Kerry: Choice of Iranian Presidential Candidates Denies Popular Will

- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the disqualification of candidates in Iran's presidential election shows the country's religious leaders are interested only in reinforcing their own power rather than giving voters a choice of opposing views. With Iran's disqualification of more moderate candidates, Kerry says Iran's Guardian Council showed no regard for popular will. - 5/25/13

Lessons from America's First War with Iran

- During the late 1980s, President Ronald Reagan intervened in the Iran- Iraq War in support of Baghdad and Saddam Hussein, ultimately leading to an Iraqi victory. The United States engaged in an undeclared yet bloody naval and air war, while Iraq fought a brutal land war against Iran. -Bruce Riedel, Brookings - 5/24/13

US Lawmakers Pledge to Back Israel Against Iran

- The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a resolution affirming America's firm opposition to Iran's nuclear ambitions, and pledging full support for Israel in the event of an Israeli military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. - 5/23/13

Kerry Presses US-Russian Plan for Syrian Peace Talks

- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets Wednesday in the Jordanian capital with senior diplomats from 11 nations, as part of a U.S.-Russian push to end Syria's civil war. - 5/22/13

Satellite Images Show Five New Stealth F-22s On US Base Near Iran

- Even if we have often reported the presence of the F-22 Raptors at Al Dhafra, satellite imagery showing five radar evading planes parked at the main airbase in the UAE has been made publicly available for the first time recently. -Business Insider - 5/21/13

Wave of Attacks Kills At Least 76 in Iraq

- A wave of car bombings and suicide attacks against Shi'ite Muslims ripped through Iraqi cities Monday, killing at least 76 people and wounding scores more, extending the worst sectarian violence since U.S. troops withdrew from the country in December 2011. - 5/21/13

Two executed in Iran after being convicted of spying for Israel, U.S.

- Iranian judiciary announced the execution of two individuals convicted of espionage today Sunday May 19 in Tehran for "links to foreign intelligence services." Tehran Prosecutors office identified the two individuals as "Mohammad Heydari" and "Kourosh Ahmadi." - 5/20/13

Azerbaijani Scholar, Her Driver Released From Iran Custody

- BAKU -- Azerbaijani scholar Khalida Khalid* and her driver have been released following nearly three weeks in Iranian custody after their detention at the home of an ethnic Azeri activist. - 5/20/13

Russia promotes Iranian role in solving Syrian conflict

- Russia has once again emphasized the need to include Iran in the International Conference aimed at ending the civil war in Syria. Russia and the U.S. agreed this month to hold an international conference, which would include groups representing the Beshar Assad government and the opposition. - 5/18/13

U.S. Blacklists Two U.A.E. Firms For Dealing With Iran

- The United States has barred two financial firms based in the United Arab Emirates for dealing with an Iranian bank blacklisted by Washington. The U.S. Treasury Department said on May 15 that Al Hilal Exchange and Al Fida International General Trading had provided financial services to Bank Mellat. -RFE - 5/16/13

UN Set for Syria Vote

- The United Nations General Assembly is expected to adopt a resolution Wednesday condemning the continued violence in Syria and calling on the country's government to give access to U.N. investigators. -VOA - 5/15/13

Iran to hold 38% share of petrochemical output in Middle East by 2015

- Iran will account for 38 percent of petrochemical production in the Middle East by the year 2015, the National Iranian Petrochemical Company (NIPC) planning manager said on Sunday. Iran is currently producing 24 percent of the total petrochemical products in the Middle East, SHANA quoted Ramezan Oladi as saying. - 5/13/13

Iran Condemns Use Of Chemical Weapons

- Iran's foreign minister has condemned the use of chemical weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction. He noted that Iran -- which is a strong ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad -- was itself a victim of chemical attacks during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. - 5/12/13

Consequences of western intransigence in nuclear diplomacy with Iran

- To maintain the illusion of some prospect for progress in nuclear diplomacy with Tehran, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will meet with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, in Istanbul next week - on May 15. -Hillary Mann Leverett and Flynt Leverett, Al Jazeera - 5/10/13

NORPAC: The Mission and the Message

- Today (May 8, 2013) hundreds of buses packed with what organizers claim are about a thousand citizen advocates departed from various pick-up points in and around New York and New Jersey for Washington, DC. They represent NORPAC (not an acronym for anything), a much smaller, localized grassroots version of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) -Marsha B. Cohen - 5/9/13

