Bloomberg: President Barack Obama is shaping his decision whether to attack Syria with the help of a small, loyal cadre of advisers who almost to a person share a reluctance to engage Bashar al-Assad’s regime militarily.
Obama’s advisers shifted on Syria as Libya honed caution
Mother of man held in Iran releases letter to him
AP: The mother of a former U.S. Marine who has been held in Iran for two years on spying charges on Thursday released the contents of a letter she sent to him. Behnaz Hekmati told her son Amir that the two years apart “is almost too much for a mother to endure.
Iran to work with Russia to stop strike on Syria
AP: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country will press forward with efforts to ward off military action by the U.S. and its allies against the Tehran-backed regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Iranian state TV reported on Thursday.
How Iran would retaliate to a U.S. strike on Syria
Daily Beast: If the United States launches limited air strikes on Syria, Iran has threatened a response—but U.S. officials tell Eli Lake that any attempted Iranian terrorist attacks are not likely outside the Middle East.
Iran foreign ministry appoints first-ever spokeswoman
AFP: Iran’s foreign ministry has appointed its first-ever spokeswoman, with President Hassan Rowhani appearing to welcome the move as part of a campaign to empower women, reports said Thursday.
US calls for release of Americans imprisoned in Iran
AFP: US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday called for the release of two American dual citizens jailed in Iran, saying Washington was “deeply concerned” about their fate.
US forces to punish Syria, not push regime change
AFP: US forces are readying to strike Syria, though the West insists its goal is not regime change but to punish President Bashar al-Assad’s government for unleashing chemical warfare on civilians.
Apple eases restrictions on selling products headed to Iran
Wall Street Journal: Apple Inc. said it would begin selling devices to customers who plan to bring them to Iran, following an effort by the Obama administration to loosen decades-old sanctions on the country.
U.N. official urges Iran to sway Syria government on peace talks
Reuters: A top U.N. official visiting Iran has urged it to use its influence to persuade the Syrian government to attend planned peace talks with opposition groups in Geneva, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
Iran ‘to name first female ambassador’
AFP: Iran plans to appoint a woman ambassador and a spokeswoman for the foreign ministry for the first time in the Islamic republic’s history, Iranian media reports said Tuesday. A final decision is expected “within a week,” current ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi said, quoted in the media.
