AFP: The United States on Monday called on Iran to release Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who was imprisoned in 2009 and condemned to death for converting from Islam to Christianity.
US calls on Iran to release Christian pastor
Is the US State Department blackmailing Iranian dissidents in Iraq to placate the al-Maliki regime?
Daily Mail: The US State Department should feel ashamed of itself. Rather than stand up for the humanitarian rights of defenseless refugees, State Department officials have decided to side with the murderous Iraqi regime.
U.S. lawmaker asks Tuvalu to stop reflagging Iran oil tankers
Reuters: A prominent U.S. lawmaker has asked the small South Pacific island nation Tuvalu to stop reflagging Iranian oil tankers and warned its government of the risks of running afoul of U.S. sanctions.
Iran FM meets top officials in surprise UAE visit
AFP: Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi held talks on Monday with top Emirati officials on a surprise visit to the United Arab Emirates, the state news agency WAM reported.
Frankfurt prosecutors investigating Iran diplomat
AP: State prosecutors in Frankfurt confirmed Monday they are investigating a 10-year-old girl’s allegations she was inappropriately touched by an Iranian diplomat — a case that Tehran claims is part of a smear campaign by an Iranian opposition group.
Iran sets up private oil export to beat sanctions
AP: An official says Iran has set up a private oil export group in an attempt to bypass a European ban on buying Iranian oil.
Iran producing missiles based on Russia’s Kornet
Bloomberg: Iran is producing new laser-guided anti-tank missiles modeled on Russia’s Kornet, the rocket used by Hezbollah in the 2006 war with Israel, according to defense analysts in London and Moscow.
Annan arrives in Iran for talks on Syria: report
AFP: International envoy Kofi Annan arrived in Tehran on Monday from Syria for talks with the Islamic republic’s top security official and foreign minister, the Arabic-language Al-Alam television reported.
Iran sees no need for emergency OPEC oil meeting
Bloomberg: Iran sees no need for OPEC to hold an emergency meeting if the current trend of rising crude prices continues, Shana reported, citing the nation’s oil minister.
Syrian opposition rejects Annan’s call for Iranian role in talks
Bloomberg: Syria’s main opposition group rejected United Nations envoy Kofi Annan’s call for an Iranian role in resolving the country’s crisis, describing it as an accomplice in President Bashar al-Assad’s aggression.