US, Russia to Organize International Talks on Syria

- After 18 months of chilly relations with Washington, the Kremlin gave a warm welcome Tuesday to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Signaling a clear change in tone, President Putin was filmed for national television welcoming the new American Secretary of State. -James Brooke, VOA - 5/8/13

US heads 41-nation war games in Persian Gulf, Iran fears conflict in volatile region

- Massive US-led military drills began in the Persian Gulf in a second such show of maritime might in under a year. The US says the exercises are not aimed at Iran, who earlier vowed to close the Hormuz Strait, and now expresses concern over the drills. -RT - 5/7/13

UN: Syrian Rebels Used Sarin

- A member of the United Nations panel investigating possible human rights abuses in Syria says there are "strong suspicions" that rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad have used chemical weapons. - 5/6/13

Syria accuses Israel of declaring war after further air strikes

- The Syrian government said that Israeli air strikes against military targets around Damascus amounted to a "declaration of war" and threatened retaliation, in the latest sign that the fighting is spilling across the Syrian border and risks sparking a wider regional conflict. -Guardian - 5/6/13

Iran to develop 3 Persian Gulf oilfields

- Iran will develop three of its oilfields, which are located in the Persian Gulf, in the current Iranian calendar year, which started on March 21, the National Iranian Offshore Oilfields Company managing director Mahmoud Zirakchianzadeh said. - 5/6/13

Iran, India sign four MOUs, seek closer ties

- The signing of the MOUs came as Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and his Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid co-chaired the 17th meeting of the Iran-India Joint Economic Commission in Tehran on Saturday. - 5/5/13

Israel carries out second air strike in Syria

- Israel has carried out a second air strike on Syria, hitting targets in and close to Damascus in what briefings by unnamed western intelligence sources reportedly claimed was an attempt to stop a shipment of advanced, Iranian-made missiles heading to Hezbollah in Lebanon. -Guardian - 5/5/13

India's Foreign Minister embarks on three-day visit to Tehran

- India's External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Friday embarked on a three-day visit to Tehran to attend the 17th meeting of India-Iran Joint Commission. He is the Co-chairperson of the Joint Commission along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran. - 5/4/13

Iran to Start Using New Mine Sweeping System in Persian Gulf

- Iran will start operating a new mine sweeping system in the Persian Gulf in coming days, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced after the US said it plans to conduct mine sweeping exercises with tens of its allied naval forces in the region. - 5/4/13

Iranian art collector plans contemporary art museum in Dubai

- Prominent Iranian art collector Ramin Salsali is planning to erect a modern art gallery in the heart of Dubai's commercial centre. The Dubai Museum of Contemporary Art (DMOCA) will be located in the Burj Khalifa district in downtown Dubai and Salsali has announced that he will donate some of his own collection in order to establish the new gallery. - 5/3/13

MOP up: US 'upgrades' biggest bunker buster to calm Israel over Iran

- The Pentagon has reportedly upgraded its biggest conventional bomb to be able to take out Iran's fortified Fordow nuclear site. It is meant to allay Israeli fears that should Iran try to make a nuclear bomb, military action would not stop it. -RT - 5/3/13

Azerbaijan Protests Arrest Of Citizens In Iran

- Baku is demanding an explanation for the arrest of two Azerbaijani citizens in Iran. Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said its consulate in the Iranian city of Tabriz handed a note of protest to the Iranian officials on May 2. - 5/2/13

Iran makes computer games to defend Persian Gulf islands

- Managing Director of Iranian National Foundation of Computer Games Behrouz Minaei reiterated that the three Iranian islands located in Persian Gulf are inseparable part of Iran, adding that experts of the country have designed and produced computer games for strategic management and protection of the three islands. - 5/1/13

Once upon a time in Iran, and other Israeli tales

- The Docaviv Tel Aviv film festival spotlights a forgotten, pre-revolutionary period when Israelis and Iranians wined and dined together and exchanged intelligence secrets. -Haaretz - 5/1/13

Iran's Kaleh crowned Asian Men's Club Volleyball Champion

- Iran's Kaleh wrapped up the title of the 2013 Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship with a win over Al-Rayyan on Monday. The Iranian representative defeated Al-Rayyan in three straight sets (25-22, 25-17, 25-21) at Tehran's Azadi Hall. - 4/30/13

