New York Times: A long and bitter rivalry between Iran’s president and an influential band of brothers in the political hierarchy exploded into the open on Monday, signaling new fractures in the facade of unity as the country confronts worsening economic conditions and isolation over the disputed Iranian nuclear program.

AFP: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday insisted he still wants to visit Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, a day after the judiciary rejected his request to see the jail, the presidency website reported.

Reuters: Just weeks after the election, President Barack Obama will be faced with a pivotal decision on oil sanctions on Iran, in which he will have to balance the need to stay tough on Tehran without pushing oil prices too high.

AP: European broadcast officials say Syria and Iran appear to be behind the deliberate signal-jamming that has interrupted news delivered by satellite into parts of the Middle East.

Reuters: South Korea is set to resume Iranian oil imports in October after crude cargoes were halted by EU sanctions in the previous two months, with shipments transported under Iranian insurance cover to avoid sanctions targeting Tehran’s nuclear program.

Reuters: Targeted Western sanctions are hurting Iran’s vital shipping industry and if the pressure continues its biggest cargo carrier will face increasingly grave problems, the head of the Iranian line said.

UPI: Iranian companies with contracts in the domestic energy sector are called on to get more of their materials from Iranian sources, a director said.

Bloomberg: Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman criticized the idea of direct U.S. talks with Iran about its nuclear program. “The last thing we would want to do is abandon our allies on this and to make it a one-on-one negotiation,” he said.