AP: KLM says the company will cancel its flights to Iran as of April, leaving Germany’s Lufthansa as the sole Western European-based carrier offering services to Tehran.
KLM to cease flights to Iran in April
A trail of bullet casings leads from Africa’s wars back to Iran
New York Times: A British arms researcher surveying ammunition used by government forces and civilian militias in 2006 found Kalashnikov rifle cartridges he had not seen before. When the investigators’ breakthrough came, it carried a surprise. The manufacturer was not one of Africa’s usual suspects. It was Iran.
Imprisoned American pastor tells family of death threats, torture in Iran
Fox News: An American pastor who has been imprisoned in his native Iran because of his Christian faith has been threatened with death, according to his family.
JPMorgan faces action on laundering controls
Reuters: JPMorgan agreed to pay $88.3 million to settle Treasury Department allegations that it engaged in prohibited transactions linked to Cuba and Iran.
Iran denies role in bank hacking, pans malware attacks
Bloomberg: Iran rejected media reports that it is behind a wave of online attacks against U.S. banks, saying it disapproves of offensives against financial bodies.
Iran finding some ways to evade sanctions, Treasury Department says
New York Times: Despite onerous sanctions that have basically shut Iran out of the global financial system, the country is still finding some ways to bypass them.
Films from Jude Law, Iran’s Panahi join Berlin line-up
AFP: New releases starring Jude Law and Catherine Deneuve and the world premiere of a picture by embattled Iranian director Jafar Panahi joined the line-up Friday for next month’s 63rd Berlin film festival.
Spain arrests 2 over suspected Iran nuclear export
AP: Spanish police have arrested two people and seized equipment they say was due to be shipped to Iran for use in Tehran’s nuclear program.
IAEA chief not hopeful on Iran inspection progress
AFP: The UN nuclear chief Friday said he was not hopeful of striking a deal with Iran next week that would see Tehran address allegations of past nuclear weapons research and grant access to controversial sites.
Lack of deal with Iran on nuclear talks alarms Russia
Reuters: Russia voiced alarm on Friday at delays in agreeing new nuclear talks between world powers and Iran and the U.N. atomic watchdog chief said he was not optimistic ahead of his inspectors’ separate visit to Tehran next week.