Examining Qatar's Arab Spring Largesse

- The tiny oil-rich nation of Qatar is emerging as a major behind-the-scenes player in the Middle East following the Arab Spring uprisings. It has managed this by pumping billions of dollars into Tunisia, to jihadist fighters in Libya and to the new Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt. -Cecily Hilleary, VOA - 4/30/13

Israeli leader says Iran has not yet crossed nuclear weapons 'red line'

- In Iran, an influential former president appeared to be trying to lower tensions with Israel, saying that his country is not at war with the Jewish state, Iranian media reported. -AP - 4/30/13

Iran, Egypt discuss ways to help end Syrian crisis

- Egypt has sent a high ranking delegation to Tehran to discuss the provisions of an Egyptian-drafted quartet initiative to find a solution to the Syrian crisis. - 4/29/13

Chorus grows against Obama administration's sanctions-heavy Iran policy

- "I was in the [State] Department when they kept talking about the so-called two-track policy, and it was clear the whole thing was nonsense, there never were two tracks," says John Limbert, the former US deputy assistant secretary of state for Iran from 2009 to 2010. "The sanctions took all the air out of the room. It was 95 percent sanctions, and that was on a good day." -Scott Peterson, CSM - 4/26/13

Hagel Talks Iran, Budget With U.S. Troops in Southwest Asia

- On the last full day of his inaugural trip to the Middle East, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met with troops at an air base here and answered questions on topics ranging from budget cuts and tuition assistance to the Asia-Pacific rebalance and Iran. -By Cheryl Pellerin, American Forces Press Service - 4/26/13

Potential Presidential Candidate Says Holocaust Denial Was Damaging

- Potential presidential candidate and mayor of Tehran Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf sat down with Tasnim News Agency to present his positions on foreign policy and economics. Ghalibaf, shared his ideas on the Western sanctions against Iran, the nuclear program and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's controversial remarks on the Holocaust. -Arash Karami, Al Monitor - 4/26/13

Dutch court awards compensation to Iranian mustard gas attack survivors

- A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered a businessman convicted of selling Saddam Hussein raw materials for mustard gas to pay compensation to 16 Iranian and Iraqi victims of chemical weapon attacks by the former Iraqi dictator's regime, according to the Associated Press. - 4/25/13

Iraqi Town Attacked By Gunmen

- Iraqi security forces have been battling Sunni tribesmen for control over the town of Suleiman Beik. Five soldiers and at least seven of the armed attackers were killed and more than 30 people wounded in battles in Suleiman Beik. - 4/25/13

Iran calls on littoral states to honor Caspian Sea legal regime

- In his address to the 32th meeting of the working group on the Caspian Sea that opened in Tehran on Tuesday, Ali Akbar Salehi said that the littoral states have agreed to settle the issues surrounding the sea and expand regional cooperation. - 4/24/13

Canada alleges Al Qaeda plot from Iran, but Tehran's involvement unlikely

- When Canadian officials made that charge yesterday, it surprised Iran specialists because the Shiite Islamic Republic and hardline Sunni Al Qaeda have been largely hostile to each other for the last two decades. -Scott Peterson, CSM - 4/24/13

Iran to host Mideast largest financial expo

- Iran plans to hold the Middle East's largest financial and investment expo early May, hosting several foreign countries. Over 280 foreign and internal companies will join the 7th International Exchange, Bank and Insurance (FINEX) exhibition. - 4/23/13

Hagel Says Arms Sales a 'Clear Signal' to Iran

- U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says a major U.S. arms deal with Israel sends a "very clear signal" to Iran that military activity remains an option to keep Tehran from developing or using nuclear weapons. - 4/21/13

Senate Brings US Closer to War With Iran

- The National Iranian American Council strongly opposes today's Senate Foreign Relations Committee adoption of S.Res.65, a resolution conveying U.S. support for potential Israeli military strikes on Iran. NIAC urges the Senate to delay any further action on this resolution and to instead work to advance a serious diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute. - 4/18/13

Senate Committee Resolution Supports Israeli Action on Iran

- The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has passed a resolution expressing U.S. solidarity with Israel if it has to defend itself militarily against Iran's nuclear development program. - 4/18/13

IRGC commander: Security of worldˈs strategic energy reserves in hands of IRGC

- Commander of the Islamic Revolutionˈs Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said on Wednesday that security of the worldˈs strategic energy reserves is in the hands of the IRGC. - 4/18/13

