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Iran Agrees to Give UN Monitors Broader Inspection Powers

By Jonathan Tirone – 2013-11-11T13:58:53Z Iran and United Nations atomic inspectors signed their first accord in six years, giving the monitors broader access to nuclear facilities in the Persian Gulf country. The International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran agreed “to implement practical measures” aiding inspections, agency director Yukiya Amano said at a Tehran briefing broadcast by Iran’s Press TV. Included in the accord is access to Iran’s largest uranium mine, said Ali Akbar Salehi , who heads the Islamic republic’s atomic program. The pact followed three days of talks in Geneva between Iran and world powers that failed to clinch a broader accord to relieve international sanctions on Iran in exchange for Iranian restrictions on its nuclear program. The IAEA’s decade-long investigation into alleged past nuclear-weapons work has underpinned international concerns about a program that has cast the specter of war and proliferation across the Middle East . Iran […]

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Obama faces worry at home, abroad over Iran talks

AP Photo WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama’s hopes for a nuclear deal with Iran now depend in part on his ability to keep a lid on both hard-liners on Capitol Hill and anxious allies abroad, including Israel, the Persian Gulf states and even France. Each of the wary parties is guided in some measure by domestic political interests. But they also share concerns that Obama may want a breakthrough with Iran so badly that he would be willing to accept a deal that prematurely eases economic pressure on Iran and gives the Islamic republic space to pursue a nuclear weapon. “All of us want to see diplomacy,” Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., told NBC News. “But we’re also concerned about an administration that seems really ready to jump into the arms of folks and potentially deal away some of the leverage we have.” Indeed, there’s little question Obama desires […]

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Iraq keeps eye on Kurd-jihadist battle in Syria

A Syrian Kurdish policeman patrols the border between Syria and Iraq, on October 14, 2013 Baghdad (AFP) – As the latest jihadist-Kurdish military showdown eases in northeast Syria, Baghdad is keeping a close watch on a battle which threatens even greater instability in Iraq. Kurdish forces and Al-Qaeda-linked groups have for weeks fought over territory, with the Kurds taking over a key border point late last month. But with the likelihood of more fighting to follow, Baghdad is worried of jihadists securing a wider corridor between eastern Syria and western Iraq. “This border point is significant for both Al-Qaeda, and the (Syrian) Kurds,” said Ali al-Haidari, a Baghdad-based security analyst. “At the same time, it threatens the Iraqi government’s security as well.” “For Al-Qaeda, it is a border point through which they smuggle explosives, fighters and suicide bombers.” Iraq and Syria share a 600-kilometre (375-mile) border, and jihadists and […]

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Kerry says U.S. not in race to complete Iran talks

ABU DHABI (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday Washington was not engaged in a race to complete talks with Iran on its nuclear program and vowed to defend Washington’s regional allies against any threats. Speaking at a news conference with United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan in Abu Dhabi, Kerry also praised the Syrian opposition’s decision to participate in a proposed peace conference as "a big step forward". "This is not a race to complete just any agreement," Kerry said, adding: "Through diplomacy we have an absolute responsibility to pursue an agreement." Marathon talks between six major world powers – the United States, Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France – and Iran on Saturday ended without agreement and the sides arranged to meet again on November 20. While saying that an agreement with Iran was expected within months, Kerry […]

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Iran backed out of nuclear deal – Kerry

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi leaves the Geneva talks (9 November 2013) 11 November 2013 Last updated at 10:12 A senior US official reportedly said the deal was “too tough” for the Iranians US Secretary of State John Kerry has said Iran backed out of a deal on its nuclear programme during talks with world powers in Geneva on Saturday. Amid reports that France’s reservations scuppered an agreement, Mr Kerry told reporters in Abu Dhabi: “The French signed off on it, we signed off on it.” Iran had been unable to accept the deal “at that particular moment”, he added. Mr Kerry said he hoped in the next few months they could “find an agreement that meets everyone’s standards”. Representatives from Iran and the so-called P5+1 – the US, UK, France, Russia and China plus Germany – will meet again on 20 November. Powers ‘unified’ Some reports said […]

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Iran Faces Monitoring Test After Failing to Sway Powers

Iran faces a new test with United Nations monitors after failing to convince world powers the time was right to reduce tension over its nuclear work. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano led a delegation of inspectors flying to Tehran for negotiations today aimed at widening access to people and places connected with Iran’s nuclear work. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said his country is ready to improve cooperation. “Negotiations with the IAEA will continue in Tehran and will be finalized with Amano,” Zarif told ISNA news agency after the Geneva talks. “Our relationship with the agency should be on a serious basis of finalizing all issues. We are prepared to do everything for the agency so that they can do their technical work.” Zarif spoke after three days of discussions in the Swiss city with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov […]

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Iranian deputy minister shot dead

An unidentified attacker shot dead an Iranian deputy minister of industry in Tehran on Sunday, the state news agency IRNA reported, in what appeared the first reported killing of a senior central government official in years. Safdar Rahmat Abadi was shot in the head and chest as he got into his car in the east of the capital, IRNA said, quoting witnesses as saying the attack occurred at about 7:50 p.m local time.  “Investigations show that two shots were fired from inside the vehicle,” the agency quoted a police official as saying. “That two shells were found inside the car shows a strong likelihood that the assailant was inside the car and in conversation with Mr Abadi. There was no sign of struggle at the scene of the killing.” The student news agency ISNA said a special homicide investigator and criminal prosecutor were at the scene. It cited a […]

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Pirates Hijack Tanker Near Singapore in Second Attack in a Month

Pirates hijacked a second tanker in a month off the Malaysian coast near Singapore, Asia’s biggest oil-trading hub, according to the International Maritime Bureau. Ten pirates armed with guns and knives boarded a tanker about 7.3 nautical miles (13.5 kilometers) west of Malaysia’s Pulau Kukup in the Strait of Malacca , forcing the crew to transfer gasoil from the vessel to another ship, the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Center said in a Nov. 7 incident report on its website. The attack was about 34 miles west of Singapore, according to the co-ordinates recorded by the agency. The U.S. Energy Information Administration identifies the Malacca Strait, which connects the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean, as one of the world’s two “most strategic chokepoints” for oil trade along with the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. It is the shortest sea route between the Middle East […]

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Iran and world powers near to signing historic nuclear deal

USA’s Secretary of State John Kerry aarives in Geneva ©Getty John Kerry arrives in Geneva Iran and six world powers are scrambling to sign a historic interim deal to rein in the Iranian nuclear programme, even as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu tries to scupper the agreement. In what would be the first substantive pact on the issue in many years, foreign ministers from the US, Britain, France and Germany converged on Geneva in a last-minute move to sign a preliminary deal with Iran. Diplomats said the talks had made considerable progress and indicated that an agreement could be reached later on Friday or Saturday, although they stressed that there were still some obstacles. However, even before a deal was announced in Geneva, Mr Netanyahu said Israel “utterly rejects” the agreement being discussed and launched a withering attack of the diplomatic efforts. “Israel is not obliged by this agreement […]

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