Wall Street Journal: The cabinet choices made by Iran’s President Hasan Rouhani signal that the new government could be pursuing a dual policy track: a shift in foreign and economic polices to ease international sanctions but far less compromise on opening up domestic politics and social freedom.
Iran president’s cabinet shows dual policy track
Iran arms to Syria down but not over: Iraq FM
AFP: Iran has reduced flights of arms to Syria but Iraq cannot stop them completely and should not be treated as a “whipping boy,” its foreign minister said Friday.
Iran’s clerics remain the problem
New York Times: The jaded envoys who have been struggling with the Iran issue for the past decade — a period that included Hassan Rouhani’s stewardship of the nuclear file — are suddenly optimistic.
Here’s how Iran censors the Internet
Washington Post: Discussion of Internet censorship usually focuses on China and its “Great Firewall.” But the Chinese Communist Party isn’t the only regime that censors its Internet. Iran does too.
Other crises overshadow growing violence in Iraq
AP: At Thursday’s meeting between Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iraqi counterpart, Hoshyar Zebari, one of the main topics was flights of weapons from Iran across Iraqi airspace into Syria and back as well as the threat from al-Qaida fighters along the Iraqi-Syrian border.
Rouhani’s cabinet appointments belie his moderate image
Huffington Post: As with Rouhani’s election and the content of his first speech as president, his cabinet picks have proven to be a source of excessive optimism in the world media.
Kerry warns of Iraq destabilization by extremists
AFP: US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Thursday that Iraq risked destabilization from Sunni and Shiite extremists as civil war flares in neighboring Syria.
Iran’s parliament rejects 3 Cabinet nominees
AP: Iran’s conservative-dominated parliament rejected three of the new president’s 18 nominees for his Cabinet on Thursday but approved 15 others, including those heading portfolios key to implementing his agenda to reduce the Islamic Republic’s international isolation and improve its economy.
Iran detains Indian tanker carrying crude, wants undertaking
New Indian Express: Iran has detained India’s largest ocean liner Shipping Corporation (SCI)’s vessel carrying crude from Iraq on Tuesday, following which government is engaged in hectic diplomatic parleys with the Iranians to secure release of the tanker.
In Israel, US army chief talks Iran
AFP: Iran’s nuclear programme was at the centre of discussions on Wednesday between US army chief General Martin Dempsey and Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon, public radio said.