IMF Says Iran's Economy Shrank In 2012

- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Iran's economy shrank by 1.9 percent in 2012 and is expected to contract by 1.3 percent this year as it reels from the impact of Western sanctions. - 4/17/13

Pakistani Military Evacuates Earthquake Victims

- The Pakistani military has evacuated 16 people badly injured by Tuesday's powerful earthquake near the Iranian border, as relief operations in the region continue. The quake also shook the cities hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter, including the Pakistani city of Karachi. The quake was felt as far away as the Indian capital, New Delhi, and several Persian Gulf cities like Dubai - 4/17/13

Iran rejects rumors about possible radiation leak at Bushehr plant

- The deputy of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has dismissed as baseless the rumors about possible radiation leaks at Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) following an earthquake in the southern parts of the country. - 4/15/13

Interior minister calls for respecting Iranians in UAE airports

- Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar in a meeting with his UAE counterpart Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan called for removal of problems facing the Iranian nationals residing in the United Arab Emirates, and stressed the need for easing the visas. - 4/15/13

Thousands of Bahrainis Protest Before Formula One Race

- housands of Bahrainis staged a peaceful march on Friday in the first of a series of protests the Shi'ite-led opposition is planning to hold before next week's Formula One Grand Prix race. -Reuters - 4/13/13

Iraq tightens inspection of Iranian airplanes

- Iraq says it has inspected three Iranian flights passing through that country en route to Damascus in the past week and found nothing suspicious. - 4/12/13

Azerbaijani Lawmaker Gleeful About Iranian Border Treaty Threat

- Amember of Azerbaijan's ruling political party has reacted gleefully to calls from Iranian lawmakers for the renegotiation of the 19th-century treaty that created the border between their countries. Iranian state media suggest that renegotiating the 185-year-old Treaty of Turkmenchay would lead to the annexation of northern Azerbaijan by Tehran. -Ron Synovitz, RFE - 4/11/13

Can the Iranian Nuclear Dispute be Resolved?

- Readers who recall that four years ago a new US President seemed eager to defuse the West's quarrel with Iran over its nuclear activities may wonder why we are all still waiting for white smoke. -Peter Jenkins, Lobelog - 4/11/13

The Way of the Knife: NYT's Mark Mazzetti on the CIA's Post-9/11 Move from Spying to Assassinations

- In his new book, "The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth," Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Mark Mazzetti tracks the transformation of the CIA and U.S. special operations forces into man-hunting and killing machines in the world's dark spaces -Democracy Now - 4/11/13

Why P5+1 Mechanism Is Not Efficient Enough to Achieve Broad-based Agreement?

- After several rounds of negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the P5+1 group, it is now clear that Iran "may need other mechanisms different from the P5+1 to overcome the problem because the P5+1 mechanism is not efficient enough to make way for the achievement of a broad-based agreement" between the negotiating parties. -Ali Ghannadi - 4/10/13

Iranian tourism to Egypt put on hold

- Only a week after the first group of Iranian tourists flew to Egypt, the country's tourism minister announced that such trips will be suspended until June. - 4/9/13

World powers still seek diplomatic solution with Iran

- World powers reacted with great reservation to the latest nuclear talks with Iran in Almaty but they maintained that there is still room to press on with further negotiations. AFP reported that a senior U.S. diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Iran is expecting big results in exchange for small steps. - 4/7/13

Israeli Official: Time to Set Ultimatum for Iran

- Speaking to Israel's Army Radio on Sunday, Strategic Affairs and Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said it is time for Iran to face a "military threat, a form of red line or unequivocal ultimatum" from the entire world, particularly the United States and the West. - 4/7/13

Ashton Says Six Powers, Iran 'Remain Far Apart" In Almaty

- EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton says the positions of six world powers and Iran "remain far apart" on Tehran's nuclear program despite two days of long and intensive discussions in Almaty, azakhstan. Nonetheless, she appeared to indicate that the talks had been constructive. - 4/6/13

Obama to Host Leaders from Turkey, Jordan, Persian Gulf States

- President Barack Obama plans some intense Mideast diplomacy this month and next, welcoming leaders of Turkey, Jordan and two Gulf states for Oval Office talks on Syria and broader developments in the Mideast. -Dan Robinson, VOA - 4/6/13

