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FP:
"The United States has privately accused Iran of going on an
international shopping spree to acquire components for a heavy-water
reactor that American officials have long feared could be used in the
production of nuclear weapons-grade plutonium. A U.S. delegation informed
a U.N. Security Council panel of experts monitoring Iranian sanctions in
recent months that Iranian procurement agents have been increasing their
efforts to illicitly obtain equipment for the IR-40 research reactor at
the Arak nuclear complex. The American allegations, which have never
before been reported, come more than a year after the Iranian government
pledged as part of an interim agreement with the United States and other
big powers to scale back Iran's most controversial nuclear-related
activities, including the enrichment of high-grade uranium, in exchange
for billions of dollars in sanctions relief. They stand in stark contrast
to recent remarks by Secretary of State John Kerry, who has repeatedly
credited Tehran with abiding by the terms of the November 2013 pact,
which bound Tehran to suspend some of its work at Arak. 'Iran has held up
its end of the bargain,' Kerry said last month in Vienna as he announced
a seven-month extension of the timetable for big-power talks... The U.S.
allegations were detailed in a confidential Nov. 7 report by an
eight-member panel of experts that advises a U.N. Security Council
committee that oversees international compliance with U.N. sanctions on
Iran." http://t.uani.com/1z0EZ9j
Reuters:
"United Nations sanctions monitors have said photographs taken
inside Iraq appear to confirm that the head of Iran's elite military Quds
Force, one of Iran's most powerful people, has been in the country in
violation of a U.N. travel ban. Qassem Soleimani, chief of the force
which is an overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, has been subject to
an international travel ban and asset freeze by the U.N. Security Council
since 2007. An Iranian general said in September that Soleimani was
in Iran's western neighbor and was playing a critical role in the fight
against Sunni Islamic State militants. A seven-page report by the U.N.
Panel of Experts on Iran, seen by Reuters on Monday, said Soleimani 'has
been photographed and videoed on a number of occasions, allegedly in
Iraq.' 'One photograph reportedly shows him near the city of Amerli in
northern Iraq after Iraqi forces re-took the city from ISIL (an acronym
often used for Islamic State),' it said. The report included a photo
purporting to be of Soleimani in Iraq." http://t.uani.com/1wWKasD
Mehr (Iran):
"International Conference on World against Violence and Extremism
(WAVE) kicked off today morning in Tehran with the presence of Iran's
president and officials from 40 countries. Iran's Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed the guests and President Rouhani delivered
his opening speech at the beginning of the first International Conference
of World against Violence and Extremism on Tuesday morning. President
Rouhani invited all countries in the region to exert rational policy
making and unite together to move toward peace and stability in the
region. 'There is no need for countries outside the region who seek their
own interest to decide for destiny of the region. The situation in the
region requires regional countries to coordinate and work together,'
asserted Rouhani." http://t.uani.com/1w9jrYa
Nuclear Program & Negotiations
AFP:
"The United States on Monday renewed its fears about Iran buying
equipment for its nuclear program, amid reports it believes Tehran may be
stepping up efforts to finish a suspect reactor. Just over two weeks
after global powers failed to secure a full deal to rein in Iran's
nuclear program, the online Foreign Policy magazine revealed that the US
had privately told a UN panel of experts monitoring sanctions that
Iranian agents sought illicitly to obtain parts for the Arak heavy water
nuclear complex. 'It's not breaking news that we are concerned about
Iran's procurement activities,' State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki
said. But she refused to outline to reporters exactly what kind of
acquisitions were raising eyebrows in Washington. She insisted instead
that 'Iran has kept all of their commitments' made as part of an interim
deal reached in November 2013... The report could add fuel to Republican
moves in the Congress to try to slap further sanctions on Iran, which the
administration is trying to head off to give time for diplomacy to work.
