New York Times: After driving for 15 minutes over the bottom of what was once Iran’s largest lake, a local environmental official stepped out of his truck, pushed his hands deep into his pockets and silently wandered into the great dry plain.
Its great lake shriveled, Iran confronts crisis of water supply
Iran rejects Obama’s claim that sanctions halted nuclear program
The Hill: Iran’s foreign ministry on Thursday rejected President Obama’s remarks about Iran’s nuclear program in the State of the Union speech. Obama said in his address that the interim deal was the result of sanctions.
Iran to cut cash handouts to millions to limit budget spending
Bloomberg: Iran will pare handouts to millions of citizens in its effort to limit spending in the new Iranian year starting late March, state-run and local media reported.
Iran begins vetting expatriates seeking to return, group says
Bloomberg: Iranian intelligence officials have begun reviewing requests of exiles interested in returning home, the New-York based International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported.
Rubio: Senate should challenge Obama’s SOTU veto threat on Iran
The Hill: “If a sanctions bill made it to the floor, it would pass,” Rubio told reporters at a breakfast hosted by The Wall Street Journal. “I believe it would pass with a veto-proof majority.
Ulster politicians on Paris mission to meet Iranian opposition leader
Belfast Newsletter: Two prominent Ulster political figures have travelled to Paris to meet the head of an Iranian opposition movement which seeks to overthrow the current Tehran government.
Arrest of billionaire highlights political divisions in Iran
Reuters: While international sanctions have made life a struggle for many Iranians, they were a big break for businessman Babak Zanjani, who made a fortune helping the government evade the restrictions on oil sales. He also made enemies.
UN inspectors visit key Iran uranium mine
AP: A group of U.N. inspectors visited a key uranium mine in southern Iran on Wednesday, as part of a deal to allow expanded monitoring of the country’s nuclear sites.
Obama repels new Iran sanctions push… for now
AFP: President Barack Obama appears to have prevailed, for now, in a campaign to stop Congress from imposing new sanctions on Iran he fears could derail nuclear diplomacy.
Turkey, Iran eye big trade boost despite strained ties
AFP: Turkey and Iran aim to more than double trade to $30 billion (21.9 billion euros) next year from $13.5 billion in 2013 despite strained relations, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.
