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Reuters:
"A major speech by Iran's Supreme Leader has limited the ability of
the Iranian delegation at high-level nuclear talks to make concessions
with six world powers and this could scuttle chances for Tehran to reach
an accord to end sanctions, diplomats said. In a public address filled
with technical detail, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last week Iran needs
to significantly increase its uranium enrichment capacity, clashing with
the powers' push for it to be reduced to minimise the risk of nuclear
bombmaking, as a July 20 deadline for a deal nears... Several diplomats
close to the talks said the speech, which included many details about the
nuclear program and Iranian demands on it, came as a surprise to the
Iranian delegation. One Western diplomat said the delegation appeared
'taken aback' by Khamenei's remarks at such a sensitive time in the
nuclear negotiations - just ahead of the July 20 deadline for a deal. Two
Iranian sources confirmed that assessment. 'In ostensibly expressing
support for the Iranian negotiating team, close scrutiny of Khamenei's
speech shows that in reality his remarks were aimed at severely
curtailing his team's room for manoeuvre, making it effectively
impossible to bridge gaps with the stance of the (six powers),' according
to a Western intelligence analysis of the speech seen by Reuters...A
relative of Khamenei's explained to Reuters the motivation for the
speech. 'The leader is above all the factions. He felt that it was
essential to state his red lines publicly to avoid any misunderstanding
by either side involved in the talks.' 'His speech contained clear
technical points,' the relative added. 'Now everyone, whether Iranian or
non-Iranian, clearly understands what is negotiable and what is
not.'" http://t.uani.com/1p2349y
NYT:
"Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, faced with an imminent deadline
for an agreement with the West on the future of the country's nuclear
program, said in an interview on Monday that Iran could accept a deal
that essentially freezes its capacity to produce nuclear fuel at current
levels for several years, provided it is then treated like any other
nation with a peaceful nuclear program. The proposal, which Iran said was
conveyed to the United States and five other world powers during
closed-door negotiating sessions in Vienna, would effectively extend a
limited series of concessions Iran made last November as part of a
temporary deal to get negotiations started on a permanent accord. In
return, Iran wants step-by-step relief from sanctions that have
substantially weakened its economy... But while American officials said
Mr. Zarif was now showing a flexibility they had not seen before, his
proposal does not address, in its current form, the most central American
concern. Because the proposal would leave centrifuges spinning in place,
Iran would retain what is known as a 'breakout capability' to race for a
bomb if it ever decided to produce one." http://t.uani.com/1kZmR6K
Reuters:
"U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday Tehran must
reduce its capacity to make nuclear fuel if it wants to secure a
long-term deal with six world powers that would bring an end to sanctions
that have crippled the Iranian economy. 'We have made it crystal clear
that the 19,000 (centrifuges) that are currently part of their programme
is too many,' Kerry told reporters after three days of talks with Iranian
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. In a New York Times interview,
Zarif floated the idea of Tehran keeping its enrichment programme at
current levels for a few years before expanding it... 'I am returning to
Washington today to consult with President (Barack) Obama and leaders in
Congress over the coming days about our prospects for a comprehensive
agreement, as well as a path forward if we do not achieve on July 20,
including whether or not more time is needed,' he said." http://t.uani.com/1kZpMMK
Nuclear
Program & Negotiations
WSJ:
"Iran signaled for the first time that it is willing to accept a
modest reduction in nuclear enrichment for the duration of a
comprehensive nuclear agreement, according to people involved in
negotiations. Iran's suggestion isn't Tehran's only proposal on the
table, and it is very unlikely to be accepted in current form by the
West. But it is the first time Iran has shown any flexibility on future
enrichment rights-a vital element to a deal... Iran proposes to freeze
the number of centrifuges it operates at its current level of 9,400, and
slightly reduce the amount of fuel these old-generation machines produce
during the multiyear period of the agreement, an Iranian and a Western
diplomat said. According one of the diplomats, Iran first aired the
proposal to European diplomats several weeks ago. Under the offer, Iran
wouldn't remove any of the thousands of additional centrifuges it has at
its Natanz nuclear facility that aren't currently operating, the Iranian
official said. The Iranian proposal wouldn't amount to the significant
reduction in the enrichment program that the U.S. has been demanding and
it would be easy for Tehran to quickly reverse the concession by
increasing the centrifuges' output again, the Western diplomat
cautioned... White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday the U.S. and
Iran had made 'important progress' in the talks, though 'serious gaps'
remain. Mr. Earnest said Iran had 'engaged in the comprehensive
negotiations in a serious way and demonstrated some flexibility.'" http://t.uani.com/1mGpMWB
Reuters:
"Two influential U.S. senators have asked fellow lawmakers to
support demands that Iran accept tough conditions in nuclear talks,
including at least two decades of inspections, before Congress would
agree to ease sanctions. Democrat Robert Menendez and Republican Lindsey
Graham, who believe President Barack Obama's administration should not
act without Congressional backing, distributed a letter among senators
saying they want Iran to 'come clean' about any military dimensions of
its nuclear program. They accused Tehran of a 'history of deception in
its nuclear program,' and said they feared long-term U.S. concerns would
not be addressed in any agreement. Rather, a deal ending U.S. sanctions
may 'provide Iran a window for economic recovery whereafter it could
resume its nuclear program,' they said... Menendez, chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations committee, and Graham, a member of the Senate
Armed Services Committee, also called for immediate resumption of
sanctions if Iran did not keep its commitments. The letter sought
signatures by Wednesday, four days before the July 20 deadline for an
agreement." http://t.uani.com/1rdCkYl
Sanctions
Relief
FT:
"For Iran's business community, which is waiting anxiously for the
outcome of the negotiations, any extension of the talks will mean a
continuation of the uncertainty that has depressed the economy since the
imposition of sanctions two years ago. 'If nuclear talks are extended for
six months or so, it means we have to wait longer for better trade and
access to world technology for our industries, and that we will remain in
a standby situation,' said Mohammad-Reza Behzadian, a former head of
Tehran Chamber of Commerce. 'Many western businessmen who are willing to
do business with Iran and have even drafted contracts may have a change
of mind.' The bargaining over the nuclear issue has exacerbated Iran's
economic crisis, and the uncertainty is reflected in the index of the
Tehran Stock Exchange, the Tedpix. It has declined by about 17 per cent
since the beginning of this year as the market awaits the outcome of the
negotiations, and the implementation of economic reforms. Although most
listed companies have been losing value on the bourse, some sectors have
gained, particularly if they were given temporary exemptions from
sanctions under the interim agreement. For example, auto manufacturers,
which were given sanctions relief, saw their value grow by about 80 per
cent between April and June compared with the corresponding period last
year." http://t.uani.com/1oWE7O9
Reuters:
"Iran's main oil tanker firm NITC will struggle for some time to
call at European ports, get foreign insurance and overcome obstacles
under western sanctions, even after a top court has annulled its
blacklisted status in the European Union... The European court ruling
'will not give them carte blanche to transport cargoes,' said Andrew
Bardot, executive officer of the International Group of P&I clubs, an
association whose members insure the majority of the world's tanker fleet...
