AFP: Top Iranian officials said on Thursday that Tehran is determined to push ahead with its mega gas projects without foreign aid and is raising billions of dollars to ensure their timely completion.
Iran bound to complete gas projects despite sanctions
Russia says awaiting Iranian response on fuel swap
Reuters: Global powers seeking to ensure Iran does not develop nuclear weapons are still hoping for a response from Tehran to a fuel swap proposal seen as a step towards ending the persistent standoff, Russia said on Thursday.
Report: Strong quake hits sparsely populated remote southeastern Iran; no injuries reported
AP: Iran says a magnitude 6.0 earthquake has jolted a sparsely populated remote area in the southeast.
Brazil has no plans for new mediation on Iran
Reuters: Brazil will not make any new attempts to mediate between world powers and Tehran over its nuclear programme for now but still regards diplomacy as the best approach to solve the row, Brazil’s foreign minister said.
Iran’s Press TV has British bank account frozen: report
AFP: Iran’s state-run news channel Press TV has had its British bank account frozen, a report said on Thursday.
Ahmadinejad slams rivals in Iran power struggle
Reuters: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has hit out at the heads of parliament and the judiciary, accusing them of “interfering” in his government’s business, media reported Wednesday.
Baroness Ashton’s plunging neckline ‘covered up’ by Iranian media
Daily Telegraph: Iranian censors covered Baroness Ashton, the EU foreign minister’s plunging neckline, in press coverage of her failed “quiet diplomacy” in top-level talks over Iran’s nuclear programme at the weekend.
Iranian dissidents lobby Brussels
Wall Street Journal: The Mujahedin-e Khalq, Iran’s opposition group known by its initials MEK, is nothing if not well organized and funded.
U.S. official says Iran relying on ‘soft power’ to influence Iraq
RFE/RL: A top U.S. State Department official says Iran’s efforts to exercise “hard power” in Iraq have failed, prompting Tehran to try to influence its western neighbor through the use of “soft power,” or more indirect means.
Obama focuses on Iran, N.Korea, omits Mideast peace
Reuters: President Barack Obama played up U.S. progress in both Afghanistan and Iraq on Tuesday, while declaring the United States would stay tough on North Korea and Iran over their nuclear ambitions.
