Reuters: At least seven companies from China, India, South Korea and South Africa continued to have investments in Iran’s oil and gas sectors in 2012 even as Tehran came under international scrutiny for its nuclear ambitions, a U.S. government watchdog said on Friday.
Some foreign firms still active in Iran’s energy sector: U.S. report
Iran commander claims sanctions are helpful
AP: A senior commander of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard claimed Friday that Western sanctions are helpful because they promote Iranian self-sufficiency and insisted the country’s leaders should welcome the measures.
U.S. likely to extend Iran sanction waivers-sources
Reuters: The United States is likely to exempt India, South Korea, Turkey and others from Iranian financial sanctions for another six months on Friday as a reward for reducing crude purchases from the Islamic republic, two U.S. government sources said.
Iran oil export delays seen worsening as sanctions hinder trade
Bloomberg: Iranian oil tankers are contending with longer delays in shipments and some are idled amid increasing pressure on buyers to curb purchases from what was once OPEC’s second-biggest producer.
Five charged in US over Iran, China exports
AFP: Five people have been charged in New York in two separate alleged schemes to export illegal shipments of military grade technology to China and Iran, US officials said.
Tehran residents urged to flee ‘dangerous’ pollution
AFP: Residents of Tehran were on Wednesday urged to leave the city, if possible, to escape a stagnant stew of choking air pollution that officials warned had reached “dangerous” levels.
Standard Chartered to pay $670m to settle Iran sanctions allegation
The Guardian: Standard Chartered warned on Thursday that it expects to pay a total of $670m (£415m) to US regulators to settle allegations that it breached sanctions with Iran.
4 charged in NY Iran-China weapons shipment scheme
AP: Four men have been charged with arranging shipments to China and Iran of weapons materials or a substance that can be used in uranium enrichment, officials announced Wednesday after indictments containing the charges were unsealed.
Eight dead in earthquake in eastern Iran
Reuters: An earthquake measuring 5.5 in magnitude struck eastern Iran on Wednesday, killing eight people and injuring 12 others as emergency teams scrambled to rescue others and treat the injured, Iranian media reported.
Drone in Iran appears to be U.S.-made, Pentagon says
Bloomberg: The drone Iran says it captured appears to be a U.S.-made ScanEagle, Pentagon spokesman George Little said, in a change from the initial U.S. rejection of the Iranian claim.
