Top Stories
NYT: "After months of resisting the idea of new Security
Council sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, the Chinese government
appears to have taken a step closer to supporting them, agreeing to enter
negotiations over the language of a new resolution to intensify international
pressure on Iran." http://nyti.ms/aZRsxm
Reuters: "Iran is having a growing, negative influence in
its neighbor Afghanistan, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral
Mike Mullen said on Wednesday, citing what he said was a shipment of Iranian
arms to fighters." http://bit.ly/dwGP7k
ABC News: "Hot Bird 8 may be Europe's largest and most
powerful television satellite, but it still has little chance when the Iranian
regime decides to block its signals. When that happens, the Farsi services of
the BBC and Voice of America instantly disappear from television screens -- and
not just in Iran, but also throughout the satellite's entire coverage area." http://bit.ly/bGj2Bq
Nuclear Program
Reuters: "Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili
heads to China on Thursday for talks with the government that could hold the
key to whether Tehran faces a fresh round of United Nations sanctions." http://bit.ly/aqI06Y
Commerce
Reuters: "Japan's imports of Iranian crude oil in 2010
look set to fall to the lowest level in 1 years, industry sources say, as lower
consumption, high prices, and political pressure weaken demand from the OPEC
producer." http://bit.ly/9GoqBh
Human Rights
LAT: "Prominent economist Saeed Laylaz was taken to
notorious Evin Prison amid last year's postelection unrest. Now his son
believes speaking out is futile, and his daughter can't imagine doing otherwise."
http://bit.ly/adSlXH
Radio Farda: "The Baha'i representative to the United
Nations says that 50 Baha'is in southern Iran have been barred from leaving the
country, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports." http://bit.ly/d4znXC
Radio Farda: "The initial media reports today quoted a
senior police official in Kish as saying that Mankan had an 'indecent
appearance,' and 'performed repulsive and obscene [dance] moves in a shopping
center in Kish.' He said Mankan's arrest was not political, and was aimed
instead at restoring order, and added that police had received complaints from
people who were offended by Mankan's actions." http://bit.ly/d0iBHo
Foreign Affairs
The Telegraph: "Iran is trying to put together a new
coalition government in neighbouring Iraq from Shia parties even though they
lost last month's general election." http://bit.ly/91lu2S
Opinion
Bennett Ramberg in The Global Post: "These new sanctions
would freeze the international financial lifelines of the Revolutionary Guards
and other elites, expand the list of Iranian companies and individuals facing
travel bans, blacklist shipping companies and curb arms, oil equipment and
gasoline exports to the revolutionary regime.
How much of this menu the council will adopt and its effectiveness
remains uncertain, though the wheels have been set in motion. Six world powers,
including China, agreed on Wednesday to start drawing up the Security Council
resolution, according to reports." http://bit.ly/dqYYJE
Stephen Walt in Foreign Policy: "Interesting news from
ABC (h/t Andrew Sullivan), that the CIA reportedly convinced an Iranian nuclear
physicist named Shahram Amiri to defect to the United States about a year ago.
Amiri was reportedly part of Iran's nuclear research program and has now been
relocated in the United States." http://bit.ly/bXzGL9
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