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Top Stories
Reuters: "Iran
would let U.N nuclear inspectors into a military base they suspect was
used for atomic weapons-related work, if threats against the Islamic
Republic are dropped, a government official was quoted as saying. The
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) believes Iran conducted
explosives tests with possible nuclear applications at Parchin, a
sprawling military base southeast of Tehran, and has repeatedly asked to
inspect it... 'If the trans-regional threats (against Iran) dissipate,
then they will find it possible to visit Parchin,' Deputy Foreign
Minister Hassan Qashqavi was quoted by the Iranian Labour News Agency as
saying on Wednesday. The comments were also published on Thursday by
online magazine Iran Diplomacy. Qashqavi was most likely referring to
Israel's threat of military strikes against Iran and the possibility of
further sanctions by the West." http://t.uani.com/ZDoS3k
Bloomberg:
"Sasol Ltd., the largest producer of motor fuel from coal, said
discussions continue with potential buyers of its stake in Arya Sasol
Polymer Co., amid reports that an Iranian official denied the company
plans to withdraw. 'We continue to engage with a number of interested
parties who include business and government stakeholders,' Alex Anderson,
a spokesman for Johannesburg-based Sasol, said in an e-mailed response to
questions today. Reports that Sasol has decided to cut investment in Iran
because of sanctions against the country are rumors, Abdol Hossein Bayat,
head of the National Petrochemical Co. of Iran, was cited yesterday as
saying by the state-run Fars news agency. Sasol may classify its 50
percent stake in Arya as an asset held for sale, it said in a Dec. 3
statement. Sasol co-owns Arya with Pars Petrochemical Co. of Iran, a unit
of National Petrochemical. Arya contributes about 3 percent to the South
African company's operating profit, Chief Financial Officer Christine
Ramon said Sept. 10." http://t.uani.com/ZDnBch
AP:
"Iranian state TV is reporting the country's president has dismissed
the health minister after her ministry put out a statement criticizing
authorities for not providing money to import medicine. The Thursday
report says Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has replaced Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi, the
sole female member of the Cabinet, by a temporary caretaker. Last week
her ministry in a statement said the Central Bank had not allocated a
budget to import medicine, but provided hard currency for importing pet
food, horse saddles and dog collars." http://t.uani.com/V7529v
Nuclear Program & Sanctions
Bloomberg:
"Japan's crude imports from Iran more than doubled in November from
the previous month to the highest level since March, as the Asian country
boosted purchases despite sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation.
Oil purchases rose to 1.25 million kiloliters, or about 261,000 barrels a
day, up from 469,024 kiloliters in October, according to data today from
the Ministry of Finance. Imports in March were 1.75 million. Japan
is boosting Iranian purchases to broaden its supply base after imports
fell to as low as 418,203 kiloliters in August to comply with Western
sanctions, according to Osamu Fujisawa, an independent energy economist
in Tokyo who worked for Saudi Arabian Oil Co. and Showa Shell Sekiyu
K.K." http://t.uani.com/ZDnJc0
Haaretz:
"The [Israeli] Finance Ministry is planning to ban Israeli
institutional investors from investing in multinational companies that do
business with Iran. A committee appointed by Finance Minister Yuval
Steinitz presented its preliminary recommendations to Steinitz Monday morning.
Steinitz promptly passed the recommendations on to Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, with the aim of implementing them soon. The Finance
Ministry declined to name the companies included on the committee's list
of those doing business with Iran. It also refused to identify the
members of the committee, which was appointed over a year ago." http://t.uani.com/RUa64M
Human Rights
Fox News:
"The Iranian Christian pastor who had been imprisoned in Iran for
converting from Islam to Christianity was taken into custody again on
Christmas Day, according to several Iranian media sources and individuals
close to the pastor and his family. Youcef Nadarkhani, 35, had been
summoned to return back to Lakan Prison in Rasht, the facility where he
served time and was then released, based on the charge that he must
complete the remainder of his sentence, according to several reports and
confirmed by those close to Nadarkhani in Iran. In September, the pastor
was acquitted of apostasy, but the court maintained his three-year
sentence for evangelizing Muslims. As he had already served close to
three years, the pastor was freed after posting bail." http://t.uani.com/U2jWP8
Iran Human Rights:
"Five prisoners were hanged publicly in southern Iran today December
27. According to the state run Iranian news agency Fars five men were
hanged in 'Mehrvarzi' parks of Yasouj city in front of thousands of
people. The prisoners who were not identified by name were convicted of
rape. So far according to official Iranian reports at least 23 people
have been executed in December 2012 in Iran." http://t.uani.com/U2mBZ0
Domestic
Politics
NYT:
"The call to prayer, a five-times-a-day ritual for strict adherents
to Islam, is reaching new heights in Iran. Under a directive announced
Wednesday by Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, all aircraft will be
prohibited from flying across the country during the Adhan, or call to
prayer, when many devout Muslims pause to face toward Mecca and pray. The
directive also requires that planes scheduled for takeoff in Iran will
now have to wait at least 30 minutes until after the day's first call to
prayer, before sunrise, known as Al-Fajr. Hamid Reza Pahlevani, the head
of the aviation organization, was quoted as telling the Iranian Students'
News Agency that the directive was meant to give air travelers the time
'to carry out their religious duties.' The directive appeared to be part
of a strengthened effort in Iran to enforce obedience to orthodox Islamic
codes of conduct in all manner of life." http://t.uani.com/UvogbC
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Eye on Iran is a periodic news summary from United Against
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