AFP: Iran is designing “intelligent software” that would give citizens restricted and controlled access to banned social networking sites, local media on Sunday quoted police chief Esmaeil Ahmadi Moghadam as saying.
Iran designing software for controlled social media access
Despite sanctions, Iran says agricultural exports booming
Reuters: Iran’s agricultural exports grew last year, with pistachio and saffron sales almost doubling, despite Western sanctions on trade with the country, the semi-official Fars news agency quoted Iran’s deputy agriculture minister as saying on Saturday.
Iran’s Supreme Investor
Weekly Standard: Last month, the Obama administration added seven new Iranian companies to the ever-growing list of sanctioned Iranian entities. Yet one crucial category of Iranian entities is still missing from U.S. policy—companies owned or controlled by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s Salehi to visit Cairo for Syria talks: reports
AFP: Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi will visit Egypt on January 9 for a two-day trip aimed at discussing the Syria crisis and Tehran-Cairo bilateral talks, media reports said on Saturday.
Iranian accused of nuclear smuggling deported
AP: U.S. immigration officials have deported an Iranian businessman found guilty of illegally shipping equipment to Iran that authorities said could be used in the country’s nuclear program.
Syria ‘would not join Iran in war against Israel’
The Telegraph: Iran’s ability to retaliate for any Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities has been “dramatically” reduced by the disintegration of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, an Israeli intelligence report has said.
Thousands rally for Iraqi prisoners’ release
AFP: Thousands of Sunnis demonstrated across Iraq on Friday, in the latest of nearly two weeks of rallies criticising the country’s premier and demanding the release of prisoners they say are wrongfully held.
Iran ‘welcomes new nuclear negotiations’
AFP: Iran’s top nuclear negotiator on Friday welcomed the return of leading world powers to talks over the country’s disputed atomic programme, but urged them “not to repeat their past mistakes”.
Report: Israeli ex-spy chief criticizes PM on Iran
AP: A recently retired Israeli spy chief says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acted irresponsibly regarding Iran’s nuclear program and accuses him of prioritizing personal concerns over national interests.
Iranian nuclear talks need to come to a close
Washington Post: As the year begins, the Obama administration and its diplomatic partners are expecting the renewal of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, after a six-month hiatus. But there is scant indication that a breakthrough is in store.
