Reuters: Iran has denied allegations that it has been supplying Islamist militants in Somalia with weapons, describing the charges as “absurd fabrications,” according to a letter obtained by Reuters on Thursday.
Iran denies shipping arms to Islamist militants in Somalia
Republicans force delay on US defense chief vote
AFP: Republicans demanding answers from President Barack Obama’s pick to head the Pentagon forced Senate leaders Wednesday to delay a vote, throwing Chuck Hagel’s confirmation into doubt.
Argentina digs in on Iran terror probe plan
AFP: Argentina’s top diplomat on Wednesday insisted that an Argentine judge would question Iranian suspects in the deadly 1994 bombing of a Jewish charities building, despite an apparent Iranian refusal.
WTI oil falls on Iran nuclear negotiations
Bloomberg: West Texas Intermediate oil in New York fell after Iran said it was nearing agreement with nuclear inspectors and as the Energy Information Administration said U.S. crude output rose to the highest level in 20 years.
Kerry: Response to NKorea will send Iran a message
AP: The world must show its resolve in the face of North Korea’s nuclear provocations or risk emboldening Iran, which is under scrutiny over its uranium enrichment program, Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday.
California insurers decrease Iran-linked holdings 97%
Bloomberg: Insurers doing business in California reduced investments in Iran-linked companies by about 97 percent since 2009 under pressure from the state’s industry regulator.
Ashton hopes for Iran ‘flexibility’ in nuclear talks
AFP: European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday said she hoped Iran would show some “flexibility” at upcoming talks with world powers on its nuclear program in Kazakhstan.
Iran: Advanced enrichment centrifuges installed
AP: Iran said Wednesday that it has begun installing a new generation of centrifuges at its main uranium enrichment facility, a move that will allow it to vastly increase its pace of uranium enrichment in defiance of U.N. calls to halt such activities.
Iran suggests progress, but no deal, in U.N. atom talks
Reuters: Iran indicated that some progress was made in talks with the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Wednesday, but that the two sides again failed to finalize an elusive framework deal over the Islamic state’s disputed atomic activity.
Iran dissidents say Khamenei ordered attack on Iraq camp
AFP: The Iranian dissident group MEK on Wednesday accused Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of ordering a deadly attack on its camp in Iraq and said the Iraqi government facilitated the assault.
