Washington Post: The United States is moving south in Iraq, planning to upgrade facilities at Camp Delta and the Al Kut Air Base, which is about 140 miles southeast of Baghdad and just 35 miles from the Iranian border.
In southern Iraq, an upgrade for U.S. facilities
Oil rises on Nigeria, Iran supply concerns
Reuters: Oil rose on Monday, extending the previous session's 3 percent gain to stay above $116 a barrel, supported by further supply disruptions in Nigeria and geopolitical tensions between Iran and the West.
Iraq says it has proof of Iranian meddling
Washington Post: The Iraqi government said Sunday that it has "concrete evidence" Iran is fomenting violence in Iraq and that a high-level panel had been formed to document the proof.
Iran rules out halt to sensitive nuclear work
Reuters: Iran ruled out halting its disputed nuclear work on Monday, saying it would not consider any incentives offered by world powers that violated the Islamic Republic's atomic rights.
Iran says high oil price may contine to year-end
Reuters: A senior Iranian oil official said on Sunday high oil prices might remain till the end of the year and were not the result of a shortage of crude in the market.
Iran’s annual inflation rises to 24.2 percent
Reuters: Iran's annual inflation rate jumped by 1.7 percentage points to 24.2 percent in the year to April compared with the previous month, the central bank said.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah arms stockpile bigger, deadlier
Los Angeles Times: Almost two years after its war with Israel, Hezbollah has rearmed and is stronger than before the conflict, according to Israeli and Western officials and the Lebanon-based Shiite Muslim group itself.
Iran official unaware of Shell, Repsol plan to quit
Reuters: A senior Iranian oil official said on Sunday he was not aware of any plan by Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Spain's Repsol to withdraw from a $10 billion natural gas project in the Middle East country.
Cloak and stagger
Los Angeles Times – By Leonard S. Spector and Avner Cohen: After overestimating the Iraq threat, U.S. intelligence agencies are now dangerously underestimating Syria and Iran.
Khamenei rules out halt to Iran’s nuclear drive
AFP: Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday vowed that Iran would press ahead with its controversial nuclear programme, two days after world powers said they had prepared a new package to end the crisis.