'The wheels seem to be coming off of the administration's Iran strategy,'
said Representative Ed Royce in a statement, adding Tehran 'is proving to
be a determined cheater, showing no willingness to accept an effective
verification regime.' 'There are now multiple reports that Iran has
violated its commitment to freeze its nuclear program.'" http://t.uani.com/12n2i1m
Tasnim (Iran):
"Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar
Salehi made it clear on Tuesday that the country will not transfer any
shipment of uranium to any country for conversion into fuel for nuclear
reactors. 'We will not give any fuel to anybody, and we are not planned
to transfer any fuel out of the country,' Salehi told reporters in Tehran
on Tuesday. He made the comments in reaction to media speculations that
Tehran would transfer part of its uranium stockpile to Russia as part of
a final, comprehensive nuclear deal with world powers." http://t.uani.com/1zo6BWT
Military
Matters
Trend:
"Iran provides Venezuela with drones, head of Iranian parliament
National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said,
the Islamic Republic Fars news agency reported Dec. 8. Boroujerdi said
that Iranian made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are operational in
Venezuela over the past several years. He added that Mexico also is keen
to import Iran-made drones. 'During my recent visit to Mexico they
announced that want Iranian drones,' Boroujerdi said. Earlier in 2012
some western media outlets reported that Iran is planning to build drones
for the Venezuelan military. In 2013 Venezuela reportedly launched
Iran-built drones to patrol drug trafficking. The Islamic Republic has so
far produced various drones, including Ababil, Fotros, Hazem, Karrar
(long range attack drone), Mohajer, Sarir, Shahed 129, Yasir and
Zohal." http://t.uani.com/1yufXBD
Sanctions
Relief
Trend:
"Iran plans to introduce over 40 major oil industry projects in a
conference in London which is scheduled to be held February 2015,
Moshtaghali Gohari, deputy head of Integrated Planning Department of
National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said. Gohari forecasted that Iran
would absorb about $40 billion of investments for the projects, the
official IRNA news agency reported Dec. 8. The mentioned projects include
development of remaining phases of South Pars Gas Field as well as other
development projects of the country's joint oil and gas fields, he said,
adding absorbing financial sources for developing joint fields is
priority for Iran. The London Conference aims to provide multinationals
with opportunities for development of oil and gas fields in Iran." http://t.uani.com/1vG6Zzl
Trend:
"Iranian government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht said that the
Islamic Republic's budget bill for the next Iranian fiscal year (to start
on March 21, 2015) has envisaged an economic growth at 2.5 percent.
Nobakht said that the inflation rate is expected to decline to 14 percent
in the next Iranian fiscal year, the official IRIB news agency reported
Dec. 8. The remarks were made when he was outlining the characteristics
of the Islamic Republic's budget bill that was submitted to Parliament on
Dec. 7. Earlier Nobakht said that the country's economic growth is
expected to reach 2 percent by the end of the current fiscal year (March
20, 2015), while according to the International Monetary Fund Iran 's
economic growth rate will hit 1.5 percent in the current year. Iran's
economic growth comes after two years of stagflation." http://t.uani.com/12k1lqJ
Trend:
"Iran's economic growth will reach 3 percent by the end of the
current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2015). The Head of Central Bank
of Iran Valiollah Seyf said that the country's inflation will also stand
at 17 percent by year-end, Iran's Fars News Agency reported on Dec. 5. He
went on to note that the country's inflation will fall below 10 percent
in the Iranian calendar year of 1395 (to start on March 21, 2016)." http://t.uani.com/1qndaHA
Trend:
"Iran will resume cooperation with foreign carmakers as soon as
banking transactions ban is removed, an Iranian official who is holding
negotiation with foreign carmakers, said, Iran's ISNA news agency
reported on Dec. 6... Last week, over 500 CEOs, vice-presidents and other
representatives of foreign carmakers took part in the 2nd International
Conference on Iran Auto Industry in Tehran. Following the conference,
foreign companies have agreed to implement new joint venture deals with
Iran. Under these deals, Iran wants 40 percent of production done in the
country to begin with, rising to 85 percent after five years." http://t.uani.com/1Is3a5P
Trend:
"German companies are ready to participate in Iran's oil and
petrochemical projects. Ali Majedi, Iranian Ambassador to Germany, said a
group of representatives of large German companies, headed by the
chairman of NUMOV, the German Near and Middle East Association, is in
Tehran to discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation, Iran's Shana news
agency reported on Dec. 8. The German delegation includes managers of
companies which are active in energy, oil and gas, mining, car, IT, and
dam building industries. The German companies are interested to participate
in the development of Iran's oilfields, he said, adding that the two
countries have great potentials to expand cooperation in technical and
engineering areas." http://t.uani.com/1Is3p0C
Trend:
"Iranian car manufacturer Iran Khodro (IKCO) has signed a new joint
venture agreement with French giant carmaker Peugeot, the managing
director of IKCO, Hashem Yekeh Zareh said, Iran's Mehr news agency
