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AFP: "The United States insisted
Friday that foreign banks should feel free to do business with Iran after
Tehran's compliance with a nuclear deal with world powers. Secretary of
State John Kerry downplayed fears that Asian or European banks could fall
afoul of Washington's continuing sanctions against Iran's non-nuclear
activities. And, as Kerry met with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif
for the second time in a week, Washington itself agreed to buy 32 tonnes of
Iranian heavy water. These parallel moves in support of non-US trade with
Iran will enrage President Barack Obama's domestic critics, who argue he
has already ceded too much ground to Tehran. 'I want to emphasize we've
lifted our nuclear-related sanctions as we committed to do,' Kerry told
reporters, sitting alongside Zarif in a New York hotel. 'And there are now
opportunities for foreign banks to do business with Iran,' he said. Kerry
said that this included those banks that are holding an estimated $55
billion in frozen Iranian assets, who have been nervous about returning the
funds even after the deal. 'Unfortunately, there seems to be some confusion
among foreign banks and we want to clarify that as much as we can,' Kerry
admitted. And, he promised, if banks have questions about the remaining
sanctions targeting Iran's missile program and sponsorship of militant
groups, 'they should just ask.' Zarif welcomed the statement. 'Iran has
implemented its part of the bargain,' he said. 'And we hope that with this
statement ... that we see serious implementation of all the JCPOA benefits
that Iran should derive from this agreement,' he added, referring to the
deal." http://t.uani.com/1rcnXWI
AFP: "US officials said they would
spend $8.6 million to buy Iranian heavy water, even as the nuclear deal
came under sustained attack from critics in both countries. Hardliners in
Tehran argue that President Hassan Rouhani has been tricked into surrendering
control of Iran's nuclear program without getting much in return. And in
Washington, Obama's critics claim he plans to allow an unreformed Iran
access to US finance despite the separate sanctions remaining in place. The
State Department defended the heavy water deal. 'This transaction provides
US industry with a critical product, while also enabling Iran to sell some
of its excess heavy water,' spokesman John Kirby said. He said the purchase
had come after Iran met its obligations under the nuclear accord implementation
process. And he added: 'This material had already been removed from Iran,
ensuring it would not be used to support the development of a nuclear
weapon.' The heavy water purchase immediately came under attack in
Washington as another concession to Tehran and a crack in the wall barring
Iran from the US financial system. 'Once again, the Obama administration is
handing Iran's radical regime more cash,' declared Ed Royce, chairman of
the House foreign affairs committee. 'US purchase of this sensitive
material goes well beyond what is required by the nuclear agreement.' House
Speaker Paul Ryan did not mince his words. 'This purchase -- part of what
appears to be the administration's full-court press to sweeten the deal --
will directly subsidize Iran's nuclear program,' he said. 'It's yet another
unprecedented concession to the world's leading state-sponsor of
terrorism.' But a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, insisted
to AFP the transaction did not break any rules. 'Regardless of whether or
not this is in US dollars, this licensed transaction is limited in scope,'
he said. 'This routing through third-country financial institutions is
similar to the mechanism that has been used for years to allow other
authorized transactions,' he said." http://t.uani.com/1rcnXWI
Reuters: "A French-Iranian citizen who
left Iran in 2009 after facing espionage charges has been sentenced to six
years in jail following her return to the country to visit her critically
ill mother, an opposition website reported. Former French embassy employee
Nazak Afshar, 58, was arrested last month on arrival at Tehran airport,
website Kaleme said late on Sunday. She was freed on bail from Evin prison
after sentencing, it said. The Iranian judiciary has not commented on her
case or made the charges against her public. Afshar, who had dual
citizenship, was arrested and tried in 2009 on charges of spying and acting
against Iran's national security. No verdict was issued and she was freed
following the intervention of the French government, leaving the country the
same year. The potential opening up to the West after last year's nuclear
deal has alarmed Iranian hardliners, and Afshar's arrest appears to be part
of a crackdown against what some officials have portrayed as Western
infiltration. Several other dual-nationality citizens or expatriates have
been arrested on returning to visit Iran, and a spokesman for the Iranian
judiciary said on Sunday that four had recently been sentenced for their
connections to foreign countries. 'Five people who were arrested recently
for their connections outside the country were put on trial ...and four of
them have received their sentences,' Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei was quoted
as saying by the Tasnim news agency... Iranian conservative media reported
last week that the presenter of a pro-opposition television channel was
arrested as he traveled to Iran in 'the disguise of visiting relatives.'
