Bloomberg: Iran has restricted the availability of monthly cash handouts that were intended to offset price increases after a reduction in food and energy subsidies, the Iranian Students News Agency reported.

AFP: The European Union confirmed Monday that a ban on oil imports from Iran will go ahead as planned on July 1 due to the lack of progress in talks on Tehran’s contested nuclear drive.

Bloomberg: NITC, an oil-tanker company owned by Iranian pension funds, renamed at least 10 of its vessels and switched them to a Tanzanian flag amid increasing curbs on transactions with the Persian Gulf nation.

Bloomberg: A senior cleric called on Iran’s Islamic establishment to counter the effects of high prices partly caused by international sanctions, Shargh reported.

Bloomber:  Iran’s oil minister, Rostam Qasemi, said China National Petroleum Corp. must start developing phase 11 of the South Pars gas field by the end of the Iranian year on March 20, 2013, the Tehran Times reported.

AP: The West’s standoff with Iran over its nuclear program will be the hot topic when Russian President Vladimir Putin huddles with Israeli leaders during a 24-hour visit here.

AFP: A Malaysian court on Monday approved the extradition of an Iranian to Thailand on suspicion of being involved in an alleged bomb plot against Israeli diplomats in the country.

Reuters: Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi urged Turkey and Syria late on Saturday to show restraint following Syria’s downing of a Turkish warplane, his ministry said.