New York Times: Asian countries that are Iran’s biggest oil customers have been assured that if they yield to pressure from Washington to curtail the purchases, Saudi Arabia and its Arab neighbors will fill any gap in energy supplies, adding heft to the American efforts to choke off Iran’s petroleum exports, its primary source of revenue.
In standoff with Iran, U.S. allies offer oil for Asia
Iranian leader ends lackluster Latin America tour
Reuters: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday wraps up a four-nation tour of Latin America that yielded kind words from ideological allies but no clear offers to help ease Western sanctions against its nuclear program.
US warns Iran over blocking oil strait: report
AFP: The United States has used a secret channel to warn Iran’s leaders against closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, saying that doing so would provoke a US response, The New York Times reported.
Senior U.N. team to visit Iran this month: sources
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.
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.