Sabri Hassanpour, was host of the online network 'Simay-e Rahayi'
(Liberation TV) in the Netherlands, and an outspoken critic of the Islamic
Republic. Other dual nationals Iran is holding include Iranian-Briton Kamal
Foroughi, 76, who was arrested in 2011 while working in Tehran as a
business consultant. Iranian-US citizens Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old
father, Baquer, are also in jail." http://t.uani.com/1Uc8P77
Nuclear
& Ballistic Missile Program
WT: "Retired Marine Corps Gen. James
Mattis on Friday took the Obama administration to task over the White
House's nuclear development deal with Iran... Mr. Mattis, a former U.S.
Central Command chief known for his blunt, plain-spoken command style, took
that same tact in levying his strong criticisms of the Iran deal during a
speech at the Washington, D.C.-based think tank Center for Strategic and
International Studies on Friday. He characterized the deal struck between
Washington and Tehran as an 'imperfect' agreement that does not eliminate,
but simply delays, Tehran's efforts to become a nuclear power. 'It [was]
not a friendship treaty,' the retired four-star general said. 'It's an arms
control agreement that fell short.' ... given Iran's regional ambitions to
become the Shi'ite bulwark against Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia in the
Mideast, it is only a matter of time before Tehran will violate the terms
of the deal to achieve that goal, Mr. Mattis said. 'Iran will cheat ...
that's the sense you get when reading' the terms of the nuclear agreement,
he said, adding Iran is 'not a nation state, but a revolutionary cause
intent on mayhem.' Mr. Mattis suggested Congress create an oversight
committee, consisting of members from the intelligence, foreign affairs and
armed services panels, to ensure Iran continues to comply with the deal. He
also suggested Washington bolster its ties with regional intelligence
agencies, like those in Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, to ensure American
officials are fully informed on Iran's nuclear activities." http://t.uani.com/1MSHbdX
Congressional
Action
Reuters: "House of Representatives Speaker
Paul Ryan, commenting on a report in the Wall Street Journal on Friday that
the Obama administration is buying 32 tons of heavy water from Iran, said
the purchase was 'another unprecedented concession to the world's leading
state-sponsor of terrorism.' Ryan, a Republican, added in a statement that
the reported purchase for $8.6 million appeared to be part of the
Democratic administration's efforts to sweeten the nuclear deal with Iran
and would 'directly subsidize Iran's nuclear program.'" http://t.uani.com/1SEO55O
Business
Risk
AP: "Kerry, however, stressed that
the confusion and remaining U.S. sanctions on Iran - imposed for its
ballistic missile tests, human rights abuses and support for terrorism -
are not the only reasons for foreign reluctance to do business with Iran.
