Iran Focus: Tehran, Jun. 18 – From the Grapevine… Residents of Tehran’s Rah-e Ahan, Sadeqiya, Arya Shahr, Khosh, Navvab, and Amir-Abad districts on Thursday night chanted “Allah-o Akbar” and “Death to Khamenei”, referring to Iran’s Supreme Leader, from their rooftops.
Anti-government chants continue in the night
Iraq car bombs kill five, wound 79
AFP: Two car bombs targeting a provincial councillor and a police officer north of Baghdad on Friday killed five people and wounded 79, many of them women or children, police said.
Clinton welcomes EU, Australia sanctions against Iran
AFP: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday welcomed Australian and European sanctions against Iran, saying she hoped they would influence Iran to take a “more constructive course.”
Russia’s Medvedev criticizes Iran sanctions: report
Reuters: Russia and the United States should “act collectively” to coax Iran back to international talks on its nuclear program, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Thursday.
Many countries support military action on Iran: poll
AFP: Majorities in many Western and some Muslim countries are willing to consider military action against Iran to prevent the Islamic republic from obtaining nuclear weapons, a global poll showed Thursday.
U.S., Europe target Iran investment, trade
Washington Post: The United States and its allies are swiftly tightening an economic cordon around Iran by imposing new strictures that could inflict far more economic pain on the Islamic republic than previous sanctions.
Europe could face hundreds of Iran missiles -Gates
Reuters: U.S. intelligence showing Iran likely would have the capability to attack Europe with “scores or even hundreds” of missiles factored into the Obama administration’s decision to overhaul missile defenses, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday.
Iranian pleads guilty in illegal exports sting
AFP: An Iranian national has pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to illegally export US fighter jet parts to Iran, which he purchased from a US undercover agent, the Department of Justice has said.
FACTBOX-Foreign companies stepping away from Iran
Reuters: A growing number of oil companies, trading houses and other international companies have stopped doing business with Iran this year amid a U.S. drive to isolate Tehran and international efforts to impose tougher sanctions.
Full text of EU statement on new Iran sanctions
Iran Focus: London, Jun. 17 – The following is the full text of an agreement announced by European Union leaders on Thursday tightening sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear program. The text was included in the annex to the EU Council’s conclusions at the end of a leaders’ summit in Brussels.
