Reuters: Iranian President-elect Hassan Rouhani will pick a cabinet of experienced insiders and will appoint the head of a powerful charity-cum-business foundation as his chief nuclear negotiator, Iranian news agencies said on Monday.
Iran’s Rouhani to pack cabinet with old hands
Obama extends economic sanctions linked to Hezbollah
AFP: President Barack Obama announced Monday he had extended for at least a year the US freeze on financial assets of entities linked to Hezbollah, citing a threat to Lebanon’s stability.
Iran: Lessons learned
UPI: In 1978, the Central Intelligence Agency assigned me to Iran. Martial law was declared the day after my family and I arrived. In 1979, I left after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s triumphant arrival on an Air France flight and the first takeover of the U.S. Embassy.
Iran to take Chinese subway cars for oil
AP: A senior Iranian official says the country has ordered 315 subway cars from China in place of payment for oil that can’t be transferred due to sanctions. Amir Jafarpour says officials were forced to order the coaches because billions of dollars of payments from crude oil exports to China have not been transferred to Iran because of sanctions.
Iran’s leader demands apology for 2009 claims
AP: Iran’s Supreme Leader is calling on top opposition figures to apologize for claiming vote fraud in the country’s 2009 presidential elections. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s comments are seen as a response to demands from Iranian politicians for the release of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi, both under house arrest since 2011.
Textile exports to Iran set for a rupee push
The Hindu: Textile exporters have spotted an opportunity in the crisis in India-Iran trade caused by sanctions on the latter by the West. The textile industry is eyeing the rupee settlement mechanism between the two countries to push textile exports to Iran.
U.S. House set to vote on tough Iran sanctions bill this week
Reuters: Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are due to vote on a tough Iran sanctions bill this week that seeks to squeeze the Islamic Republic’s oil exports to a trickle.
Iran MP urges release of political prisoners
AFP: Conservative lawmaker Ali Motahari on Sunday called for the release of political prisoners in Iran and questioned the ongoing house arrests of opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi.
Afghan eyes Iran deal to boost trade to Europe, India
Reuters: Afghanistan hopes an agreement with Iran to use one of its ports will help boost exports to Europe and India and reduce its dependence on neighbouring Pakistan’s ports for trade. Iran will allow land-locked Afghanistan to use the port to export goods to India and other countries.
Afghan eyes Iran deal to boost trade to Europe, India
Reuters: Afghanistan hopes an agreement with Iran to use one of its ports will help boost exports to Europe and India and reduce its dependence on neighbouring Pakistan’s ports for trade. Iran will allow land-locked Afghanistan to use the port to export goods to India and other countries.