He cited the fragility and questionable integrity of Iran's banking system
as well as other behavior that gives business executives pause about
jumping into the Iranian market. Some U.S. officials believe some foreign
companies have their own concerns about deals with Iran and are using the
sanctions confusion as an excuse to avoid them." http://t.uani.com/1SEOMfq
Reuters: "[Indonesia's governor to the
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Widhyawan] Prawiraatmadja
said nothing had yet been signed on a deal for Indonesia to import
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Iran, noting that some impediments
remained such as being able to pay for the products. While sanctions imposed
on Iran due to its nuclear programme were lifted in January, separate
sanctions imposed by the United States on financial transactions remain in
place, hampering attempts to do business with the Islamic Republic. 'It's
not quite a deal yet - the understanding is you can make it happen once you
are able to execute it. 'The difficulty is the transaction, as it's not
always easy to get the banks to do it.'" http://t.uani.com/1T90agX
Reuters: "Western firms also are wary of
doing business in Iran because of the prospect that seemingly innocent
local companies could have links to banned entities controlled by the
increasingly powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), economists
and officials say." http://t.uani.com/1rcoxUy
Sanctions
Relief
AFP: "South Africa's embattled
President Jacob Zuma praised Iran's 1979 revolution Sunday at the start of
a three-day state visit which he said could 'dramatically expand trade'
with the Islamic republic. The overthrow of a U.S.-backed Shah was a source
of encouragement as black South Africans fought against apartheid, Zuma
said at a press conference with President Hassan Rouhani. With
international sanctions against Iran now lifted under its nuclear deal with
world powers business activity is likely to increase. 'Iran occupies a
special place in our struggle against apartheid,' Zuma said, noting how
Tehran cut ties with South Africa when it was under white rule, only
resuming relations in 1994 after Nelson Mandela was elected as its first
black president. Mandela, who served one term before voluntarily standing
down in 1999, visited Tehran before his election and soon after leaving
office. 'South Africans were inspired by the 1979 revolution, which showed
that emancipation is possible, whatever the odds,' said Zuma, the first
serving South African president to visit since. Having signed eight
cooperation agreements ranging from energy development to business
insurance, Zuma said the nuclear deal was an opportunity to deepen
commercial links. 'The challenge is to dramatically expand trade volumes,'
he added." http://t.uani.com/24fdjN8
Press TV
(Iran): "Iran on
Sunday signed an agreement with South Africa over the production of gas to
liquids (GTL) - an agreement that could lead to the transfer of knowledge
to the Islamic Republic over the production of the clean fuel. The
agreement was signed between Iran's Research Institute of Petroleum
Industry (RIPI) and South Africa's national oil company PetroSA. This came
during the state visit to Tehran by South Africa's President Jacob Zuma. He
supervised the signing ceremony together with his Iranian counterpart
Hassan Rouhani. The agreement also envisages cooperation between PetroSA
and RIPI over the oil blending technology. The GTL agreement appears to
have been meant to provide Iran with the academic knowledge over producing
the clean fuel and is not expected to lead to any industrial yield. South
Africa's Sasol was previously pursuing a major project to produce GTL at
industrial level in Iran's South Pars energy zone. However, it had to quit
the projects in 2005 as complications grow as a result of US pressures on
foreign investors in Iran as well as certain technical hurdles. Sasol
originally planned to produce 600,000 barrels per day of GTL from South
Pars Phase 14 over a period of 10 years." http://t.uani.com/1T93YyS
Reuters: "Reports that Bombardier Inc is
involved in launching an airline in Iran are inaccurate, the Canadian
planemaker said on Sunday, although it confirmed it was in talks for sales
as its executive chairman visited the country to drum up business.
Bombardier Executive Chairman Pierre Beaudoin led a delegation of company
aviation and rail executives to Iran last week, but no deal has been
reached yet on sales with Iranian customers, company spokeswoman Marianella
de la Barrera said on Sunday. Aviation Iran reported on Saturday that
Bombardier signed a memorandum of understanding with officials from Iran's
Qeshm Free Zone on establishing an airline. Citing an anonymous source,
Bloomberg reported on Sunday that Qeshm Free Zone officials hoped to
conclude a deal with Bombardier in the next two months on a project to set
up an airline in the southern Qeshm island. De la Barrera said by phone
that Bombardier did not plan to launch and run a new airline, but she could
not say specifically whether the Montreal-based company was holding talks
to sell planes to an Iranian start-up. 'We build, market and sell aircraft
and trains,' she said. She said the company's talks in the country were
progressing. 'We are advancing in discussions,' she said. 'We are visiting
more often.'" http://t.uani.com/1pxPUGZ
Yonhap: "South Korean construction
companies are set to sign a series of big development projects in Iran when
a business delegation visits the Middle Eastern nation next month to
promote bilateral economic ties, industry officials said Saturday.
