Bloomberg: As additional evidence of the Syrian regime’s complicity, the report said the U.S. intercepted communications involving a senior Syrian official “who confirmed that chemical weapons were used by the regime on August 21 and was concerned” that a United Nations team investigating the attack would obtain evidence.
U.S. intelligence on Syria stops short of Assad’s role
Quietly, some allies push for action
Wall Street Journal: Turkish, Israeli and Saudi officials in recent days are telling President Barack Obama he must respond to Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons. Failure to act, these allies said, could convince Iran that Washington isn’t serious about halting its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
US: Iran can’t access much oil income
AP: The U.S. has concluded that nearly half of Iran’s monthly earnings from crude oil exports are accumulating in accounts overseas because of sanctions that restrict Tehran’s access to the money.
Glencore trades with Iran even as competitors depart
Bloomberg: Glencore Xstrata Plc (GLEN), the largest publicly traded commodities supplier, is conducting business with Iran even as competitors abandon the country, potentially drawing scrutiny from regulators.
Kerry: Failure to act on Syria would embolden Iran
AFP: US Secretary of State John Kerry declared Friday that international failure to take military action against Syria over its chemical weapons attacks would embolden Iran and Hezbollah.
Obama’s advisers shifted on Syria as Libya honed caution
Bloomberg: President Barack Obama is shaping his decision whether to attack Syria with the help of a small, loyal cadre of advisers who almost to a person share a reluctance to engage Bashar al-Assad’s regime militarily.
Mother of man held in Iran releases letter to him
AP: The mother of a former U.S. Marine who has been held in Iran for two years on spying charges on Thursday released the contents of a letter she sent to him. Behnaz Hekmati told her son Amir that the two years apart “is almost too much for a mother to endure.
Iran to work with Russia to stop strike on Syria
AP: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country will press forward with efforts to ward off military action by the U.S. and its allies against the Tehran-backed regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Iranian state TV reported on Thursday.
How Iran would retaliate to a U.S. strike on Syria
Daily Beast: If the United States launches limited air strikes on Syria, Iran has threatened a response—but U.S. officials tell Eli Lake that any attempted Iranian terrorist attacks are not likely outside the Middle East.
Iran foreign ministry appoints first-ever spokeswoman
AFP: Iran’s foreign ministry has appointed its first-ever spokeswoman, with President Hassan Rowhani appearing to welcome the move as part of a campaign to empower women, reports said Thursday.
