AFP: Iran on Tuesday announced it was holding a second US-Iranian scholar on charges of spying for foreigners alongside the US-Iranian Middle East expert Haleh Esfandiari.
Two US-Iranians jailed in Iran on spying charges
Authorities hang five people in Iran
Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, May 29 Iranian authorities hanged five people in the eastern and south-eastern provinces of Khorrasan Jonoubi and Sistan-va-Baluchistan respectively, state media reported on Tuesday.
Tehran’s secret ‘Department 9000’
Newsweek: President Bush said last week he expects a “bloody” summer in Iraq. What he didn’t say is that a growing covert war between the United States and Iran may be one reason the conflict is escalating. U.S. intelligence has identified the principal unit behind Tehran’s efforts to supply Shia insurgent cells in Iraq.
Next step on Iran
Washington Post – Editorial: As the U.N. Security Council’s latest deadline for Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment passed last week, U.N. inspectors reported that 2,100 centrifuges were operating or under construction at the Natanz plant, more than triple the number of three months ago.
EU’s Solana confirms Iran nuclear talks Thursday
Reuters: EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana confirmed on Tuesday that he would meet Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani this week for the latest round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran: Second meeting planned with U.S.
AP: The United States ambassador in Baghdad said he and his Iranian counterpart agreed broadly on policy toward Iraq during four-hour groundbreaking talks on Monday, but insisted that Iran end its support for militants.
U.S. pressures energy firms, banks away from Iran
Reuters: The United States is piling pressure on European banks and energy firms to avoid doing business with Iran, sending a blunt message that reputations are at stake if they do so, officials and analysts said on Monday.
Iran gas price hike said shows weakness
AP: Iran’s decision to raise gasoline prices has thrown new light on one of its most entrenched problems – the danger a vulnerable, subsidized economy poses for a country under international pressure over its nuclear program.
Iran offers to help Gulf states with atom technology
Reuters: Iran can help its Gulf neighbors develop peaceful nuclear energy, the country’s foreign minister said on Monday, in comments which might irritate major powers fearing Tehran’s own atomic work is aimed at building bombs.
U.S. tells Iran to stop backing Iraq militias
Reuters: Washington’s top official in Iraq said he told an Iranian delegation that Tehran should stop supporting militias in Iraq but described rare talks between the two foes on Monday as positive.
