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Top Stories
WSJ: "Iran's
oil minister admitted Monday for the first time that oil exports have
dropped 40% because of Western sanctions, breaking away from previous
denials of impact from international pressure. Over the past nine months,
'there has been a 40% decline in oil sales and a 45% decrease in
repatriating oil earnings,' Rostam Qasemi told the Iranian parliament's
budget and planning commission, according to the ISNA news agency... But
while Iranian lawmakers have already admitted a drop in Iran's
international crude sales-its largest source of revenue--Mr Qasemi, the
country's top oil policymaker, had insisted until now that pressure
wasn't significantly denting its exports. Independent experts and Iranian
lawmakers say oil exports have been more than halved from at least 2.2
million barrels a day a year ago to about 1 million barrels a day today.
But Mr Qasemi, who didn't give any current number, was quoted as saying
he expects international sales to reach 1.5 million barrels a day in the
new Iranian year, which starts March 20." http://t.uani.com/VFRSmC
WashPost:
"New U.S. sanctions have broadened the front in the West's
escalating economic conflict with Iran, targeting large swaths of the
country's industrial infrastructure even as Iranian leaders are
indicating a willingness to resume negotiations on the country's nuclear
program. With Iran's economy already reeling from previous sanctions, the
new measures passed by Congress and signed by President Obama last week
are intended to deliver powerful blows against key industries ranging
from shipping and ports-management to the government-controlled news
media, congressional officials and economic experts say. While some
previous U.S. sanctions targeted individuals and firms linked to Iran's
nuclear industry, the new policies are closer to a true trade embargo,
designed to systematically attack and undercut Iran's major financial
pillars and threaten the country with economic collapse, the officials
say... By broadening the focus to entire industries, the new effort is
intended to make it harder for Iran to evade sanctions through front
operations." http://t.uani.com/SfEff2
Reuters:
"Iran has spent almost $25 billion on upstream oil and gas projects
since last March but needs to keep investing to keep its influence in
OPEC, Iran's oil minister said on Sunday. Iranian oil production fell
sharply last year, as Western nations tightened sanctions to starve
Tehran of funds for its disputed nuclear programme, allowing Iraq to
overtake Iran as the oil exporting group's second-largest producer. The
sanctions, aimed at stopping what the West says is a weapons programme
but which Tehran says is purely peaceful, have slashed tens of billions
off Iranian oil revenues over the past year and weakened OPEC price hawk
Iran's influence in a group now effectively steered by Saudi
Arabia." http://t.uani.com/XDn5K7
Nuclear Program & Sanctions
Reuters:
"Iran's agricultural exports grew last year, with pistachio and
saffron sales almost doubling, despite Western sanctions on trade with
the country, the semi-official Fars news agency quoted Iran's deputy
agriculture minister as saying on Saturday. Between March 21 and December
20, Iran's pistachio exports doubled to $587 million, making the nuts
Iran's biggest agricultural export by value. Exports of saffron rose 87
percent to $213 million, Fars reported. 'Export of farming products has
increased 15 percent compared to the previous year, while the
agricultural exports are still on the increase on a daily basis,' Far
quoted Jahangir Pourhemmat as saying... It did not say how exporters of
agricultural goods were paid for their goods, but Iran has struck several
barter deals over the past year to secure goods it needs in exchange for
products it cannot sell easily due to banking restrictions." http://t.uani.com/SfFv1X
Reuters:
"Pakistani grain exporter Seatrade Group said it will start shipping
100,000 tons of wheat to Iran by the end of January or early February,
one-tenth of the original tender agreed in August. Iranian wheat imports
are usually handled by the private sector but the Iranian government had
to step in and help with purchasing this year because of the disruption
to trade financing caused by Western sanctions aimed at Iran's disputed
nuclear programme. The grain is to come from Pakistani government stocks
held by the government-run Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services
Corporation (Passco). 'It seems the (Iranian) government doesn't have the