Iran to export 40 mcm/d of gas to Iraq by summer 2013

- An Iranian deputy oil minister has announced that the country will start exporting 40 million cubic meters (mcm) a day of natural gas to Iraq by summer 2013. - 4/6/13

Hard-Line Tehran Daily Says Azerbaijan Should Hold Referendum On Joining Iran

- ran's ultra-hard-line "Kayhan" daily, which is said to reflect the views of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has called for a public referendum in Azerbaijan to decide whether the country should join the Islamic Republic. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 4/5/13

The Atlantic Council's Report: Time to Move from Tactics to Strategy on Iran

- The Atlantic Council's Iran Task Force has launched a new report, Time to Move from Tactics to Strategy on Iran, reflecting more than two years of research on a wide range of issues related to this pivotal country. The Task Force, led by Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat, recommends a long-term strategy that offers the Iranian government a face-saving exit from the nuclear crisis and seeks to lay the groundwork for better relations with the Iranian people. - 4/5/13

17 Caucasus cities seek annexation to Iran: Lawmaker

- An Iranian lawmaker says the people of 17 cities across Caucasus are interested in their cities getting annexed to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The 17 Caucasus cities, including the Azeri capital city of Baku, were separated from Iran under the rule of the Qajar dynasty. - 4/4/13

As Iraq Becomes Iran-Like

- "Iran is ruling Iraq today," Sheikh Safed Maula, a clan leader clad in a black cloak and red turban, told IPS. "Baghdad is in the hands of the Safavids (a name that designates the Persian Shia Muslims), whereas Sunnis walk to prison in line," he said, referring to the mass detention of Sunnis on what rights groups say are flimsy charges -Karlos Zurutuza, IPS - 4/4/13

El-Baradei slams restrictions on Iranian tourists visiting Egypt

- Egyptian opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate Mohammad El-Baradei has spoken out against the restrictions imposed on Iranian tourists visiting his country. The first group of Iranian tourists to visit Egypt in three decades arrived on Saturday March 30. According to local media, Iranian tourists are under strict security supervision for their own protection. - 4/3/13

US Considers Sanctions Against Pakistan for Iran Pipeline

- After nearly 20 years, there is considerable progress on the Iran-to-Pakistan "peace pipeline," with Iranian contractors starting work on Pakistani sections of the project, having finished nearly 900 kilometers of pipeline in Iran. - 4/2/13

Iran wants explanation for meeting in Azerbaijan

- The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned Azerbaijan's ambassador to express displeasure with a meeting held in Baku entitled "The Future of Southern Azerbaijan." - 4/1/13

Obama is channeling Bush fever in Iran

- Ten years after the Iraq debacle, are we -- mind-bogglingly -- headed to war with Iran? The signals suggest yes. -Falguni A. Sheth, Salon - 3/31/13

Direct flight from Cairo to Tehran signals diplomatic thaw

- A direct passenger flight left Cairo for Tehran on Saturday March 30, the first such flight in more than three decades. The Associated Press reports that Iran-Egypt relations have been slowly improving since the election of Mohammad Morsi as Egyptian president - 3/31/13

Female Bahraini doctor says 'severely' tortured in jail

- A female Bahraini doctor says the Al Khalifa regime forces have 'severely' tortured her and several other doctors, who treated injured anti-regime protesters, in order to extract false confessions. - 3/31/13

Iran will not negotiate on its Persian Gulf islands: Lawmaker

- The Iranian delegation to the 128th assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has reiterated Iran's sovereignty over the three Persian Gulf islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa. - 3/29/13

Obama Makes Nice Speeches but One Sided Support for Israel Continues

- Phyllis Bennis: President Obama recognizes injustice and need for two states but does nothing to pressure Netanyahu to make concessions to Palestinians -RNN - 3/28/13

Iran Denies Involvement Nagorno-Karabakh Broadcasts

- BAKU -- The Iranian Embassy in Baku says Tehran has nothing to do with a new radio station broadcasting in the Talysh language from Azerbaijan's breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The denial was issued on March 28. - 3/28/13

Iran protests to Saudi Arabia over spying claims

- Iran has summoned the Saudi Arabia's charge d'affaires in Tehran over Riyadh's allegations that the Islamic Republic has links to a spy cell in the Arab kingdom. - 3/27/13