PolicyMic: Ever since the sham presidential elections in Iran, Western media have lost no opportunity to characterize new President Hassan Rouhani, long a senior figure among the regime’s ruling elite, as a “moderate.”
Hassan Rouhani is not the moderate we thought he was
Wife of pastor jailed in Iran slams Obama silence
AFP: The wife of an Iranian-American pastor imprisoned in Iran said Monday she was “extremely disappointed” that US President Barack Obama had remained silent on the case.
Iran’s president appoints new head of central bank
AP: Iranian state television says that the country’s president has appointed a private banker as the head of the country’s central bank. Rouhani picked Valiollah Seif to run the country’s financial regulator. It said Seif will replace outgoing central bank head Mahmoud Bahmani.
Iranian court rejects American pastor’s appeal
AP: An Iranian court has rejected an appeal by an American pastor to reduce his eight-year prison sentence, a human-rights group representing his family in the U.S. said Monday.
UN to begin syria probe as U.S. alleges chemical weapons use
Bloomberg: The United Nations will begin investigating allegations of chemical arms use in Syria “within hours,” after the U.S. concluded President Bashar al-Assad’s regime probably used the weaponry against civilians.
Iraq denies halting services to Iranian exile camp
AP: An Iranian dissident group has accused the Iraqi authorities of cutting off water and electricity to a contested northern camp used by its members, a charge the Iraqi government denied Sunday.
UN political chief to visit Iran for Syria talks
AFP: The political affairs chief of the United Nations Jeffrey Feltman is to visit Iran on Monday to discuss the war in Syria and unrest in Egypt and Lebanon, a report said. Feltman is to hold talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Mehr news agency reported.
Oman’s Qaboos on Tehran visit, U.S.-Iran mediation in focus
Reuters: Oman’s Sultan Qaboos on Sunday began the first visit to Iran by a foreign leader since moderate President Hassan Rouhani took office and Iranian media said his trip might be an effort to mediate between Tehran and Washington.
Iran to stop cash handouts to millions of citizens
Bloomberg: Iran will stop paying monthly cash handouts to citizens who don’t need the aid, Shargh reported today, citing a member of parliament. The change will be implemented in the new Iranian year staring March 21.
Iran army warns US of ‘harsh consequences’ over Syria
AFP: A top Iranian military chief warned on Sunday that the US will face “harsh consequences” if it intervenes in ally Syria over claims of chemical attacks, Fars news agency reported.