reported Dec. 6. Yekeh Zareh did not unveil details of the agreement, but
said Iran continues negotiations with foreign carmakers, adding that
significant progresses have been achieved in the talks. Yekeh Zareh said
that Iran is also negotiating with a non-Asian carmaker, expressing hope
that the talks will be finalized in next 4-5 months. He said that French
and German auto designers will begin their activities in Iran's auto
industry in the new future. Earlier Yekeh Zareh said that the IKCO has
signed a 4-year contract with a German auto designer, during which two
new car models will be designed." http://t.uani.com/1IuCvW7
Trend:
"Iran exported 27.798 million metric tons of non-oil goods, worth
$7.495 billion to China during the first ten months of 2014. China was
the main importer of Iranian goods in the mentioned period. Beijing's
imports accounted for 26.83 percent of Iran's total non-oil exports in
terms of value and 41.89 percent in terms of volume, according to Iranian
Customs Administration latest monthly report published Dec. 4. Iran's
non-oil exports to China witnessed an increase of 31.57 percent in terms
of value... After China, Iraq (with $4.89 billion), the United Arab
Emirates (with $3.143 billion), Afghanistan (with $1.995 billion) and
India (with $1.705 billion) were the other four biggest importers of
Iranian goods. The five countries imported 68.82 percent of Iran's total
non-oil exports in terms of value and 77.7 percent in terms of volume in
the first ten months of the current year... Tehran's non-oil exports
(excluding condensates) surpassed $27.941 billion during the first ten
months of 2014, indicating a 7.27 percent increase year on year." http://t.uani.com/1w6VnVX
Trend:
"Iran purchased 70 percent of its total imported goods in the first
ten months of 2014 from five countries - The United Arab Emirates, China,
India, South Korea and Turkey , the Islamic Republic's Customs
Administration said Dec. 4 in its latest monthly report... Iran's imports
from the UAE accounts for 25.08 percent of its total imports in terms of
value. The country also imported 4.507 million metric tons of goods worth
$10.272 billion from China, which makes up 22.15 percent of Iran's total
imports' value... Iran imported $46.378 billion worth of goods during the
first ten months of 2014, which indicates a rise by 24 percent, compared
to the same period of the preceding year." http://t.uani.com/1z0B0JL
Trend:
"Iran's petrochemical products export experienced 22 percent growth
during the last eight months. According to the Custom Administration's
monthly report, published on Dec.4, Iran exported 11.339 million metric
tons of petrochemical products valued at $8.961 billion during first
eight months of the current fiscal year, which started on March 21. The
volume and value of Iran's exported petrochemical products increased by
22.05 percent and 28.07 percent in comparison with the same period last
year. Petrochemical products shares 28.5 percent of Iran's non-oil
exports value (including condensate) in this period. The Middle Eastern
country's top five exported non-oil goods are propane ($1.375 with 90.71
percent growth), methanol ($974 million with 19.8 percent growth),
polyethylene ($925 million with 62.28 percent growth), butane ($924
million with 41.94 percent growth) and tar ($827 million with 15.5
percent growth) respectively... Iran also exported $8.729 billion worth of
natural gas condensate, increasing by 53.5 percent compared to the same
period of last year." http://t.uani.com/1yuhHLg
Trend:
"Iran's overall non-oil trade turn over stood at $74.319 billion
during the first ten months of 2014. The figure indicates a 17.16 percent
rise in comparison with the $63.436 billion trade turn over during the
first ten months of 2013." http://t.uani.com/13000Gz
IRNA (Iran):
"Managing Director of SAIPA auto manufacturing company said with
regard to the existence of proper infrastructures in the country the
government has put support for foreign investment on its agenda. Saeed
Madani, speaking at the second International Conference on Auto Industry,
further remarked that SAIPA auto manufacturing group is capable of
manufacturing 945 thousand vehicles in the country plus 46 thousand in
foreign sites such as Syria, Iraq, Venezuela and Sudan... He said
negotiations have been held with Volvo and expressed hope that
manufacture of this brand will commence jointly, adding that at present
SAIPA has joint cooperation with Renault, Nissan, Kia, Brilliance and
Chang'an." http://t.uani.com/1Aa3ksD
IRNA (Iran):
"Deputy Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade Mehdi Karbasian said
many European companies lost the chance of cooperation with Iran in the
past but now Iran's mines and mining industry enjoys a high quality of
which foreign companies can take advantage. Speaking in a meeting with
Thomas Schwalm, deputy of the Finnish-German Outotec Company, Karbasian
said establishment of Outotec representative office in Iran will
facilitate technical and economic relations of the two sides... During
the meeting Thomas Schwalm announced readiness of his company to supply
Iran's mines and mining industry projects with the required
technology." http://t.uani.com/131m2bJ
Congressional
Sanctions Debate
WSJ:
"The White House is stepping up its campaign to ward off new
congressional sanctions on Iran after diplomatic talks over Tehran's
nuclear program were once again extended in November, this time for seven
months. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday suggested the process
could be concluded in half that time, telling American and Israeli
leaders at the Brookings Institution's Saban Forum on U.S.-Israeli
relations that negotiators could reach a final deal within four months.
