AP: President Barack Obama has signed an executive order that carries out new sanctions against Iran that Congress approved and that he signed this summer.

AFP: White House hopeful Mitt Romney said Tuesday that any US military intervention to stop Iran’s nuclear program was still on the distant horizon, tempering his rhetoric a day after a major foreign policy speech.

Reuters: Iran’s state budget is under pressure and the government has cut spending in some areas, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying as the country struggles to cope with Western economic sanctions.

Bloomberg: Iran’s currency crisis has emboldened critics of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who are lining up to pillory the president and lay down markers for next year when his successor will be elected.

Reuters: A reduction in natural gas exports from Iran would not have much impact on world energy markets, but could hurt Turkey and part of Azerbaijan, according to a U.S. report due to be released on Tuesday.

AP: Iran on Tuesday warned the United Arab Emirates it could cut diplomatic relations between the two countries if the Arab nation keeps repeating claims to three Gulf islands that are controlled by Tehran.

Reuters: Maersk Line, the world’s biggest container shipping company, has stopped port calls to Iran as Western sanctions pressure on the Islamic Republic mounts, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

Bloomberg: European sanctions on buying oil from Iran are turning into a windfall for owners of Suezmax tankers, shipping the most cargoes in at least nine years as Saudi Arabia and Iraq increase supply.

Reuters: Cisco Systems Inc. has ended a longstanding sales partnership with ZTE Corp after an internal investigation into allegations that the Chinese telecommunications equipment maker sold Cisco networking gear to Iran.