AFP: The US State Department said Thursday it was mulling a request from US lawmakers to probe whether China’s Huawei Technologies and other telecom firms are violating US sanctions on Iran.
US lawmakers urge probe of telecom firms in Iran
Iranian carpet tradition faces modern pressures
AP: Deep in Tehran’s carpet bazaar, merchants and laborers occupy chambers that have changed little over the centuries. But Iran’s carpet industry now faces some modern pressures.
Iran intensifies efforts to influence policy in Afghanistan
Washington Post: Worried that U.S. troops could stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014, Iran is mounting an aggressive campaign to fuel anti-American sentiment here and convince Afghan leaders that a robust, long-term security partnership with Washington would be counterproductive, Afghan officials and analysts say.
Ex-IAEA official: Iran nuclear move may raise concern
Reuters: Iran appears to be testing atomic fuel intended for a planned reactor which could one day yield nuclear bomb material, a former senior United Nations nuclear official said on Thursday.
Japan’s JX looks to Saudi for oil on Iran worries
Reuters: Japan’s biggest refiner JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp is talking with top exporter Saudi Arabia and other oil producers to source crude to replace any disruption to its imports from Iran, the company’s president said on Thursday.
EU officials try to agree on Iran oil embargo
AP: Officials from the 27 countries that make up the European Union are beginning Thursday the process of trying to thrash out an agreement on banning the purchase of Iranian oil in the hope of choking off funding for the country’s nuclear program.
South Korea to tighten monitoring on crude imports from Iran
Bloomberg: South Korea’s government is closely monitoring crude imports from Iran amid concern that new U.S. sanctions against the Middle East country may cause a surge in global and local oil prices.
U.K. warns Iran over threat to Strait of Hormuz
Bloomberg: The U.K. may take military action against Iran if it carries out its threat to block the Strait of Hormuz, Defense Secretary Philip Hammond will warn in a speech in Washington today.
Japan mulls cuts in Iran oil imports to win US sanctions waiver
Reuters: Japan is weighing various ways of securing a waiver on new U.S. sanctions against Iran, with reducing Iranian oil imports and dealings with its central bank possible options, government sources said on Thursday.
Huawei dismisses U.S. calls for probe of Iran business
Reuters: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd said on Wednesday that calls by six U.S. lawmakers to investigate whether the giant Chinese telecommunications equipment maker has violated a sanctions law by supplying sensitive technology to Iran were based on inaccurate media reports.