money' for the million ton shipment, a director at the leading Pakistani
grain exporter Seatrade Group said." http://t.uani.com/UCRofs
Press Trust of
India: "The US-based California Public Employees'
Retirement System (CalPERS), one of the world's largest pension funds,
has flagged concerns over investments in shares of various Indian oil
companies, including Oil India and Petronet LNG, due to their Iran-related
business interests. CalPERS, which manages investments of $240 billion
globally, has exited its holding in Petronet LNG and blocked future
investments, alleging failure on the part of India's largest liquefied
natural gas importer to take 'substantial action' to curtail business
operations in Iran. CalPERS has also blocked all future investments in
another state-run energy major, Oil India Ltd, while the country's
largest public sector company, Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), is also
being monitored for possible Iran ties, the pension fund said in its
annual legislative report for the year ended December 31, 2012, while
detailing its Iran-related investment decisions." http://t.uani.com/WDumU9
FT:
"Iran has dramatically scaled up its use of compressed natural gas
to power vehicles, an effort which has helped ease the tightening
pressure from international sanctions on petrol imports. A five-year
multibillion-dollar government investment programme has helped bring
millions of duel-fuel cars on to the roads, softening the impact of
rising gasoline prices and petrol rationing. The natural gas boom is a
microcosm of the struggle of the Tehran regime and Iranian citizens with
western banking and oil sanctions that have triggered sharp falls in both
exports of crude and the value of the Iranian rial... The Natural Gas
Vehicle Global - an international lobbying association of more than 300
companies and other organisations - says Iran is now the world's leader
in terms of numbers of natural gas vehicles, ahead of Pakistan,
Argentina, Brazil and India." http://t.uani.com/UASFr0
Terrorism
Wired:
"In February 2010, Iranian spies had Tehran's most wanted man in
their sights. Their target, Sunni Islamist militant Abdolmalek Rigi, had
killed an Iranian general and was responsible for a string of terrorist
attacks in Iran from across the Pakistani border. After Rigi boarded a
commercial flight to Dubai that took him through Iranian airspace, secret
agents on board appeared, ordered the plane to land, and then arrested Rigi.
He was later executed. That's just one operation in recent years by the
Ministry of Intelligence and Security, or MOIS. According to a new report
by the Federal Research Division at the Library of Congress, the spy
agency counts as 'the most powerful and well-supported ministry among all
Iranian ministries' in terms of finances and support. The report, first
obtained by Bill Gertz at The Washington Free Beacon, describes a 30,000
strong army of spies - the largest intelligence agency in the Middle East
- responsible for assassinating political opponents, espionage, and,
above all, crushing potential rivals to Tehran's ruling elite. But first
note that the MOIS is distinct from the Quds Force, the combination
special forces and CIA-styled intelligence wing of the Iranian
Revolutionary Guards Corps." http://t.uani.com/ZxfFs5
Syrian Uprising
Reuters:
"Iran welcomed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's television
address, saying he had rejected violence and offered a 'comprehensive
political process' to end his country's conflict, Iranian media reported
on Monday. Assad's speech on Sunday was billed as the unveiling of a new
peace plan but the president offered no concessions and dismissed the
prospect of negotiations with Syrian opposition groups, which described
it as a renewed declaration of war. Iran has steadfastly backed Assad's
rule since an uprising began almost two years ago and regards him as an
important part of the axis of opposition against Israel. Iran describes
many Syrian opposition groups as 'terrorists' who are backed by Western
and Arab states." http://t.uani.com/1189GdY
AFP:
"Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi will visit Egypt on
January 9 for a two-day trip aimed at discussing the Syria crisis and
Tehran-Cairo bilateral talks, media reports said on Saturday. Salehi will
meet his counterpart Mohammed Kamel Amr and President Mohamed Morsi
during his stay in Cairo, said Mojtaba Amani, the head of Tehran's
interests section in the Egyptian capital, according to the ISNA news
agency. Egypt's official MENA news agency, quoting Amr who is on a visit
to Riyadh, said Salehi's visit was taking place in the context of
