Wall Street Journal: Iran will send its foreign minister to an international conference in Kabul next week, a senior British official said, after snubbing an earlier round of multilateral talks aimed at revitalizing Afghanistan’s stability efforts.
Tehran plans to attend Kabul talks
U.S. says scientist aided C.I.A. while still in Iran
New York Times: The Iranian scientist who American officials say defected to the United States, only to return to Tehran on Thursday, had been an informant for the Central Intelligence Agency inside Iran for several years, providing information about the country’s nuclear program, according to United States officials.
Iran’s medieval justice system
Wall Street Journal Europe: The international community has more leverage over Iran’s internal conduct than commonly assumed.
Strike at bazaar spreads beyond Tehran
New York Times: A strike at the traditional bazaar in Tehran continued into a second week on Thursday, spreading beyond the original gold and garments sectors and to at least two other major cities, news Web sites reported.
Fraud gets ex-Obama, Clinton fundraiser 12 years
AP: A wealthy Manhattan investment banker and former top Democratic fundraiser was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in prison for defrauding banks of $292 million, some of which he donated to politicians including Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Al Gore.
Appeals court rules for Iranian group in fight with State Department
Legal Times: A federal appeals court in Washington today ruled that the U.S. State Department must reexamine the government’s decision to designate the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran a foreign terrorist group.
Rebel group Jundollah claims Iran suicide bombs-TV
Reuters: The Sunni Muslim rebel group Jundollah said it was behind twin suicide bombings in Iran which killed at least 21 people on Thursday, including members of the elite Revolutionary Guards, Al Arabiya television said.
Russia tells Iran to come clean over weapons work
Reuters: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ratcheted up the pressure on Iran on Thursday, urging it to explain the “military components” of its nuclear programme.
Moms of detained US hikers again push for release
AP: The mothers of three Americans detained in Iran since last July are again pleading for their release as the one-year anniversary of their capture approaches.
At least 21 killed in Iran suicide attack: report
Reuters: At least 21 people, including members of the elite Revolutionary Guards, were killed and 100 wounded in suicide attack at a Shi’ite mosque in the southeast Iranian city of Zahedan on Thursday, Iranian media reported.
