AFP: The UN atomic watchdog said Friday it needs 5.5 million euros to monitor Iran’s partial nuclear freeze under a landmark deal with world powers struck in November.
UN watchdog calls for funds to monitor Iran nuclear freeze
Iran: Surge in executions worries rights experts
New York Times: United Nations human rights experts called on Wednesday for an urgent halt to a surge in executions in Iran in recent weeks. Iran reportedly hanged 40 people in the first two weeks of January, 33 of them in the last week.
Iran comments a new headache for Washington
AFP: Claims by top Iranian leaders that Washington is misrepresenting terms of an interim nuclear deal left the White House with a new political headache Thursday as it battles to build support for the pact.
Clearstream pays $152 mn over Iran sanctions violations
AFP: Luxembourg financial clearing house Clearstream Banking will pay the United States $152 million to settle accusations it illegally helped Iran’s central bank access the US financial system, the Treasury announced Thursday.
Syrian peace talks yield hard stances, slight hope
AP: Syria’s government said stopping terrorism – not talking peace – was its priority, while the Western-backed opposition said “the road to negotiations” had begun, offering a glimmer of hope Thursday for a way to halt the violence that has killed more than 130,000 people.
Iran oil exports exaggerated, U.S. officials say
Bloomberg: Iran is exaggerating its crude oil export figures and won’t be allowed to sell more than 1 million barrels a day over the next six months, U.S. officials involved in managing sanctions against the country said.
Iranian official on nuke deal: ‘We did not agree to dismantle anything’
CNN: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif insisted Wednesday that the Obama administration mischaracterizes concessions by his side in the six-month nuclear deal with Iran, telling CNN in an exclusive interview that “we did not agree to dismantle anything.”
French Senators express support for Iranian Resistance
PRNewswire: French senators representing several political parties united today in support Iranian dissidents and in opposition to Iran’s meddling in regional crises, notably Syria and Iraq.
Financing death: Iran’s ‘War on Drugs’
UPI: This controversial drug control program, financed both bilaterally and via the UNODC, has enabled the regime in Tehran to carry out a “killing spree of staggering proportions” as Amnesty International puts it.
Eni’s Recchi interested in seeing Iran open up as sanctions end
Bloomberg: Giuseppe Recchi, chairman of Italy’s biggest energy company Eni SpA (ENI), said he’d be interested in seeing Iran open up to investment following years of sanctions.