'reviving the initiative of President Mohamed Morsi as per the contact
group on Syria.'" http://t.uani.com/UvLc7e
Human Rights
Bloomberg:
"Iran's parliament said the Tehran branch of the cyber police unit
is responsible for the death in detention of a blogger who had criticized
the Islamic Republic's government, the state-run Mehr news agency
reported. The finding was stated in a report by a special commission set
up in November to investigate Sattar Beheshti's death, and was read in a
parliamentary session yesterday, Mehr said. Beheshti is accused of
spreading propaganda, insulting the values of the Islamic Republic and
seeking to act against national security, according to the news
agency. Officials from the cyber police unit arrested the blogger
at home on Oct. 30 and transferred him to Evin Prison in the capital the
following day." http://t.uani.com/UAXbps
Reuters:
"Iran's parliament called on Sunday for a special inquiry to
investigate the death in detention of a blogger whose posts criticized
the country's leadership. In a case that provoked international outrage,
Sattar Beheshti was arrested in his home on October 30 after receiving
death threats, and died some days later, having complained of being
tortured. 'It is necessary that the responsible agencies ... exercise
more supervision and seriousness with regard to these bitter events and
carry out a special inquiry of the case of the death of Sattar Beheshti,'
parliament said in a report read out on Sunday. The report also
recommended training for all staff in detention units, the installation
in detention centers of CCTV equipment and the regular inspection of
facilities." http://t.uani.com/VFTdtM
AP:
"Iran's police chief says the Islamic Republic is developing new
software to control social networking sites. Gen. Esmail Ahmadi Moghadam
was quoted in Iranian newspapers Saturday as saying the new software will
prevent Iranians from being exposed to malicious content online while
allowing users to enjoy the benefits of the Internet. He did not say when
the software would be introduced. Moghadam also did not specify which
social networking sites would be affected, but both Facebook and Twitter
are popular in Iran." http://t.uani.com/V2Fxcw
FT:
"After two years in prison for protesting against rigged elections,
Hengameh Shahidi, an Iranian journalist and human rights activist, picked
up a paintbrush for the first time. Freed from Evin prison - where she
was held in solitary confinement and allegedly tortured - art offered her
a release. 'I still do not understand how a violent atmosphere has woken
up a delicate part of me,' she says. Now she hopes her paintings will
help raise awareness about the plight of 200 or so political prisoners
still in Iranian jails, many of them forgotten or ignored by a population
afraid to speak out. Weary of political protest that seems to achieve
little, she says art can help bring about social change in the 'bigger
jail than Evin, which is Iran.'" http://t.uani.com/Wo9f7F
Domestic
Politics
Bloomberg:
"Air pollution in Iran's capital Tehran killed about 4,460 residents
in the last Iranian year, the state-run Mehr news agency reported, citing
Hassan Aghajani, a Health Ministry official. Aghajani gave the figures
for the year that ended on March 19 in a program aired on national
television two days ago, according to today's report. Tehran is shielded
by mountains to the north, and rare wind and rain worsen pollution. With
12 million residents and more than 2 million vehicles, the city is among
the world's most polluted. About 2,500 people in Tehran die annually
because of health problems caused by pollution, local media reported in
2010, citing the capital's environmental organization. The low quality of
gasoline and diesel used by local automobiles is partly responsible for
the smog in Tehran, a situation that also occurs in other large Iranian
cities including Isfahan, Mashhad and Tabriz, Mehr said, citing
unidentified officials. Yousef Rashidi, managing director of the Tehran
air quality control company, has said that domestically manufactured cars
and their ineffective combustion systems account for as much as 80
percent of Tehran's air pollution rather than the poor quality of the
locally produced fuel, according to the report." http://t.uani.com/ZxeQj6
NYT:
"Already battered by international threats against their nation's
nuclear program, sanctions and a broken economy, Iranians living here in
the capital are now trying to cope with what has become an annual
pollution peril: a yellowish haze that engulfs Tehran this time of year.
