AFP: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday accused Iran and Syria of arming Hezbollah with increasingly sophisticated rockets and missiles, saying the militia's arsenal undermined stability in the region.
Syria, Iran arm Hezbollah with improved missiles: US
Gates “very satisfied” with planning on Iran
Reuters: Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday he was satisfied with the pace of U.S. planning to counter the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program, brushing aside Republican charges of a strategic vacuum.
Clinton says U.S. seeks “tough” Iran sanctions
Reuters: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday the United States was seeking tough new sanctions to "sharpen the choices that Iran's leaders face" after weekend talks failed to make headway on Tehran's nuclear program.
Iran stocks fuel to offset threat of sanctions
AFP: Iran has increased its stockpile of petrol by over one billion litres (220 million gallons) and plans to boost domestic production to offset possible fuel sanctions, an oil official said on Tuesday.
Nuclear-free Mideast key to settling Iran nuclear issue: Egypt
AFP: Egypt said Tuesday establishing a Middle East nuclear-free zone at next month's nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference here was the key to resolving the nuclear standoff with Iran.
Iran has no military presence in Venezuela: US general
AFP: Iran is expanding its diplomatic and economic ties with Venezuela but has no military presence in the South American country, a US general said on Tuesday.
Sanctions squeeze Iranians in trade hub Dubai
Reuters: Asian workers in a Dubai port load an Iran-bound ship with sacks of sugar. U.S. and U.N. sanctions over Tehran's nuclear work do not bar such goods, but Iranian traders based here are feeling the heat all the same.
The Austrian-Iranian axis
Wall Street Journal Europe: While the Western world is trying to rally international support for tougher sanctions against Tehran to stop its nuclear-weapons program, Austria seems to seek even closer ties with the mullahs.
Ahmadinejad calls UN veto power ‘satanic tool’
AP: Facing the threat of new U.N. sanctions, Iran's president said Monday the veto power held by the U.S. and other permanent Security Council members is a "satanic tool."
Chavez denies elite Iranian forces in Venezuela
Reuters: Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said on Monday a U.S. report was "absolutely false" that Iranian special forces had an increasing presence in his South American nation.
