Iran Focus: Tehran, Oct. 21 – From the Grapevine… Some 60 percent of gold traders in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar had closed their shops from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Wednesday, continuing the strike by gold traders and jewellers over the increase in value added tax (VAT).
Most gold stores still shut in Tehran bazaar
Kish, Iran’s struggling holiday island
Iran Focus: Kish Island, Iran, Oct. 21 – The economic situation in Kish Island, located off the southern coast of mainland Iran in the Persian Gulf, has seriously deteriorated in recent months, locals say.
Iran wants banks in Muslim countries to avert sanctions: US
AFP: The United States said Thursday that Iran is trying to establish banks in Muslim countries to circumvent sanctions aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions.
Strike continues in Tehran Bazaar on Thursday
Iran Focus: Tehran, Oct. 21 – From the Grapevine… Some 70 percent of shops in the gold traders’ quarter of Tehran’s Grand Bazaar were closed down from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Thursday as store owners continued a strike against the recent imposition of value added tax.
Germany granted access to citizens in Iran
AP: Germany’s foreign minister says an embassy official has been granted access to two Germans arrested in Iran earlier this month while reportedly trying to interview the son of a woman sentenced to death by stoning.
Ahmadinejad, Saudi King talk again on politics: report
AFP: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Saudi King Abdullah have had telephonic discussions on regional affairs for a second time within a fortnight, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported Thursday.
US announces massive arms sale to Saudi Arabia
AFP: In its biggest arms deal ever, the United States announced Wednesday it will sell up to 60 billion dollars worth of warplanes, helicopters and other weapons to Saudi Arabia, partly to help it counter Iran.
Foreigners buy Iran shares at three times pace as rules change
Bloomberg: Foreigners bought three times as many shares in Iran’s publicly traded companies in the past six months as they did a year earlier after the authorities changed the rules to attract international investors.
Iran has 30 kg of high level uranium: atomic chief
AFP: Iran said on Wednesday it has produced around 30 kilogrammes of 20 percent-enriched uranium, in defiance of UN sanctions imposed on Tehran to suspend the contentious nuclear work.
Italy’s crude imports from Iran up 85 percent
Reuters: Italy’s imports of crude oil from Iran surged 84.6 percent year-on-year to 6.12 million tonnes in the first seven months of 2010, Italy’s industry group Unione Petrolifera (UP) said on Wednesday.
