Iran Focus: London, Feb. 14 – Heres a sight you dont normally see.
The Iranian and United States ambassadors to Saudi Arabia standing next to each other on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of Iraqs new embassy in Riyadh.
Oddly enough
U.S. says “sophisticated weaponry” hit chopper in Iraq
Reuters: A transport helicopter that crashed in Iraq last week killing all seven on board was brought down by a “sophisticated piece of weaponry”, the U.S. military said on Wednesday.
Iran drones ‘can attack US ships’
BBC: An Iranian website close to the Revolutionary Guard has said they have drones that can launch attacks on American warships in the Persian Gulf.
Bolton hits agreement as ‘bad signal’ to Iran
Washington Times: The deal reached in Beijing on North Korea’s nuclear program is being criticized for making too many concessions to the hard-line government that violated a past accord, and gives up key U.S. leverage that blocked illicit financial activities by Pyongyang in the past.
Iraqis announce new crackdown across Baghdad
New York Times: The Iraqi government on Tuesday ordered tens of thousands of Baghdad residents to leave homes they are occupying illegally, in a surprising and highly challenging effort to reverse the tide of sectarian cleansing that has left the capital bloodied and Balkanized.
Iraq plans to suspend checkpoints at Syria, Iran borders
Washington Post: Iraqi officials on Tuesday announced the temporary closure of checkpoints at the Syrian and Iranian borders, as well as an expanded nighttime curfew in the capital, as part of the new Baghdad security plan.
U.S. says powerful Iraqi cleric is living in Iran
New York Times: The powerful Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr has left Iraq and has been living in Iran for the past several weeks, senior Bush administration officials said Tuesday.
We are not responsible for rifles, says Austria
Daily Telegraph: Austria yesterday washed its hands of any responsibility after it was revealed that powerful sniper rifles it sold to Iran had been acquired by insurgents in Iraq.
Disputes emerge on Iran and roadside bombs
New York Times: Bush administration officials, intelligence analysts and some leading Democrats in Congress all agree that a particularly lethal class of roadside bomb is killing American troops at an increasing rate. But fissures have emerged as to whether senior leaders of Irans government are directly involved in the attacks.
U.S. holds out North Korea deal as model for Iran
Reuters: The United States on Tuesday held out as a model for Iran a deal under which North Korea will take steps toward giving up nuclear arms, and analysts said it might bolster Iranians who favor talks with the West.