President Park Geun-hye is to visit Iran from May 1-3 to discuss ways to
promote business ties between the nations, leading a delegation of some 200
businesspeople from such areas as construction, energy and finance. Her
visit, the first of its kind by a South Korean president since the two
sides established diplomatic relations in 1962, comes as Iran has been
emerging as a high-potential market after years of international sanctions
were lifted in January. Leading Korean builders plan to set memorandums of
understanding and preliminary agreements on building railway, dam,
petrochemical plant and hospitals, with the value of contracts estimated
around 15-20 trillion won ($13-17 billion), according to industry
officials. Daelim Industrial said it plans to ink a $4.9 billion deal on
railway projects and a preliminary agreement on a dam and water plant deal
estimated at $2 billion next month. It has also been pushing for
participating in a petrochemical project, hoping to sign a memorandum of
understanding with the Tehran government during the delegation visit.
Hyundai Engineering Co. said it is set to clinch a $3.6 billion framework
agreement with Kangan Petro Refining Co. to build a gas refining facility
in the South Pars, the world's largest gas field located in the Perisan
Gulf. The firm also plans to sign a preliminary deal to participate in a
private power plant construction project estimated at $500 million.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. and POSCO Daewoo Corp., formerly
Daewoo International Corp., will sign a deal with Iran's health ministry to
build a hospital for Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, according to
the company officials. Under the contract, Hyundai E&C will build the
facility and POSCO Daewoo will provide the medical equipment, they
said." http://t.uani.com/1rufqz3
Mehr
(Iran): "Iran's
minister of energy has said two Swedish tech companies will participate in
Iran's power sector in framework of knowledge and technology transfer
deals. Hamid Chitchian and Swedish Energy Minister Ibrahim Baylan met on
Saturday in Tehran where they discussed the prospects of bilateral
cooperation in energy sector. Mr. Chitchian hailed years of good relations
between Iran and Sweden and said that however sanctions had stymied the
process; 'with the removal of sanctions, Swedish famous companies ABB and
Ericsson, two prestigious firms in energy and electricity, would
participate in Iran's energy projects as transferring technology,' he told
the Swedish minister. 'Iran produces an annual sum of 74,000mW, with
projected growth of 6-7 per cent during next 10 years which will add
another staggering 50,000mW to the current capacity.' Chitchian told
Swedish minister that private sector had contributed to almost half of
Iran's power plant capacities; 'we welcome Swedish cooperation in deals
which guarantees technology transfer; we predict 5 million smart devices to
be used by users and Swedish Ericsson would contribute to Iran's data
transfer sector,' said the minister. 'We also welcome single-mode
production of energy or Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP).'"
http://t.uani.com/1T93pot
Mehr
(Iran): "Iran
industry minister and the Swedish minister for energy in a meeting
emphasized escalation of trade turnover between the two countries. Speaking
at a meeting on Sunday with Minister for Energy in the Swedish Government
Ibrahim Baylan, Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Reza
Nematzadeh pointed to the cruel sanctions against the country saying 'during
sanction years, Scania AB maintained its collaborations with Iran.' ...
Also at the meeting, representatives of large industrial units of Sweden
like Scania AB and Volvo shared views on reinvigorating joint cooperation
with Iranian companies." http://t.uani.com/1SEQgpP
Press TV
(Iran):
"Uruguay's Vice President Raul Sendic Rodriguez will pay an official
visit to Iran to hold talks with Iranian officials on ways to strengthen
trade and economic cooperation. Heading an economic and trade delegation,
Rodriguez will visit Tehran from April 24-27 at the invitation of Iranian
First Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri. The Uruguayan official plans to hold
talks with President Hassan Rouhani; Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani;
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif; Minister of Agriculture Mahmoud
Hojjati; Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh and
Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian. The two sides are expected to hold talks
on a variety of issues, including oil export, construction of refineries,
joint ventures, customs and banking cooperation, marine transportation and
shipping, husbandry, science and technology. Rodriguez's trip to Tehran
comes after delegations from three other South American countries,
including Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela paid visits to the Islamic Republic
and discussed bolstering bilateral relations and leading regional and
international developments." http://t.uani.com/23V42NJ
Reuters: "Reliance Industries Ltd, India's
biggest oil refiner, said it is looking to buy more crude from Iran as the
company seeks to rebuild ties to benefit from shorter shipping distances.
