Reuters: Iran has threatened to destroy U.S. military bases across the Middle East and target Israel within minutes of being attacked, Iranian media reported on Wednesday, as Revolutionary Guards extended test-firing of ballistic missiles into a third day.
Iran says can destroy U.S. bases “minutes after attack”
Azerbaijan editor accused of spying for Iran
AP: Azerbaijan has charged the editor of a Talysh ethnic minority newspaper with spying for neighboring Iran and inciting public unrest, officials said Wednesday.
Russia sees ‘certain progress’ on Iran after talks
AFP: Russia on Wednesday said “certain progress” had been reached at expert-level talks on Iran’s nuclear programme despite the Islamic Republic’s tough terms for scaling back its enrichment activities.
Oil hovers near $87 as Iran tensions simmer
AP: Oil prices fell slightly to near $87 a barrel Wednesday in Asia, giving back some of the big gain from the previous day amid growing tension between Iran and Western powers.
Turkey asks Iran for discount on natural gas, Hurriyet reports
Bloomberg: Turkey has requested a discount on gas it imports from Iran, Hurriyet newspaper said, citing Energy Minister Taner Yildiz.
Seoul’s awkward dance on Iranian oil
Wall Street Journal: After months of talks with the US and European Union about the impact of sanctions targeted at Tehran on shipments of oil to South Korea from Iran, Seoul halted those imports on July 1.
UN drug agency head slams anti-Jewish Iran remarks
AP: The head of the U.N.’s drug fighting agency and the U.S. State Department have criticized anti-Jewish remarks made by an Iranian vice president last week.
Prominent Iranian literary translator missing, source says
CNN: A prominent Iranian literary translator is missing, just weeks after being released from Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, a source close to him said Monday.
UAE pipeline bypassing Hormuz to fully operate in August
AFP: A pipeline the UAE is building to pump oil from east coast terminals and bypass the Iran-threatened Strait of Hormuz will be fully operational in August, an Abu Dhabi oil official said Tuesday.
Obama’s Iran Loopholes
Wall Street Journal: Though economic sanctions still haven’t slowed or stopped Iran’s nuclear drive, the Obama Administration has decided to make them even weaker. The Iran sanctions regime is looking like the U.S. tax code—filled with loopholes.
