CNN: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki needs to abandon his bid for a new term “for the sake of democracy” and jump-start the stalled process of forming a new government, his leading rival said Sunday.
Ex-Iraqi leader says it’s time for al-Maliki to go
Petrochemical factory blast kills 4 in Iran
AP: Iran’s official news agency says an explosion at a petrochemical factory on Iran’s largest oil terminal has killed four people.
The ‘unravelling relationship’ between Russia and Iran
BBC: Russia and Iran seemed to be good friends, but in recent weeks the relationship has unravelled.
Tehran exchange starts futures trading to woo foreign investors
Bloomberg: The Tehran Stock Exchange, home of the world’s second-best performing equity index, today begins offering derivatives based on Iranian banks to diversify its market and attract foreign investors.
Judiciary official: Iran is ‘flag bearer’ of human rights worldwide
Iran Focus: Tehran, Jul. 24 – Mohammad Javad Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights and a top Judiciary official, said on Friday that the Islamic Republic of Iran was the “flag bearer for human rights in the world”.
Iran says it has 100 vessels for each US warship
AP: The former naval chief for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said the country has set aside 100 military vessels to confront each warship from the U.S. or any other foreign power that might pose a threat, an Iranian newspaper reported Saturday.
Iran ready to resume gas flow to Turkey by Tuesday
Reuters: Iran can resume natural gas exports to Turkey within three days if there are no further major problems, Iranian Oil Ministry’s official website SHANA quoted an official as saying on Saturday.
Iran studies building nuclear fusion reactor
AP: Iran’s nuclear agency began studies Saturday to build an experimental nuclear fusion reactor, something that has yet to be achieved by any nation.
Iran won’t trade with countries imposing sanctions
Reuters: Iran warned on Saturday it would stop trading with countries that impose restrictions on its assets abroad in the face of tightening international sanctions over the Islamic state’s disputed nuclear activities.
Turkey, Iran, Brazil to discuss nuclear swap deal
Reuters: The foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey and Brazil are to meet in Istanbul on Sunday to discuss the nuclear swap deal which they agreed in May, a Turkish foreign ministry official told Reuters on Saturday.
