The Hill: There is increasing congressional irritation with a White House so determined to clinch an agreement with Tehran’s mullahs that they are wiling to risk the broader peace.
Stiffen the penalties on Iranian non-compliance
UN withdraws its invitation for Iran to join Syria peace talks
Bloomberg: The United Nations rescinded its invitation for Iran to join this week’s peace talks on Syria in Switzerland in an attempt to sustain the effort to end a war that’s killed more than 100,000 people.
US eases sanctions as Iran starts halting nuclear program
AFP: The United States Monday approved a waiver to ease sanctions on Iran, its part of an international deal after the Islamic republic began imposing curbs on its suspect nuclear program.
Syria opposition threatens talks boycott over Iran invite
AFP: A furious Syrian opposition threatened Monday to pull out of this week’s peace conference and the United States issued a warning after the United Nations invited Iran to the talks.
US sets condition on Iran’s invitation to Syria peace negotiations
The Hill: The State Department late Sunday described as conditional the United Nations’ invitation to Iran to attend peace talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime later this month.
Iran nuclear deal comes into force as US sanctions loom
AFP: Iran is due Monday to unplug key nuclear equipment for six months in return for a slight easing of crippling Western sanctions, as an interim deal between Tehran and world powers takes effect.
West hails Syria opposition vote to join peace talks
AFP: Western leaders have hailed a decision by Syria’s opposition to attend an international peace conference next week alongside representatives of a regime they despise and remain determined to overthrow.
Officials: Iranian diplomat killed in Yemen
AP: Gunmen killed an Iranian diplomat in a drive-by shooting in Yemen’s capital Saturday, security and medical officials said, the latest attack on Iran’s diplomatic corps in the Middle East in recent months.
Iran hangs 40 people in two weeks amid surge in executions
Amnesty International: Iranian authorities have executed 40 people, most of them for drugs offences, since the beginning of January. At least 33 executions were carried out in the past week alone.
Iran top nuke negotiator: Deal reversible in one day
Daily Beast: Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, said this week that if Iran decides to resume enriching uranium to levels prohibited by the new nuclear deal, it could begin to do so in one day’s time.
