AFP: Sri Lanka will purchase oil from Iraq after the United States imposed new sanctions on Iran, the island’s main supplier of crude oil, a report said on Sunday citing a senior official.
Sri Lanka to buy Iraqi oil after US sanctions on Iran
Flow of arms to Syria through Iraq persists, to U.S. dismay
New York Times: The American effort to stem the flow of Iranian arms to Syria has faltered because of Iraq’s reluctance to inspect aircraft carrying the weapons through its airspace, American officials say.
Iran suspends computer programmer’s death sentence: report
Reuters: Iran has suspended the death sentence for a computer programmer convicted on charges of running a pornographic website after he “repented for his actions,” his lawyer was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Iran pushes out Afghans as regional power-play heats up
Reuters: Ghaus worked in Iran for five years but has nothing to show for it. All he has are memories of being jailed, beaten and sent home to Afghanistan.
Iraq major weapons route to Syria: report
AFP: According to the paper, Iran appears to have been tipped off by Iraqi officials as to when plane inspections would be conducted, thus helping Tehran avoid detection.
Iran president reshuffles controversial aides
AFP: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shifted two of controversial aides into new jobs on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported.
Iraq says it can’t search all Syria-bound planes
AP: Iraq’s prime minister says his country is unable to search all Syria-bound Iranian planes that fly through Iraqi airspace. But Nouri al-Maliki said Saturday that Iraq is committed to preventing weapons from being shipped through the country to Syria.
Iran sacks cyber police chief over blogger’s death
AFP: Tehran’s cyber police chief has been sacked for negligence in events leading to the death in custody of an Iranian blogger, Iran’s police said on its website on Saturday.
Nations may keep sanctions exemption for cutting Iran oil
Bloomberg: Oil-importing nations are continuing to cut back their purchases from Iran, making it likely those countries will earn a new round of exceptions from U.S. sanctions next week.
Clinton says U.S. open to bilateral talks if Iran is “ever ready”
Reuters: Responding to a question, Clinton called Iran the hardest issue she has dealt with as secretary of state “because of the dangers that its behavior already poses and the geometrically greater danger that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose.”
