Wall Street Journal: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s ploy to persuade skeptical Western leaders that he is seeking a diplomatic rapprochement appears sharply at odds with the some of the policies currently being pursued by his government in Tehran.
Rouhani won’t decide on nuclear Iran
Shutdown undercuts Obama defining America’s global role
Bloomberg: Many Obama administration foreign policy decisions, including the reluctance to arm Syrian rebels, the call for former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster, and the tentative engagement with Iran, have unsettled long-time allies, including Saudi Arabia and Israel.
New sanctions likely despite thaw in US-Iran ties
AP: A war-weary Congress generally backs President Barack Obama’s outreach to Iran, but with tougher U.S. economic measures against Tehran on the way, the president’s diplomatic task could get harder if he doesn’t make quick progress.
Total will return to Iran if sanctions lifted
AFP: French energy giant Total will return to Iran, if international sanctions are lifted on petroleum exports, chief executive Christophe de Margerie said at an industry conference here on Tuesday.
Iran sanctions in U.S. Senate delayed before Geneva talks
Reuters: Under pressure not to squeeze Iran too hard, the U.S. Senate is unlikely to impose a fresh round of sanctions on the Islamic Republic until after Tehran holds nuclear talks with world powers later this month, lawmakers and congressional aides said.
Egypt suspends tourism with Iran for security
AFP: Egypt’s Tourism Minister Hisham Zazou said on Tuesday that tourism links with Iran had been suspended for reasons of “national security,” state television reported. Flights bringing Iranian tourists to Egypt began under now ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
Israel ready to tackle nuclear Iran ‘alone’
AFP: Israel is ready to act alone to stop Iran making a nuclear bomb, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday, in a warning against rushing into deals with Tehran’s new leaders. “Israel will not allow Iran to get nuclear weapons” Netanyahu told a UN summit.
PACE conference emphasized need for EU, US and UN to secure release of 7 Ashraf hostages
PRNewswire: In a major conference in the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe, in Strasbourg on Monday, EU, U.S. and UN were called upon to intervene immediately to secure release of seven residents of Camp Ashraf who are taken hostage.
Iran’s diplomatic overtures more show than substance, Baird tells UN
Globe and Mail: Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird warned on Monday that the recent diplomatic opening by Iran is more show than substance in a strongly worded address to the main body of the United Nations outlining the foreign-policy priorities of the Harper government.
Don’t be fooled by Iran’s charming new leader
Bloomberg: There are two main reasons to doubt the possibility of an Iran-U.S. rapprochement, an idea that gained new life after Iran’s charm offensive at the United Nations last week and a phone call between the presidents of the two countries on Sept. 27.