Vice President Joe Biden, meanwhile, told the same audience on Saturday
that now is not the time for lawmakers to pursue new sanctions. 'Should
Iran violate the terms of our agreement, Congress and the administration
could immediately impose new sanctions. And the president has made
it clear that he'd be part of that. But now is not the right time
to do that,' Mr. Biden said. 'And with all that is happening in the
region, this is not the time to risk a breakdown when we still have a chance
for a breakthrough. This is the moment to give our negotiators a little
bit more time and space to see if they can reach an agreement that
benefits everyone.'" http://t.uani.com/1z2DrLW
Syria Conflict
IRNA (Iran):
"President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic
of Iran has always backed Syrian nation and government in campaign
against the terrorist groups. President Rouhani made the remarks in a
meeting with visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem on the
sidelines of the international conference on World against Violence and
Extremism (WAVE). Syrian nation will be the winner of this struggle and
that victory will be achieved by restoration of peace and tranquility in
the country, President Rouhani said... 'We are quite confident that the
Syrian nation will be the winner of the scene of conflict,' said
President Rouhani." http://t.uani.com/1vJEf8Q
Human Rights
NYT:
"The mother of Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post reporter
imprisoned in Iran without explanation for nearly five months, said
Monday that she received a surprise telephone call from her son on
Thanksgiving in which he told her the authorities had instructed him to
say he had been treated well. She also said that during the phone call,
which she assumed had been monitored, Mr. Rezaian said he had been told
to say that he was in a detention center, not a prison - an assertion she
said she knew from other relatives to be inaccurate. It was the first -
and so far the only - time that the mother, Mary Rezaian, had spoken to
Mr. Rezaian since he was seized on July 22. The family had not publicly
disclosed the phone conversation before. As of Thursday, the
incarceration of Mr. Rezaian, an Iranian-American from Northern
California, became the longest of any Western correspondent held by the
Iranian authorities. 'While it was wonderful to hear his voice, it was
difficult for both of us,' Mrs. Rezaian, who moved to Istanbul last year,
said in a telephone interview while visiting relatives in the United
States." http://t.uani.com/1vJyQyt
Al-Monitor:
"Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's Student Day speech was
interrupted by students chanting in supporting of Iran's 2009 Green
Movement leaders. While Rouhani handled the chants well and attempted to
spin them in his favor, his administration faced accusations of
cancelling the speeches of conservative figures at other universities...
