AP: An exiled Iranian opposition group has issued a letter signed by ranking former U.S. military officials asking President Barack Obama to pressure Iraq to cancel the Dec. 31 deadline to close a camp of dissidents or risk a massacre.
Exiled Iranians want Obama to help keep camp open
Iran sees crude market “relatively balanced”
Reuters: Iran’s OPEC governor said on Saturday the oil market was “relatively balanced”, indicating the country will not push for any major shift in an OPEC ministerial meeting next week.
Iran summons Afghan diplomat over US drone flight
AP: Iran has summoned the Afghan ambassador to protest the violation of its airspace by a U.S. surveillance drone that took off from neighboring Afghanistan.
Huawei to scale back business in Iran
Wall Street Journal: Chinese telecommunications- equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co. said it will scale back its business in Iran, where the company provides services to government-controlled telecom operators, following reports that Iranian police were using mobile-network technology to track down and arrest dissidents.
EU leaders call for more sanctions on Iran
Reuters: European Union leaders called on Friday for more sanctions against Iran by the end of January, in an effort to increase pressure on Tehran over its nuclear programme.
Video posted of former FBI agent missing in Iran
Reuters: The family of a former FBI agent who vanished in Iran in 2007 has released a hostage video showing him alive and asking for help.
Congress rebuffs easing of Iran sanctions
AP: Republicans and Democrats determined to look tough on Iran and avoid any election-year challenges to their pro-Israel bona fides are rebuffing Obama administration pleas to ease proposed sanctions on Iran’s Central Bank.
US House to take up Iran sanctions next week
AFP: The US House of Representatives next week will vote on imposing tough new sanctions aimed at forcing Iran to freeze what the West charges is a nuclear weapons program, its leaders said Friday.
EU sanctions on Iran will impact Europe: analysts
AFP: EU sanctions on Iran’s oil exports will hurt European refiners which rely on crude from the Islamic republic to help power ailing economies such as Greece, Italy and Spain, according to analysts.
Japan toughens sanctions on Iran
Reuters: Japan on Friday toughened sanctions on Iran in response to mounting Western suspicions that Tehran plans to build nuclear weapons, following more severe, steps by the United States and the European Union.
