AP: Iran’s new foreign minister arrived in Iraq on Sunday on his first trip abroad since taking office, underscoring the growing links between the two Shiite-led neighbors. Mohammad Javad Zarif was met at Baghdad International Airport by his Iraqi counterpart, Hoshyar Zebari.
Iranian foreign minister visits neighboring Iraq
UN: Iraq to move last exile camp residents out
AP: Iraqi authorities are planning to relocate the remaining residents of a camp housing dozens of Iranian exiles where 52 people were killed last week, the United Nations mission to the country said Saturday.
Iran’s latest olive branch leaves West wondering
Times Live: Iran’s government extended an olive branch to the West this week, as officials offered talks on the country’s nuclear programme and repudiated the previous government’s Holocaust denial. The latest charm offensive has Western observers wondering what it means.
Iran cancels barter deal for wheat
DAWN.com: Iran has scrapped its barter trade deal with Pakistan for purchase of one million tonnes of wheat. The first shipment of 30,000 tonnes of wheat was to leave for Iran last week, but has been halted as Iranian authorities informed the government about cancellation of the deal.
We wring our hands over Syria, but not the massacre of 52 Iranians
Sunday Telegraph: This massacre, carried out on the direct orders of Iran’s Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah Khamenei, was only the latest twist to a much longer story, which arguably makes our own Foreign Office a passive accessory to the crime.
To strike, or not to strike, Syria?
Los Angeles Times: After two weeks of furious debate about whether the United States should attack Syria, the arguments on both sides are now clear. Haven’t been paying attention? Still undecided? Here are the most cogent arguments for and against a military strike.
Netanyahu unimpressed by Iranian greetings for Jewish New Year
Reuters: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday dismissed the significance of reports that the new Iranian president and his foreign minister had both issued greetings to mark the Jewish New Year.
US State Department calls for independent investigation of the massacre at Camp Ashraf
Iran Focus: Marie Harf, Deputy Spokesperson of the State Department, reiterated the United States’ condemnation of the horrific attack that took place on September 1 and expressed support for the UN efforts to “conduct an independent fact finding investigation into this terrible event”.
Iran releases Indian oil tanker detained in August
Reuters: Iran has released an Indian crude oil tanker that was detained last month over pollution concerns, an Indian shipping official said on Saturday, ending a dispute between the countries that have historically had strong trade ties.
Afghan troops kill protester near Iran consulate
AP: Officials say Afghan security forces have shot dead one demonstrator outside the Iranian consulate in a western city. Abdul Hamid Hamidi, who is deputy police chief of Herat province, said a crowd of several hundred were rallying on Saturday outside the consulate in Herat city to protest its failure to grant visas.
