Eye on Iran: Europeans, US Working Behind Scenes to Salvage Iran Deal

TOP STORIES Europeans, US Working Behind Scenes to Salvage Iran Deal | Associated Press For the past two months, American, French, British and German diplomats have been working behind the scenes to fix the Iran deal and prevent US President Donald Trump from abandoning it, according to an Israeli TV report Monday. On Thursday in Berlin, the parties reportedly worked out a proposal that would not cancel the nuclear accords, nor reopen it to negotiations, yet would significantly increase the pressure on Iran. France Urges Tough EU Approach on Iran to Save Nuclear Accord | Reuters France urged the European Union on Monday to consider new sanctions on Iran over its involvement in Syria's civil war and its ballistic missile programme, as Paris tries to persuade Washington to preserve a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.  Saudi Crown Prince, Trump to Hold 'Critical' Talks on Iran Nuclear Deal | CNBC Saudi Arabia's ambitious young prince has arrived in Washington... On Tuesday, Salman will join President Donald Trump at the White House. The two will discuss infrastructure projects, Russia's role in Syria, the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen and the Iranian nuclear deal, a senior administration official said Monday. NUCLEAR DEAL On Eve of Trump-Saudi Meeting, Riyadh Calls Iran Nuclear Deal Flawed | Reuters  Saudi Arabia called the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers a "flawed agreement" on Monday, on the eve of a meeting between the Saudi crown prince and U.S. President Donald Trump who have both been highly critical of Iran. EU Reluctant to Amend Iran Nuclear Pact, Sees Security Risk | Associated Press The European Union's foreign policy chief says the EU is reluctant to change the landmark nuclear agreement with Iran even as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to walk away from the pact. Federica Mogherini said Monday after chairing talks among the foreign ministers of EU countries that Europeans "attach strategic importance to the full implementation of the agreement by all parties." Mogherini said: "It is for us a matter of security, for Europe and for the rest of the world." What Happens the Day after Trump Pulls Out of the Iran Deal | Josh Rogin for the Washington Post While the public debate rages over President Trump's threat to pull the United States out of the Iran deal, actors both inside and outside the U.S. government are planning for what happens the day after the United States exits - a scenario that looks increasingly likely. CONGRESS & IRAN Pompeo to Face Tough Questions on North Korea, Iran: Senator | Reuters The Republican who heads the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, will face tough questions on North Korea and Iran if he is to be confirmed in the role. The Senate's Iran Helpers | Wall Street Journal Editorial Board Saudi Arabia finally has a young leader pushing social and economic reform, fighting Iran's attempt to dominate the Middle East, and even cooperating quietly with Israel. Wouldn't you know now would be the time that a left-right coalition in Congress wants to snub this ally by pretending to be commanders in chief. HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNAL DISCONTENT    Iran's Global Campaign to Silence Journalists Crosses A Line, And Borders | Jason Rezaian for the Washington Post Formal and informal threats against domestic journalists working in Iran have always plagued Iran's media landscape. Newspaper closures, long prison terms for reporters who publish views critical of the regime, and smear campaigns designed to ostracize them from society are all routine. For foreign journalists working inside the Islamic Republic, the situation is only marginally better. Direct pressure, intimidation and threats of physical violence are common. Some have faced trumped-up legal charges designed to scare them away. Others have been deported. A few of us have done extended time in prison. Iran's Conservatives Again Push To Block Telegram | Radio Farda Once more, conservatives in Iran are ramping up pressure on President Hassan Rouhani's government to block the messaging app Telegram. Iran Sentences Sufi to Death over Killing of 3 Policemen | Associated Press Iran has sentenced to death a supporter of a Sufi leader who rammed a bus into a group of policemen last month, killing three, before being arrested. U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS Trump Uses Nowruz to Hit Iranian Regime | Hill President Trump on Monday issued a statement wishing Iranians a happy Nowruz, the Persian New Year, while slamming regime in Tehran. Expect Assad, Iran, and Russia to Exploit Trump's Cabinet Changes | Patrick Clawson for the Washington Institute on Near East Policy The regime and its allies will probably try to peel away U.S. partners or take military action in vulnerable areas, so Washington should prepare to counter such efforts. ECONOMIC NEWS Iran's Break with Dollar Easier Said than Done | Al Monitor A little over two weeks ago, Iran eliminated another function of the US dollar in its internal workings in a move positioned amid yearslong plans to reduce dependency on the greenback. The consequences will be manifold and interconnected, but there are discrepancies in views concerning what will happen as a result among experts and officials.  Oil Dips As Wall Street Dives; Tensions over Iran Support Crude | Reuters Oil prices slipped on Monday as Wall Street slid more than 1 percent and energy market investors remained wary of growing crude supply, although tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran gave prices some support. HEZBOLLAH & LEBANON Shiite Cleric Calls to Revoke Nasrallah's Lebanese Citizenship for His Iran Ties | Times of Israel A Lebanese Shiite cleric is urging Lebanon to strip Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah of his citizenship over his "clear collaboration" and allegiance to Iran. TERRORISM & EXTREMISM Saudi Ambassador to US Prince Khalid bin Salman: Iran wants another 'Hezbollah' in Yemen | Al Arabiya (Saudi Arabia / UAE) Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the United States, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, said on Monday that Iran wanted to form another Hezbollah in Yemen through its support of the Houthi militias.  IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS Protesters Chant Antigovernment Slogans at Isfahan Friday Prayer | Ahmad Majidyar for the Middle East Institute Earlier today, worshippers in the central Iranian province of Isfahan used the occasion of Friday prayers to protest against the government. According to Radio Farda, the protesters turned their back to the Friday prayer leader as a gesture of disdain and chanted anti-regime slogans. SYRIA & IRAN Why Russia, Assad, and Iran Combined Don't Stand a Chance against Just 2,000 US Troops in Syria | Alex Lockie for Business Insider Since the US-led effort against ISIS has destroyed almost all of the terror group's territorial sovereignty in Syria, 2,000 or so US forces remain in control of the country's rich oil fields- something that Iran, Syria's government, and Russia openly oppose. But unfortunately for Russia, pro-Syrian government forces, and Iranian militias, there's not much they can do about it. Seven Ways Iran Spends its Money in the Syrian War | Amir Taheri for Asharq Al-Awsat "Get out of Syria! Think about our plight!" This was one of the slogans canted during last December's nationwide protests in more than 100 Iranian cities... With the high number of human losses sustained by Iran and "allies" including Lebanese, Pakistani and Afghan mercenaries admitted officially, the question that people now ask is focused on the financial cost of "our Syrian adventure." Iran's financial commitments in Syria could be divided into seven categories. U.S. Actually Agrees With Iran And Syria, Says Turkey Is Helping Isis By Attacking Afrin | Newsweek The U.S. found itself on Monday roughly aligned with Syria and Iran-two nations it regularly condemns-over their mutual opposition to a Turkish offensive that has rocked the alliances of a seven-year civil war. FOREIGN AFFAIRS Riyadh, Washington and the Iran confrontation | Abdulrahman al-Rashed for Al Arabiya (Saudi Arabia / UAE) Things are speeding up in Europe, before Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince meets President Trump the day after tomorrow. Focus will be on arriving at a method that appears to restrain Iran, while in fact it aims to stop the US's attempt to abort the nuclear agreement with Iran. CYBERWARFARE Why Are Iran's Dirtiest Hackers Targeting Saudi Oil Fields? | New York Observer Iranians have increased their hacking abilities. They are successfully spying on and disrupting computers all around the world. Iranian criminals dominate the FBI's Cyber's Most Wanted List. 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@uani.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.