Short video clips of the students chanting during Rouhani's speech were
shared widely on Facebook, and even some Iranian news agencies published
pictures of students holding posters quoting Mousavi's famous line, 'My
red line is the rights of the people.' Mousavi has maintained that the
results of the 2009 elections were fraudulent. One of the more popular
chants during Rouhani's speech went, '1,000 days have passed, Mousavi has
not returned.' In the linked video, conservative students chant 'Death to
Mousavi' in response, though they are shouted down by the larger
pro-Mousavi crowd. Another slogan widely shared online was, 'Our message
is clear, the house arrests must end.' After a round of chanting, a
student is heard yelling, 'Mr. President, you promised.'" http://t.uani.com/1B0U8ro
Domestic
Politics
Bloomberg:
"Iranian President Hassan Rouhani plans a 50 percent increase in
spending for the Revolutionary Guards for next year even after oil prices
fell to 5-year lows. Rouhani proposed increasing the Islamic
Revolutionary Guards' budget to 174 trillion rials ($6.5 billion) from
115 trillion rials, according to figures published today by Tasnim news
agency. The IRGC budget constitutes 62 percent of Iran's armed forces
budget, according to government figures. Total defense spending,
including for the regular army and Basij paramilitary force, will climb
33 percent to about 282 trillion rials, reflecting Iran's increasing
commitment to fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and propping up Bashar
Assad's regime in Syria." http://t.uani.com/1ywaJW7
Foreign Affairs
Mehr (Iran):
"Thousands of Iranians and social network users have joined the
movement 'We Love Fighting Israel' first launched in support for the
Leader's address to a meeting of participants of International Congress
on Takfirism. The Leader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Khamenei had
told in his address to the meeting that 'our people love fighting against
the Zionists and the Islamic Republic has proved this as well. By Allah's
Favor and Grace, we have passed through the barrier of denominational
discord." It was taken by a group of social network users including
Instagram, Google+, etc. who embarked on a movement with the name 'We
Love Fighting Israel,' which has gone viral on the web, getting more and
more boost from individuals who post photos reading similar sentences,
sharing the #Fightingthezionists hash tag; for example, 'We Love Fighting
Against Israel,' 'I Love to Fight Israel,' 'We are Lovers of Fighting
Israel,' and other rewording of the same concept. http://t.uani.com/1z1u671
Opinion &
Analysis
WashPost
Editorial: "For months, senior Iranian officials
have tacitly acknowledged that the imprisonment of The Washington Post's
Tehran correspondent, Jason Rezaian, is unjust. The secretary of Iran's
Human Rights Council, Mohammed Javad Larijani, called it a 'fiasco'; in
early November he expressed the hope that the case would be dropped 'in
less than a month.' Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in
September that he knew Mr. Rezaian to be 'a fair reporter' and 'had hoped
all along that his detention would be short.' That makes it particularly
shocking that Mr. Rezaian would have been charged by a court on Saturday
in Tehran. The nature of the charges has not been disclosed, nor has any
evidence against Mr. Rezaian been publicly presented by Iranian
officials. As of Monday he had been imprisoned for 139 days, longer than
any Western journalist who has been detained in the country. As Mr.
Rezaian's family and the State Department have pointed out, the
conditions in which he has been held violate Iran's own laws. He has been
denied access to a lawyer as well as bail. He has not been allowed any
visitors other than his wife, who was arrested with him on July 22 and
released in early October. His physical and psychological health are
suffering; his family says he suffers from high blood pressure, an eye
infection and back pain. Most important, Mr. Rezaian 'should never have
been arrested and imprisoned in the first place,' as Post Executive
Editor Martin Baron recently put it. A dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, Mr.
Rezaian returned to Iran as a journalist because he hoped to promote
understanding between the two countries. Since 2012 he has reported for
The Post not just on political developments in Tehran but also on social
issues and cultural developments, including a nascent Iranian appetite
for baseball. As Secretary of State John F. Kerry put it in a statement
Sunday, 'Jason poses no threat to the Iranian government or to Iran's
national security.' Haleh Esfandiari, a Washington-based Iranian American
scholar who was imprisoned in 2007, pointed out last week that the very
fact Mr. Rezaian was held for so long without charge suggests that Iran's
Intelligence Ministry has been struggling to concoct a case that would
hold up even in Iranian courts. Mr. Kerry said that he was 'personally
dismayed and disturbed at reports' of Mr. Rezaian's prosecution 'as I
have repeatedly raised Jason's case ... directly with Iranian officials.'
Separately, Mr. Kerry said in an appearance at a conference Sunday that
an agreement with Iran over its nuclear program could be reached in three
or four months. That assertion was jarring in light of Mr. Rezaian's
case, along with the disclosure than Iran may have illicitly sought
equipment for a nuclear reactor. If Iranian officials are unresponsive in
the case of Mr. Rezaian, how can they be expected to deliver on
commitments they make with respect to the nuclear program?" http://t.uani.com/12J7woa
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