AP: Israel’s prime minister says a policy of containment for Iran will not work because Tehran is guided by a “leadership of fanaticism.”
Netanyahu: Containment policy for Iran won’t work
S. Korea halts crude imports from Iran after insurance lost
Bloomberg: South Korea stopped buying crude oil from Iran in August after its refiners lost insurance coverage on ships carrying the fuel from the Persian Gulf nation.
US extends sanctions waivers for Japan, Europeans
AP: The Obama administration has exempted Japan and 10 European countries from U.S. economic sanctions because they have reduced significantly their purchases of petroleum from Iran.
Israel leader says US may not act against Iran
AP: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insinuated in an interview published Friday that Israel cannot entirely rely on the U.S. to act against Iran’s suspect nuclear program, a sign that the Israeli leader is not backing down from the sharp rhetoric that strained relations this week with the Obama administration.
Iran: Hezbollah will defend us “easily” against Israeli attack
Reuters: An aide to Iran’s supreme leader said Israel’s military threats had “put Israeli citizens one step away from the cemetery” and that Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was ready to hit back.
Oil approaches $100 in New York on Fed stimulus, Mideast unrest
Bloomberg: Oil rose to the highest level in four months on speculation that economic stimulus in the U.S. will boost fuel demand, and concern that unrest in the Middle East and North Africa will disrupt supplies.
IAEA chief wants Iran ‘to understand the message’
AFP: Iran should “understand the message” that it needs to do more to address global concerns that it wants the bomb, following the UN atomic agency’s latest board resolution, the watchdog’s chief told AFP.
Iran tells US to ‘punish’ makers of anti-Islam film
AFP: Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Thursday demanded the United States punish those behind an anti-Islam film blamed for sparking violent protests in the Middle East and North Africa.
U.N. nuclear governors censure Iran over atom bomb concerns
Reuters: The 35-nation board of the U.N. nuclear watchdog censured Iran on Thursday for defying international demands to curb uranium enrichment and failing to address mounting disquiet about its suspected research into atomic bombs.
Report: US strikes on Iran would risk major war
AP: U.S. military strikes on Iran would shake the regime’s political control and damage its ability to launch counterstrikes, but the Iranians probably would manage to retaliate.
