IRAN GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]
Senate Panel Votes New Iran Constraints [May 28]
“The Senate Armed Services Committee voted to require Pentagon contractors to certify that they are not doing any banned business with Iran. The panel, in its version of a defense spending bill for fiscal 2011, also ordered a semi-annual government report on commercial activity in Iran’s oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors. The legislation continues a push in Congress to tighten U.S. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear work, suspected by the West of being aimed at bomb-making. Iran says its goal is electricity. The panel voted to require companies to certify for all Defense Department contracts valued above $1 million “that they are not engaging in any activity for which sanctions may be imposed under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.”..” [Complete Report]
As Sanctions Loom, is Tehran Sending Peace Signals to the US? [May 28]
“Iran’s triumphant anti-American rhetoric may have hardly changed. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei declared on Monday that countries around the world “thirst” for Iran’s message of “values, humanity and deliverance of nations from the grip of domineering powers.” President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently announced, “Iran is the world’s most powerful country, and they [Western powers] themselves admit this.” He routinely proclaims that the US, West, and its capitalist ways have “collapsed.” But behind the usual high-pitched pokes from Tehran, analysts say several Iranian actions signal a serious desire to resolve the nuclear standoff — and perhaps even to find a limited rapprochement with arch-enemy America..” [Complete Report]
Iran Supported Syria-Israel Indirect Peace Talks, Assad Says [May 28]
“Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Iran supported his country’s decision to pursue indirect peace talks with Israel two years ago, adding that he’s ready to re-start the negotiations. “Iran supported our efforts to achieve, to get back our land through the peace negotiations in 2008 when we had indirect negotiations in Turkey,” Assad said in an interview in Damascus on “The Charlie Rose Show,” broadcast last night. ndirect peace talks between Israel and Syria, mediated by Turkey, broke down in December 2008 when Israel began a three-week military offensive in the Gaza Strip that it said was aimed at stopping militants from firing rockets into southern Israel. The previous round of talks had collapsed in 2000 over the terms for Israel to return the Golan Heights, which it has occupied since 1967. Assad said he is willing to resume the talks with Turkish aid to achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, though he doesn’t see a comparable readiness in Israel..” [Complete Report]
Iran Signs Agreements on South Pars Field Development [May 28]
“Iran has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Revolutionary Guards’ construction wing for the development of phases 22 to 24 of the South Pars natural-gas field, the state-run Mehr news agency reported, citing Pars Oil & Gas Co. Managing Director Ali Vakili. The contract for the development of phases 13 and 14 has been awarded to a consortium of the Guards and some domestic firms, he said..” [Complete Report]
Tbilisi Woos Iran While Washington Watches [May 28]
“After years of jostling among the regional giants, the United States and Russia, officials in Georgia seem intent on recruiting a new player for the regional geopolitical game — Iran. Georgian and Iranian officials announced a flurry of initiatives in mid-May. Aside from the cancellation of visa requirements for Iranian citizens traveling to Georgia, Tehran has offered investment in a hydropower plant and electricity imports; Tbilisi is also seeking wind-power cooperation. The proposals are currently under discussion with Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri. In addition, Tbilisi extended an invitation to Washington’s bête noire, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to visit Georgia. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki may visit Georgia in June to work out specifics of the new cooperation framework..” [Complete Report]
