Washington Post: The abrupt resignation of the Pentagon’s top Middle East commander has silenced one of the Bush administration’s fiercest opponents of a unilateral military strike against Iran, yet top administration officials themselves do not see real prospects for military action before the end of President Bush’s term, current and former U.S. officials say.
Fallon’s resignation is not seen as step toward attack on Iran
Nicaragua says Iran Centam power project on track
Reuters: Nicaragua said on Wednesday that Iran has approved financing to construct a power plant in the impoverished Central American country, hit hard in recent years by spiraling energy costs.
Iran bans make for flat election
BBC: The election rally was a desultory affair. It was the last one as campaigning ended in Iran ahead of Friday’s general election.
US not seeking war with Iran: White House
AFP: The White House said Wednesday that “there is no one” inside the US government who wants war with Iran, even though US President George W. Bush has not ruled out any options.
Leader tells Iranians to back U.S. foes in vote
Reuters: Iran’s supreme leader implicitly endorsed hardliners seeking to tighten their grip on parliament by urging voters on Wednesday to shun candidates backed by Western “enemies” in Friday’s election.
Treasury cracks down on Bahrain bank
AP: The Bush administration is imposing financial sanctions on a Bahrain bank the United States alleges is controlled by Iran’s Bank Melli, which has been accused of providing support to Iran’s nuclear program.
Khamenei urges Iran to shun ‘Western-friendly’ candidates
AFP: Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday urged Iranians to avoid voting for candidates who are deemed too close to the Western enemies of the Islamic republic in parliamentary polls.
Iran-linked Bahrain bank targeted by U.S. sanctions
Bloomberg: The Bush administration will freeze any U.S. assets of Future Bank B.S.C., a Bahrain-based bank controlled by an Iranian lender linked to Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, the Treasury Department said in a statement.
Iranian envoy reassures Japan of oil supplies
AFP: Iran on Thursday reassured Japan, the top buyer of its oil, that it would continue to be a stable supplier despite fresh UN sanctions over the Islamic Republic’s contested nuclear programme.
Apathy with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rules Iran
Daily Telegraph: Campaigning ends today in Iran for a general election in which the victory of the conservatives is assured. The inevitability of the result follows the disqualification by the clerically dominated Council of Guardians of more than 800 of the 909 reformist candidates.
