Reuters: Iran’s government is predicting it will need about $3.2 billion for gasoline and petroleum imports in the budget for the Iranian year that starts in March, according to an Iranian media report published on Thursday.
Iran sees fuel imports at $3.2 bln in 2008-09
Iran gets 6th delivery of nuclear fuel from Russia
Reuters: Iran received a sixth batch of nuclear fuel from Russia on Thursday for the Islamic state’s first atomic power plant, leaving just two more to complete the total consignment, the official IRNA news agency said.
China urges “creative efforts” to end Iran standoff
Reuters: China urged all sides in Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West to be creative and find a new way towards a diplomatic solution.
Attacks imperil militiamen in Iraq allied with U.S.
New York Times: American-backed Sunni militias who have fought Sunni extremists to a standstill in some of Iraqs bloodiest battlegrounds are being hit with a wave of assassinations and bomb attacks, threatening a fragile linchpin of the militarys strategy to pacify the nation.
US still seeks diplomatic resolution of Iran row: Rice
AFP: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that the nuclear stand-off with Iran could still be resolved diplomatically, a day after world powers agreed to haul Tehran back before the UN Security Council.
UN resolution to name 2 Iran banks-diplomats
Reuters: Six world powers have agreed that a new U.N. sanctions resolution on Iran would name two more Iranian banks but not put compulsory restrictions on doing business with them, Western diplomats said on Wednesday.
Iran snubbed US protest over ship incident: official
AFP: Iran has not acknowledged Washington’s protest over an incident between Iranian and US naval forces because it did not use the term “Persian Gulf”, the state news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday.
3,000 Iran election hopefuls banned
Press Association: About 3,000 prospective candidates have been disqualified from running in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Iran.
Iran says Turkmenistan not to be trusted
Reuters: Iran may review energy ties with Turkmenistan after the neighbouring country last month cut gas exports to the Islamic Republic, an Iranian official warned on Wednesday, saying Ashgabat could “not be trusted”.
Iran vows to follow nuclear path despite sanctions
Reuters: Iranian leaders vowed on Wednesday to press on with Tehran’s disputed nuclear work regardless of any new U.N. sanctions, one day after world powers agreed the outline of a new resolution.
