AP: The courtship of Hamas between rivals Iran and Qatar has been one of the Middle East’s intriguing subplots of the Arab Spring. The bloodshed in Gaza has now sharpened their competition for influence with the Palestinian militant group and the direction it takes in the future.
Two powers, Qatar and Iran, try to sway Hamas
Iran and Egypt won in Gaza
Bloomberg: Israel and Hamas have claimed victory after their 8-day conflict, but both probably lost. The clear winners, for now, are Iran and Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi.
‘Pakistan, Iran should establish banking channel’
News International: Abbas Ali Abdollahi, the outgoing consul general of Iran, has said that Pakistan and Iran should establish banking channel for the promotion of bilateral trade, according to a statement on Thursday.
Middle East shifts may weaken Iran’s influence with Palestinians
Los Angeles Times: Iran, which has for years supplied Hamas with weapons, is up against the new Egypt for the militant group’s loyalty. Changes in Syria could also weaken Iran.
Blogger’s death in Iran window onto cyber patrols
AP: In his last blog entry, activist Sattar Beheshti wrote that Iranian authorities had given him an ultimatum: Either stop posting his “big mouth” attacks against the ruling system or tell his mother that she will soon be in mourning.
Ahmadinejad vows to complete Pakistan gas pipeline by 2014
AFP: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Thursday vowed to complete a mutli-billion dollar gas pipeline to Pakistan on time, downplaying financial woes and US pressure on Islamabad to scrap the project.
Iran angered after France’s Fabius blames Tehran for Gaza conflict
Reuters: Iran reacted angrily to assertions by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and accused him of not understanding the realities in the region after the diplomat accused Tehran of being responsible for the Gaza conflict.
Israel desire to attack Iran “childish”: Ahmadinejad
Reuters: Israel has a “childish” desire to attack Iran and Tehran is capable of defending itself, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday.
Iran says blogger may have died as a result of “shock”: report
Reuters: Iran said on Thursday a blogger who died while in police custody may have lost his life as a result of a form of shock, the official IRNA news agency reported, adding that investigations were not yet concluded.
Navy to briefly reduce carriers in Persian Gulf
AP: The Navy said Wednesday it will temporarily shrink its aircraft carrier presence in the Persian Gulf area from two to one because of a mechanical problem with the USS Nimitz, a carrier based in Everett, Wash.
