Dow Jones: U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman Tuesday expressed concern over Italy’s continued business relations with Iran, saying he hoped Italy would support sanctions against the country.
US Energy Secretary worried by Italy-Iran business relation
Britain takes tougher stance on sanctions against Iran
New York Times: Britain will push for a worldwide ban on foreign investment in Irans oil and gas industry and other financial sanctions unless two reports due this month show that the Tehran government is ready to abandon efforts to acquire nuclear weapons, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday.
China FM in Iran for nuclear talks
AFP: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi arrived in Iran Tuesday for talks over its controversial nuclear drive, with Beijing urging Tehran to be flexible but still wary of Western pressure for sanctions.
Options on Iran nukes are ‘limited,’ Bolton says
Washington Times: The two remaining options for the U.S. to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons are to force a regime change or use military force to take out suspected weapons locations, the White House’s former representative to the United Nations said yesterday.
Ahmadinejad steps up rhetoric against critics at home with threat to expose ‘traitors’
The Guardian: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s president, raised domestic tensions over the country’s nuclear policy to higher levels yesterday by labelling his opponents “traitors” who are working for the west and threatened to expose them in a political witch-hunt.
Merkel, Sarkozy say sanctions and trade curbs on Iran possible
AFP: French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Monday more sanctions may be necessary to persuade Iran to suspend nuclear work and opened the possibility of reducing trade ties with Tehran.
Britain threatens oil and gas sanctions against Iran
Reuters: Britain will push to curb energy and financial investment in Iran unless Tehran addresses nuclear concerns, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Monday in a speech that also underlined Washington’s importance as an ally.
Britain to push for tough sanctions on Iran if talks fail
AFP: Britain will seek a global ban on investment in Iran’s oil, gas and financial sectors unless Tehran agrees to abandon its uranium enrichment activities, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday.
Admiral says US attack on Iran not ‘in the offing’: report
AFP: The United States is not about to launch pre-emptive strikes against Iran despite increasingly tense rhetoric between Washington and Tehran, the head of US Central Command was quoted as saying Monday.
Human rights investigator slams U.N., EU blacklists
Reuters: Terrorist blacklists drawn up by the United Nations and the European Union violate basic human rights, a Swiss investigator working for Europe’s leading human rights forum has said.