The company had made small purchases from Iran in the current quarter and
was currently engaged in talks for bigger supplies, indicating that it
could also get into a long-term supply contract, said V Srikanth, Reliance's
joint chief financial officer. 'We have had engagements with Iran before
the sanctions and they have grades of crude that are attractive to us from
where we are,' Srikanth said at a news conference on Friday. India is set
to import at least 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian oil in the year
from April 1, with refiners looking to ramp up purchases after the
sanctions targeting Tehran ended in January, sources had told Reuters. Iran
was India's second biggest oil supplier before economic sanctions aimed at
Iran's nuclear programme hampered its trade relations. Now, Indian buyers
are being drawn back to Iran in part by freight discounts that increase as
more barrels are purchased." http://t.uani.com/1YQ2aid
Reuters: "Italian refiner Saras hopes to
resume taking shipments of Iranian crude oil in the coming months if not
weeks, its managing director Dario Scaffardi said on Friday. Saras, which
is part owned by Russian oil giant Rosneft , used to take a significant
part of its crude feedstock from Iran before the U.S-led embargo on the
country. Speaking on the sidelines of a shareholder meeting, Scaffardi said
the group had renewed its contract with National Iranian Oil Company but
added there were still some hurdles to overcome on the banking payment
front. 'I hope these will be resolved soon and we can start in a few
months, maybe even weeks,' Scaffardi said." http://t.uani.com/1NLbKNE
Tehran
Times: "The
multinational mobile communication MTN Group intends to make investments in
some infrastructure projects, including IPTV services and fiber optic, in
Iran, the Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday." http://t.uani.com/1rueWZG
Human
Rights
AP: "Iran's judiciary spokesman has
said that an Iranian graduate student studying at the University of Texas
who is in jail in Tehran, has been hospitalized for surgery outside prison.
Iranian state TV quotes Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi Sunday as saying Omid
Kokabee, who studied optics in the physics department at the University of
Texas, was serving a 10-year prison term on charges of having 'relations
with a hostile country' and receiving 'illegitimate funds.' Ejehi said
Kokabee is 'guilty of espionage' but is receiving treatment outside of
prison. Kokabee was arrested in February 2011. The nature of his surgery
was not publicized." http://t.uani.com/1NsYimC
Opinion
& Analysis
UANI
Chairman Joseph Lieberman & UANI CEO Mark Wallace in WashPost: "In his April 21 op-ed, 'Why
Iran is building up its defenses,' Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad
Zarif argued that Iran has 'not launched a war in more than two centuries'
and is committed to 'never commencing such foolishness.' But what about
terrorists supported by the Iranian government who have killed hundreds of
Americans? What about the presence of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
troops, Hezbollah, Shiite militias and Iranian materiel on the ground in
Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen? While Mr. Zarif proclaimed that Iran is a
'stable, safe and healthy environment for our citizens and for those
visiting and doing business with us,' the facts suggest otherwise. The
Iranian regime remains designated as a primary money-laundering concern under
U.S. law. Severe risks exist for companies thinking about investing with
the ayatollah, including doing business with the wide array of front
companies tied to the IRGC, a terrorist organization sanctioned by the
United States and the international community; the unavailability and
deficiency of insurance coverage; and hacking and cyber-insecurity. Let's
not forget the totalitarian suppression of women, homosexual and
transgender people, political opponents and journalists. That is a high
price for stability, unacceptable to the United States and inconsistent
with our values. We look forward to the day when Iran behaves in a way that
will give the United States reason to fully engage with it." http://t.uani.com/1VxmeIh
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