Reuters: Senior U.N. nuclear officials are set to travel to Tehran later this month for a rare visit to discuss their growing concerns that Iran may be seeking to develop atomic arms capability, diplomatic sources said on Thursday.
Senior U.N. team to visit Iran this month: sources
Iran embargo gathers support in Asia, Europe
Reuters: U.S. allies in Asia and Europe voiced support on Thursday for Washington’s drive to cut Iran’s oil exports, though fear of self-inflicted economic pain is curbing enthusiasm for an embargo that a defiant Iran says will not halt its nuclear programme.
Republicans attack Iran, seek to wound Obama
AFP: Talking tough on Iran, Republican White House hopefuls are trying to puncture President Barack Obama’s national security armor in the cauldron of the 2012 election campaign.
Assassinations won’t stop Iran nuclear work-Larijani
Reuters: Iran’s nuclear programme is too strong to be derailed by the assassination of a few scientists, the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament Ali Larijani said on Thursday, blaming arch-enemy Israel for a series of “terrorist attacks”.
EU moves towards agreement on details of Iran oil embargo
Reuters: EU states drawing up details of an oil embargo on Iran have given wide backing to a proposal to allow European entities to continue to receive repayments in oil for debts they are currently owed by Iranian firms, EU diplomats said.
EU, US slam Iran nuclear work at UN council meeting
Reuters: France, Britain, Germany and the United States on Wednesday took advantage of a closed-door meeting of the U.N. Security Council to condemn Iran’s decision to begin enriching uranium at an underground bunker.
US hits 3 companies with sanctions for Iran links
AP: The Obama administration has hit three energy companies with sanctions for providing large amounts of fuel to Iran.
US denies blame in killing of Iranian scientist
AFP: The United States on Wednesday denied that it was to blame for the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist by a car bomb, after Tehran said Washington and Israel were responsible for the attack.
US seeking to ‘close down’ Iran central bank
AFP: The latest round of American sanctions are aimed at shutting down Iran’s central bank, a senior US official said Thursday, spelling out that intention directly for the first time.
India to cut Iran oil imports, may not seek waiver-sources
Reuters: India’s government has told refiners to reduce Iranian oil imports and find alternatives as New Delhi may not seek a waiver that would protect buyers of Tehran’s oil from a fresh round of U.S. sanctions, two industry sources said on Wednesday.
