Top Stories
Politico: "A spike in Iran's gasoline imports in recent
months indicates that the Iranian government 'is seriously concerned about the
effect that gasoline sanctions may have on the already ailing Iranian economy,'
Booz-Allen's Persia House reports. The group's analysis shows that Iran has
increased its gasoline imports by 1500 percent in the last year and reduced
domestic consumption of gasoline by five percent in the last year..." http://bit.ly/cpP7nx
Reuters: "Russia could support additional sanctions on
Iran but any measures must be focused only on preventing the proliferation of
nuclear materials, Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday." http://nyti.ms/ahP45l
WP: "China pledged for the first time Wednesday to join
in substantive talks on sanctioning Iran for defying U.N. demands that it stop
enriching uranium, according to Britain's U.N. ambassador." http://bit.ly/aZxL5Z
Nuclear Program
AP: "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says efforts by the
West to halt Iran's nuclear program will not bear fruit. The Thursday remarks by Ahmadinejad were made
during a ceremony marking the inauguration of a dam in southwestern Iran. They
were carried live by state television. Addressing the West, he said: 'Rest assured
that your efforts will be fruitless.'" http://nyti.ms/ah7E9A
NYT: "Russia disclosed on Wednesday that Russian and
Chinese envoys had pressed Iran's government to accept a United Nations plan on
uranium enrichment during meetings in Tehran early this month but that Iran had
refused, leaving 'less and less room for diplomatic maneuvering.'" http://nyti.ms/a9St7K
Reuters: "NATO-member Turkey on Wednesday rebuffed calls
from ally the United States to support more sanctions against Iran over
Tehran's nuclear program, saying diplomacy should be given more chance." http://bit.ly/99QSLB
WSJ: "The U.S. has backed away from pursuing a number of
tough measures against Iran in order to win support from Russia and China for a
new United Nations Security Council resolution on sanctions, according to
people familiar with the matter. Among
provisions removed from the original draft resolution the U.S. sent to key
allies last month were sanctions aimed at choking off Tehran's access to
international banking services and capital markets, and closing international
airspace and waters to Iran's national air cargo and shipping lines, according
to the people." http://bit.ly/b3h509
Times of India: "Recent hiccups in its relations with
India over its controversial nuclear program notwithstanding, Iran is looking
forward to Indian participation in a conference on nuclear disarmament it is
organising next month in Tehran." http://bit.ly/9t4UCS
Foreign Policy: "Adding to Congress's threats to move
Iran sanctions legislation regardless of what happens at the United Nations, a
House appropriator will move to keep all U.S. government money out of the hands
of companies that do business there." http://bit.ly/b51X7M
Human Rights
Radio Farda: "A group of Iranian film directors and
artists has written an open letter to the government demanding the 'unconditional
release' of prize-winning filmmaker Jafar Panahi, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports. Panahi, 49, was arrested at his home on March
1 along with family and friends in the ongoing crackdown on opposition
activists begun after Iran's disputed presidential election in June. The others
were later released." http://bit.ly/9Vi2sx
Foreign Affairs
NPR: "Russia has explained its reluctance to impose new
sanctions on Iran by stressing the historic ties between the two countries.
Russia and Iran, say officials in Moscow, are economic and cultural partners,
as well as neighbors on the Caspian Sea." http://bit.ly/bkY9S4
Opinion
Reza Kahlili in CS Monitor: "At a time when President
Obama and Western allies are confronting Iran over its suspected nuclear
program, some in the West took solace in the supreme leader's assurance. Such
solace is foolhardy. First, Mr. Khamenei
does not hold a sufficient position to declare any act as haram. Only a
mujtahid, an Islamic scholar, has such authority." http://bit.ly/bJA6ns
Theodore Couloumbis, Bill Ahlstrom & Gary Weaver in
RCW: "Last month Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned that Iran was
turning into a 'military dictatorship,' as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC) was steadily assuming more and more power within the country. The
image of Iran as a threatening and militarized nation, ruled by an irrational
regime and intent on destroying Israel, would become even more ominous if Iran
were to join the nuclear club." http://bit.ly/bzuA2e
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