The Luxembourg-based General Court, the second-highest court in the EU,
said in a ruling delivered on July 3 that there was not 'the slightest
evidence capable of supporting' claims by the Council of the European
Union that NITC was controlled by the government of Iran or that it
provided financial support to the state via its shareholders. The court
upheld NITC's plea that the European Union had made a 'manifest error of
assessment'. 'It follows that there is no justification for the listing
of the applicant,' the ruling said, ordering the EU to pay NITC's court
costs. The court said, however, that its ruling would be suspended
pending the expiry of the period for any appeal to be lodged. Rulings are
typically suspended for two months pending appeals." http://t.uani.com/1sj5QML
Reuters:
"South Korea's imports of crude from Iran rose by 7 percent in June
from a year ago but its oil shipments from the OPEC member in the first
half of this year fell 11 percent year on year, or below last year's
daily average, customs data showed on Tuesday. South Korea imported
604,402 tonnes of Iranian crude oil last month, or 147,676 barrels per
day (bpd), higher than 284,327 tonnes a month ago and 565,444 tonnes a
year ago, the preliminary customs data showed. The country's Iran oil
intake in January-June of this year, however, marked 3.1 million tonnes
or 126,145 bpd, meaning 11 percent lower than 3.5 million tonnes or
141,839 bpd imported a year earlier, and also 6 percent less than last
year's average of 134,000 bpd, according to the data and Reuters
calculation." http://t.uani.com/1qDa3GZ
Human Rights
AFP:
"Iranian dissident Mehdi Khazali, who was serving a six-year prison
sentence for acts against national security and spreading propaganda
against the regime, has been freed on health grounds. The official IRNA
news agency quoted Khazali's lawyer as saying that the 48-year-old inmate
was hospitalised after going on hunger strike, and that the authorities
had decided he was too ill to return to jail... Khazali was arrested on
January 9, 2013 for the third time in two years and released on bail in
June the same year. But he was arrested again last month and sent to jail
to serve his sentence." http://t.uani.com/WeS9Bp
RFE/RL:
"Two men were flogged in public in the south-central Iranian city of
Shiraz for eating during fasting hours in the holy month of Ramadan.
Fasting in Ramadan is considered a religious duty for Muslims. The police
chief of Iran's Fars Province, Ahmad Ali Goudarzi, was quoted by Iranian
media on July 13 as saying that each of the men received 80 lashes.
Goudarzi said eating in public during Ramadan is a crime that is
forbidden by Islamic law." http://t.uani.com/1wpUpjL
ICHRI:
"Eight young Iranians active on Facebook have been sentenced to a
total of 127 years in prison by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court
which found them guilty of acting against national security, propaganda
against the state and insulting Islam and state officials, IRNA news
agency reported. This is a second recent case against Facebook users. The
same court had handed down heavy sentences against another group of
individuals for their activities on Facebook. According to IRNA, the
individuals, who were managing a number of pages of Facebook, came under
the surveillance of 'Sarallah', an intelligence unit of the Revolutionary
Guards in July of 2013 and later arrested and detained by the prosecutor,
it added... 'Two of them were sentenced to 18 years and 91 days and 19
years and 91 days in prison respectively, with 50 lashes and fines of 1.3
million tomans ($500). Others in this case were sentenced to 21, 14, 20,
8, 11 and 16 years in prison,' IRNA reported." http://t.uani.com/1nsbWmc
Foreign Affairs
Fars News (Iran):
"All Israelis are within the range of the Palestinian resistance
groups' missiles, Head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Public
Relations Department General Ramezan Sharif said. 'The defense capacity
and capabilities of the Islamic resistance and Hamas forces has left no
safe place for the Zionists in the occupied territories,' General Sharif
said on Monday. He reiterated that the Israeli army has committed war
crimes against the Palestinians by using banned weapons, and said, 'In a
year that has been named the year of supporting the Palestinian nation,
the UN should show immediate reaction and take action to bring the
Zionist regime's leader to justice.'" http://t.uani.com/1oE1fht
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Eye on Iran is a periodic news summary from United Against
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