AFP: Iran unveiled on Thursday a new drone, dubbed the Epic, capable of carrying out both surveillance and attack missions, the Mehr news agency reported.
Iran unveils new attack drone
Suspense over Rafsanjani as Iran election hopefuls sign up
Bloomberg: As more than 190 candidates signed up to stand in Iran’s presidential election for a successor to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, media attention is focusing on a potential runner who hasn’t registered.
U.S. blacklists firms for evading Iran oil sale sanctions
Reuters: The United States has blacklisted two companies it says helped Iran evade sanctions on oil sales and slapped penalties on four Tehran-based firms it says helped the Islamic Republic enrich uranium, the latest efforts to pressure Iran’s nuclear program.
Assad says Hezbollah ‘a model for Syria’
AFP: Syria will “give Hezbollah everything” in recognition of its support and will follow the militant group’s model of “resistance” against Israel, a Lebanese newspaper on Thursday quoted President Bashar al-Assad as saying.
Prospect of Iran’s election stirs little hope this time around
New York Times: Iran’s state television broadcast a live program in which passers-by were placed in a chair and asked what they would do if they were president. Suddenly, a young woman grabbed the microphone and said. “Those who really sit on this chair are only there to fill their own pockets.”
Senators seek to block Iran from billion-dollar reserves
Reuters: Legislation introduced by a bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Wednesday would block Iran’s access to billions of dollars worth of foreign currency reserves in the latest congressional effort to slow development of the Islamic Republic’s disputed nuclear program.
Iran cracks down ahead of election
Wall Street Journal: The Iranian government has launched a pre-emptive crackdown ahead of presidential elections next month, Iranians say, including disrupting the Internet, creating a cyber-surveillance unit for social media, arresting a prominent editor and canceling university classes.
Senate group pushes new round of Iran sanctions
AP: A bipartisan group of senators are pushing for a new round of penalties on Iran, determined to cripple the regime’s economy and thwart any nuclear ambitions.
Iran hostages see renewed focus on their 17-year bid for compensation
New York Times: When the hostages came home from Iran 32 years ago, after 444 days in captivity, they were heroes, and their release was unalloyed good news, a national triumph, observed with ticker-tape parades, speeches, awards and miles of yellow ribbons.
A President as aloof abroad as at home
Wall Street Journal: If he thought about Iran strategically, he would have backed Iran’s Green Revolution after the stolen 2009 parliamentary elections. He would also not have sabotaged chances for a U.S. military presence in Iraq by insisting on parliamentary approval of a status-of-forces agreement.
