Washington Post: Former senator Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) had many rocky moments during his confirmation hearing Thursday as he tried to explain some of his previous positions and statements.
The ironies of Hagel’s ‘no’ vote on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards
Vatican shoots down claim that Iran backed John Paul assassination attempt
Washington Post: The Vatican on Friday (Feb. 1) dismissed a claim by the man who tried to kill Pope John Paul II that the assassination attempt had been ordered by Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Iran escalating efforts to destabilize region – Panetta
Reuters: Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta accused Iran of an intensified campaign to destabilize the Middle East by smuggling anti-aircraft weapons to militant allies, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
Biden warns Iran: time for talk not unlimited
AFP: US Vice President Joe Biden on Friday warned Iran that opportunities for diplomacy over its disputed nuclear programme were not unlimited but offered direct talks between Washington and Tehran.
On Iran, Hagel muddles the message
New York Times: Dealing with Iran is complicated, but President Obama’s policy on the question of whether a nuclear-armed Iran could be successfully “contained’’ – the way the Soviet Union was during the cold war – is simple.
Nuclear diplomacy and Iran – Where’s the deal?
The Economist: On the face of it, all that is needed at this stage of Iran’s nuclear diplomacy with the United States and other world powers is for the Iranians and the so-called P5+1 to agree on a time and a place for their next meeting.
Value of Iran currency drops sharply
Iran Focus: Informed sources in Tehran Bazaar’s currency exchange reported a sharp drop in the Iranian currency, rial, against the dollar. As close of trading, each dollar was selling for 40,000 rials, compared to 35000 rials a day earlier, marking a 11.4 percent drop in its value.
Iraqi president’s absence leaves political hole
AP: Last year, Talabani blocked an attempt to unseat al-Maliki with a no-confidence vote in parliament. Some, portraying Talabani as beholden to Shiite-led Iran, say he averted the vote to save the al-Maliki government, which has close ties to Iran.
Clinton hands Kerry U.S. policy tests from Syria to Iran
Bloomberg: Hillary Clinton said Iran has increased the number and quality of weapons it sends Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, underscoring a top challenge facing John Kerry, her successor as U.S. secretary of state.
Iran increasing Syrian regime aid, Clinton warns
AFP: Iran is stepping up its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while Russia is continuing to send money and arms to the regime, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned.
