Reuters: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao defended his country’s extensive oil trade with Iran against Western sanctions pressure in comments published on Thursday, and yet also warned Tehran against any effort to acquire nuclear weapons.
China’s Wen defends Iran oil, warns on nuclear aims
Syria’s Brotherhood rejected Iran-mediated deal
Reuters: Iranian officials contacted Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood to try to mediate a political solution to a 10-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad but their efforts were rebuffed, a senior Brotherhood member said on Wednesday.
U.S. mulls options for slashing Iran’s oil revenues
Reuters: The Obama administration, still grappling with how to punish a nuclear-ambitious Iran, is focusing on making countries cut purchases of Iranian oil, rather than allowing them to avoid U.S. sanctions simply by winning price cuts.
Iran currency hits new low in blackmarket trading
AFP: Iran’s currency, the rial, hit a record low against the dollar on Wednesday, the ISNA news agency reported, based on rates in blackmarket trading that the government has tried to ban.
Obama: Iran’s economy a ‘shambles’ after sanctions
AFP: US President Barack Obama said US-led sanctions had reduced Iran’s economy to a “shambles,” in a robust defense of his policy towards Tehran following sharp Republican attacks.
Panetta: US ‘fully prepared’ for an Iran challenge
AP: The U.S. military is now “fully prepared” to deal with any Iranian effort to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital Gulf avenue for international oil shipments, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday.
France’s Juppe sees EU sanctions on Iran Monday
Reuters: EU foreign ministers are expected to agree on an oil embargo against Iran and a freeze on the assets of its central bank at a meeting scheduled for Monday, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said.
Europe said to consider sanctions on Iran’s Bank Tejarat
Bloomberg: The European Union is discussing whether to impose sanctions on Bank Tejarat, the last major Iranian bank financing large-volume trade in Europe, according to EU diplomats and sanctions specialists close to the negotiations.
New bid to stifle Iran aid to Syria
Wall Street Journal: U.S. officials have uncovered an effort by Iran to help Syria mask its oil exports and evade an American and European embargo, in a potent new sign of Tehran’s campaign to bolster Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as his regime cracks down on public opposition.
EU states agree in principle to sanction Iran central bank
Reuters: European Union governments have agreed in principle to freeze the assets of Iran’s central bank alongside a planned embargo on the OPEC producer’s crude oil, but have yet to agree how to protect non-oil trade from sanctions, EU diplomats said Wednesday.
