increased freedoms in Iran, U.N. chief says
Reuters: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has failed to fulfill campaign promises to allow greater freedom of expression and there has been a sharp rise in executions since his election, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday.
A massacre in Iraq that must have pleased Tehran
Wall Street Journal: Sometime in the past six months, the government of Nouri al-Maliki buried 52 bodies in an undisclosed location in Iraq. The 46 men and six women had been members of the Iranian opposition group that since 1986 has maintained a presence inside Iraq.
Iran lays its cards on the table
Wall Street Journal: Foreign oil companies hoping to invest in Iran as sanctions are relaxed won’t be able to count Iranian reserves among their assets under the draft terms of new contracts. The ability to book reserves is an important valuation metric for oil companies.
India to slash Iran oil imports to meet nuclear deal parameters – sources
Reuters: India has to cut its Iranian oil imports by nearly two-thirds from the first quarter after the United States asked it to hold the shipments at end-2013 levels, in keeping with the nuclear deal easing sanctions on Tehran, Indian government sources said.
