AFP: Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Iran’s new president for the first time this week, reportedly armed with an offer to supply missile systems and build a second nuclear power reactor that is likely to gladden Tehran and trouble the United States.
Putin to offer Iran ‘arms, nuclear deal’ at summit
Iran’s Khamenei hopeful new U.S. policy on Syria is ‘serious’
Reuters: Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Wednesday he hoped that a U.S. promise to pursue diplomacy to remove the threat of chemical weapons in Syria was “serious”, the state news agency IRNA reported.
Harsh introduction for Iran’s new IAEA envoy
AFP: Western envoys gave Iran’s new ambassador to the UN atomic agency a frosty welcome Wednesday, saying Tehran’s new government should waste no time proving to the world it does not want the bomb.
Extricating the President
Huffington Post: See for example where a lack of a policy has taken us in the killing of more and more Iranian dissidents – the MEK – in Iraq. Although the U.S. pledged repeatedly to protect them through various agreements, it did nothing after Iraq killed more than 50 of them more than a week ago.
U.S. loosens sanctions on Iran for disaster relief, sports
Reuters: The United States relaxed sanctions on Iran on Tuesday to make it easier for U.S. humanitarian groups to work there and sports exchanges to occur between Americans and Iranians, a possible goodwill gesture after Iran elected a new moderate president.
Syrian rebels and Iranian dissidents
The Hill: Syria illustrates violation of humanitarian norms against gassing of civilians. President Barack Obama makes a strong argument that Bashar Assad of Syria commits crimes against humanity. But Obama makes little credible case about U.S. strategic interests being advanced by bombing Syria.
Rowhani talks tough on Iran nuclear rights
AFP: Iranian President Hassan Rowhani said Tuesday Tehran will not give up “one iota” of its nuclear rights, echoing his hardline predecessor, while warning world powers the timeframe for negotiation was not unlimited.
Obama grabs a Russian lifeline on Syria
AFP: After a passage of wild Syria diplomacy, President Barack Obama was Tuesday sizing up a political lifeline offered by the most unusual of suspects — his chilly rival Russia.
Iranian exiles say 7 members held by Baghdad
AP: An Iranian dissident group whose camp in Iraq was the scene of a disputed outbreak of violence last week claimed Tuesday that Iraqi authorities plan to hand over seven allegedly detained members to Iran. Baghdad denies having any such plans.
Iran bus collision kills 44, injures 39
AFP: A collision between two buses in Iran killed 44 people and injured 39 others, the ISNA news agency reported on Tuesday, in the country’s most serious road accident in years. The accident took place late on Monday along the highway between Qom and Tehran.
