Reuters: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has failed to fulfill campaign promises to allow greater freedom of expression and there has been a sharp rise in executions since his election, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday.
Rouhani has not increased freedoms in Iran, U.N. chief says
A massacre in Iraq that must have pleased Tehran
Wall Street Journal: Sometime in the past six months, the government of Nouri al-Maliki buried 52 bodies in an undisclosed location in Iraq. The 46 men and six women had been members of the Iranian opposition group that since 1986 has maintained a presence inside Iraq.
Iran lays its cards on the table
Wall Street Journal: Foreign oil companies hoping to invest in Iran as sanctions are relaxed won’t be able to count Iranian reserves among their assets under the draft terms of new contracts. The ability to book reserves is an important valuation metric for oil companies.
India to slash Iran oil imports to meet nuclear deal parameters – sources
Reuters: India has to cut its Iranian oil imports by nearly two-thirds from the first quarter after the United States asked it to hold the shipments at end-2013 levels, in keeping with the nuclear deal easing sanctions on Tehran, Indian government sources said.
South Africa raps Shell for not refueling Iran speaker’s jet
Reuters: South Africa criticized Royal Dutch Shell’s local unit on Tuesday for not refueling a jet carrying the visiting speaker of Iran’s parliament, saying the action was an “embarrassment” to the government.
‘Iran ordered Lockerbie bombing’, claims ex-Iranian intelligence officer
The Independent: Iran ordered the Lockerbie bombing in revenge for the accidental shooting down of an Iranian passenger jet by a US navy ship, according to a former Iranian intelligence officer who defected to Germany.
Iran warns Austrian embassy over Ashton meeting with rights activists: IRNA
Reuters: Iran has warned the Austrian embassy in Tehran after it hosted a meeting between the EU foreign policy chief and Iranian human rights activists during her first visit to Iran over the weekend, the state news agency IRNA said on Monday.
Iran wants to address questions about military work in nuclear program later
Wall Street Journal: Iran insisted it won’t be rushed into addressing Western suspicions about past military work on its nuclear program, posing a new challenge for efforts to reach a broad nuclear deal with six world powers.
Christians being targeted in Iran deserve our help
The Hill: Imagine the morning after Christmas, security officials surround your parents’ home and force their way inside by destroying the front door. They search everyone and seize your pictures, hard drive and even steal the cash out of your wallet.
My dad, held in Iran
Los Angeles Times: Seven years ago my father, Robert Levinson, was taken hostage while visiting Kish Island, Iran. He is currently the longest-held hostage in U.S. history, and will likely be marking his 66th birthday Monday in captivity.