For nearly a week, officials here and in other large cities have been
calling on residents to remain indoors or avoid downtown areas, saying
that with air pollution at such high levels, venturing outside could be
tantamount to 'suicide,' state radio reported Saturday. On Sunday,
government offices, schools, universities and banks reopened after the
government had ordered them to shut down for five days to help ease the
chronic pollution. Tehran's normally bustling streets were largely
deserted." http://t.uani.com/V2OCSR
Opinion &
Analysis
Sohrab Ahmari in
WSJ: "Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian
nuclear negotiator, said in a television interview aired recently in the
Islamic Republic that the country 'is in full compliance' with the
International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear-safeguards agreement, and that
there is 'no evidence' the regime is diverting nuclear material for
military purposes. Both statements were deceptive at best: Iran isn't in
compliance with all provisions of its current safeguards agreement, and
the lack of evidence for diversion doesn't dispel the IAEA's concerns
about nuclear-weapons research and development. Yet neither assertion was
challenged by the on-air host. Islamic Republic officials are accustomed
to going unchallenged by Iranian journalists, who prefer to stay out of
the regime's dungeons. But the interview with Mr. Mousavian appeared on
'Ofogh' (Horizon), a television show produced by the Persian-language
service of Voice of America, the U.S. government broadcaster founded in
1942 to provide 'accurate, balanced, and comprehensive news' to 'people
living in closed and war-torn societies.' VOA's Persian News Network,
based in Washington, is funded by Congress and receives around $23
million in taxpayer money annually. The 'Ofogh' segment touched off a
fierce reaction among Iranian viewers, who took to the show's Facebook
page to vent their anger. 'Like Iran's current leaders he is a master of
sophistry,' wrote one about Mr. Mousavian. Other viewers directed their
complaints at VOA. 'Voice of America = The Islamic Republic,' wrote
another. According to current and former employees at the network, the
viewers' complaints are unlikely to register with executives. One
high-level production staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity
because he is currently employed at the network, said the Mousavian
interview fit a pattern of VOA's Persian-language division allowing
itself to be bullied by regime mouthpieces. 'Mousavian dictated the terms
of the arrangement,' the staffer said. 'He would not agree to debate
somebody else.' Critics also charge that VOA's Persian coverage is often
distorted by an editorial line favoring rapprochement with the mullahs.
There is 'a clear slant in favor of Iran in terms of its involvement in
terrorism,' the current production staffer wrote in response to queries
for this article. The network, he said, often refuses to air criticism of
Iranian terror unless it is 'balanced with the perspective of the Islamic
Republic who vehemently [deny] any involvement.' And because 'no one in
the Islamic Republic gives us interviews anyway,' VOA Persian abandons
otherwise informative segments about terrorism. A former employee and
on-screen personality summed up the network's nonconfrontational attitude
by saying that VOA sees itself as providing 'a bridge between Washington
and Tehran.'" http://t.uani.com/1188MxY
Zachary Keck in
The Diplomat: "Four Asian countries are now
purchasing nearly all of Iran's oil exports according a report this week
from the Economist's Intelligence Unit (EIU). 'Almost all of Iran's oil
exports now go to China, South Korea, Japan and India,' the report said
even as it noted a sharp decline in the amount of oil each country
purchased from Iran during 2012. Iran's oil exports have been cut in half
as a result of U.S. and EU sanctions that were enacted last year to
pressure Tehran into making concessions on its nuclear program, which the
West believes is aimed at acquiring a nuclear weapons capability but Iran
claims is intended solely for peaceful purposes. Oil exports make up 80%
of Iran's total export earnings and 50-60% of government revenue
according to the EIU report. Iran's government budget for the current
fiscal year ending in March forecasted oil exports of 2.2 million barrels
a day (b/d). The International Energy Administration (IEA) recently
estimated sales of around 1.1 million b/d, resulting in monthly losses of
$5 billion for Iran according to a widely cited estimate. The sanctions
and the Islamic Republic's habitual economic mismanagement have also
combined to send Iran's currency plunging in value over the last six
months. With many of Iran's oil customers bowing to Western sanctions,
Iran's dependence on the four Asian countries has grown substantially.
Tehran has become especially dependent on China, which has long been its
primary trading partner. Still, China is now estimated to purchase roughly
50% of Iran's total oil exports despite having decreased its oil imports
from Tehran by 23% year-on-year through the first 11 months of 2012.
India has similarly seen its reliance on Iranian crude decline sharply,
with year-on-year imports down 17% in the first 8 months of 2012. Indian
officials have also suggested they plan to cut imports by an additional
10-15% in 2013. Both South Korea and Japan reduced their oil imports from
the Islamic Republic by around 40% in the first 11 months of 2012 and pledged
further reductions in 2013. Seoul has implied it could decrease its
year-on-year imports by as much as 20% through the first six months of
this year ending in May." http://t.uani.com/WoehAV
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Eye on Iran is a periodic news summary from United Against
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Iran, Inc., a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the
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email Press@UnitedAgainstNuclearIran.com
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