AFP: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday world pressure on Iran must be maintained, as an Israeli delegation travelled to Washington to be briefed on talks on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Israel to get US briefing on Iran nuclear talks
Signs of rift between Israel and US over Iran
AP: Just days after the first round of global nuclear talks with Iran, a rift appears to be emerging between Israel and its closest ally, the United States. Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran a threat to its very survival, citing Iranian references to Israel’s destruction.
Iraq: War won, peace lost
The Hill: Last week the U.S. Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman attended a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The issue at hand was the fate of the thousands of Iranian dissidents who have been in limbo since the U.S. withdrew its troops from Iraq.
Hope for Iranian who survived botched hanging as sharia expert doubts ruling
The Observer: Hopes have been raised for the life of the Iranian man who survived a hanging only to be condemned to be re-executed, after one of the country’s oldest and most respected Islamic scholars appeared to question the ruling.
Saudi Arabia declines top UN seat citing Syrian failings
Bloomberg: Saudi Arabia refused to accept the membership of the United Nations Security Council it won yesterday, citing issues including Syria’s civil war that it said show the world body is incapable of resolving conflicts.
Iran’s Zarif uses Twitter, Facebook to deny nuclear deal
Bloomberg: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif posted comments on Facebook and Twitter to deny leaks of the Persian Gulf nation’s proposed deal with world powers over its disputed nuclear program.
Obama, Congress at odds over Iran sanctions relief
AP: The Obama administration is weighing whether to offer Iran the chance to recoup billions of dollars in frozen overseas assets if it takes steps to scale back its nuclear program, U.S. officials and congressional aides said Friday.
Time for scholars to examine Iranian opposition
UPI: The P5+1 nuclear negotiations in Geneva this week have the world asking whether there isn’t a better way to address the Iranian nuclear problem.
Iraqi leader to return home if assured of fair trial
AFP: Fugitive Iraqi vice president Tareq al-Hashemi, sentenced to death on murder charges, said Thursday he would return home if the EU could help guarantee him a fair trial. He accused predominantly Shiite Iran of stoking sectarian conflict in Iraq.
France says treating Iran’s nuclear overture with caution
Reuters: France is treating Iranian overtures to the international community over its nuclear program with caution and is waiting to see concrete proposals, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Thursday.
