New York Times: A great deal of diplomatic attention over the next few months will be focused on whether the temporary nuclear deal with Iran can be transformed into a full-blown accord. President Obama has staked the success of his foreign policy on this bold gamble.
AFP: Russia launched a fresh round of Syrian diplomacy on Thursday as it hosted the foreign ministers of Iran and Syria ahead of peace talks in Switzerland. Iranian Foreign Minister arrived in the Russian capital on the same jet as Syrian Foreign Minister.
AFP: Iran is still a “perilous” place for foreign companies to do business because of sanctions unaffected by the recent interim nuclear deal, a senior US administration official said on Wednesday during a visit to Rome.
AFP: The head of the UN atomic watchdog said Wednesday he has called an extraordinary meeting of the agency’s board on January 24 to discuss how to verify Iran’s upcoming nuclear freeze.
Washington Times: One of Iraq’s top Sunni politicians on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of fomenting sectarian violence to limit the voices of Sunnis in upcoming elections, and he criticized the Obama administration for failing to do more for a country “destroyed” by the United States.
Roll Call: One thing that shouldn’t happen is to link a willingness to negotiate with the Iranian regime with abandoning our promises to the people of Camp Liberty. These two things are not connected. But I fear that the State Department thinks these two things are connected.
Christian Science Monitor: An Iran nuclear deal would ease economic sanctions on the Islamic nation in exchange for limits to its uranium enrichment program. Oil prices slipped Monday, on news of the Iran nuclear deal, set for Jan. 20, but the promise of new Iranian oil may be overhyped.
AFP: The White House Tuesday dismissed an aggressive claim of victory by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani over an interim nuclear deal, and attempted to face down rising domestic political pressure over the pact.
Reuters: The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday a planned meeting with Iran next week to discuss steps meant to ease concerns over its nuclear program has been pushed back to February 8 at Tehran’s request.
Washington Times: A preliminary deal designed to halt Iran’s nuclear program will take effect next week, the White House said Sunday, but some U.S. lawmakers and analysts have little faith that the Middle Eastern nation will comply.
