Eye On Iran: Iran Says It is Developing New Centrifuges

For continuing coverage follow us on Twitter and join our Facebook group.    Top Stories AP: "Iran's nuclear chief said the country is building a new generation of centrifuges for uranium enrichment but that they need further tests before they can be mass produced, apparently trying to counter hard-liner criticism of its nuclear deal with word powers. Salehi's comments appeared aimed at showing the country is moving ahead with its nuclear program into order to fend off criticism by Iranian hard-liners, who have denounced the deal, calling it a surrender in the face of Western pressure. The government of new President Hassan Rouhani says the deal recognizes Iran's right to enrich uranium. In his comments reported by state TV late Thursday, nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi did not elaborate on how long the building and testing would take. 'The new generation of centrifuges is under development. But all tests should be carried on it before mass production,' Salehi was quoted as saying. He also said Iran has a total of 19,000 centrifuges, though he did not say how many were operational." http://t.uani.com/JwtctO Bloomberg: "For evidence of how Iranians are embracing President Hassan Rouhani's pledge to re-establish ties with the world economy after decades of crippling sanctions, take a look at the Tehran Stock Exchange. While daily trading equals only about 22 seconds worth of stock transactions in the U.S., Iran's market has been booming. The benchmark index soared 133 percent this year through Dec. 24 to a record, beating returns posted by the 93 major global equity gauges tracked by Bloomberg. Most of the rally followed the June election of 65-year-old Rouhani, who delivered an initial accord with global powers just five months into office. ... The currency has also jumped, appreciating 21 percent since the election to 29,880 rials per dollar, according to figures compiled by Daily Rates for Gold Coins & Foreign Currencies, a Facebook page used by traders and companies in Iran and abroad." http://t.uani.com/1h1sAeS CNN: "Iranian lawmakers have drafted a bill that would force the government to enrich uranium up to 60% if new sanctions are imposed, state media reported Wednesday. The move comes less than a week after bipartisan legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate that would authorize new economic sanctions on Iran if it breaches an interim agreement to limit its nuclear program or fails to strike a final accord terminating those ambitions. 'If the bill is approved, the government will be obliged to complete nuclear infrastructure at Fordo and Natanz (facilities) if sanctions (against Iran) are ratcheted up, new sanctions are imposed, the country's nuclear rights are violated and the Islamic Republic of Iran's peaceful nuclear rights are ignored by members of P5+1,' state-run Press TV reported lawmaker Seyyed Mehdi Mousavinejad said. http://t.uani.com/1dGs7cz   Sanctions FT: "German pharmaceutical group Merck is seeking a partnership with an Iranian manufacturer to produce medicines in the country in a sign that western companies are putting their faith in President Hassan Rouhani's reformist drive and an easing of international sanctions. Dozens of European businesses have visited the country in recent months in anticipation of a thaw in relations over Iran's nuclear programme that could rehabilitate the oil-rich country as a destination for business investment. Iranian and western businessmen say some tentative deals have been prepared, ready for signature once the interim nuclear agreement struck in Geneva last month is implemented." http://t.uani.com/1dbSR6J Reuters: "Asia's top buyers of Iranian crude have cut purchases by about 14 percent so far this year, but imports may edge higher in coming months as growing unrest in Africa threatens to tighten global oil supplies. Tough U.S. and EU sanctions have slashed exports from the OPEC member by more than half to about 1 million barrels per day (bpd), costing it as much as $80 billion in lost revenue since early 2012, according to White House estimates. However, a breakthrough agreement last month between world powers and Tehran over its disputed nuclear programme may offer Asian importers a slight reprieve from conflicts in South Sudan and Libya, which have pushed Brent futures back towards three-month highs. Although the Geneva deal doesn't allow Iran to boost oil sales for six months, buyers who sharply reduced purchases earlier in the year have room to raise imports." http://t.uani.com/1efcGZw SF Chronicle: "A showdown is looming in the Senate next month over increased U.S. sanctions on Iran that could unravel a tentative international agreement over Iranian nuclear development, with President Obama on one side and Israel on the other. And California's senators, Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, usually staunch allies of Israel, are both siding with Obama. Last week, 10 Senate Democratic committee chairs  sent a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., urging him to keep the bill from coming to a vote. The signers included Feinstein, chairwoman of the Intelligence Committee, Boxer, head of Environment and Public Works, and Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota, whose Banking Committee would normally hear the bill. The letter cited a recent U.S. intelligence assessment that concluded new sanctions 'would undermine the prospects for a successful comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran.'" http://t.uani.com/19OPPnX Foreign Affairs CNN: "Iran's top leaders used Twitter to send Christmas greetings that praised Jesus, continuing a new era of social media outreach by a government previously known for Islamic extremism and political belligerence. 'May Jesus Christ, Prophet of love & peace, bless us all on this day. Wishing Merry #Christmas to those celebrating, esp Iranian Christians,' said a tweet from the official account of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. In response to Rouhani, the Shiite Muslim country's hardline Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, tweeted back: 'No doubt that Jesus #Christ has no less value among Muslims than [he has] among the pious Christians.' Another tweet from Khamenei's account said that 'Jesus #Christ, the Son of #Mary, was a herald of God's grace, blessing & guidance for man.'" http://t.uani.com/1bsS6l1 LA Times: "Three senior ministers in Turkey's Cabinet resigned Wednesday as a secret 14-month corruption investigation of bid rigging and bribery intensified, threatening to topple the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP. The graft inquiry presents the most serious challenge to the legitimacy of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government since opposition protests six months ago. The investigation has netted millions of dollars in cash stashed away in shoe boxes, exposed sanctions-breaking deals with Iran and revealed bribes paid to allow construction in protected areas." http://t.uani.com/1ijX0JE Reuters: "A camp of Iranian dissidents in the Iraqi capital was hit by rockets on Thursday in an attack the group said killed at least two people and seriously wounded several others. A Shi'ite militia claimed responsibility for the attack on the Mujahadin-e-Khalq (MEK) camp in western Baghdad, which has repeatedly been the target of mortar and rocket attacks in recent months." http://t.uani.com/1cUYUJe Eye on Iran is a periodic news summary from United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) a program of the American Coalition Against Nuclear Iran, Inc., a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Eye on Iran is not intended as a comprehensive media clips summary but rather a selection of media elements with discreet analysis in a PDA friendly format. For more information please email Press@UnitedAgainstNuclearIran.com United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a non-partisan, broad-based coalition that is united in a commitment to prevent Iran from fulfilling its ambition to become a regional super-power possessing nuclear weapons.  UANI is an issue-based coalition in which each coalition member will have its own interests as well as the collective goal of advancing an Iran free of nuclear weapons.