World Press on Iran, Turkey and the Caucasus (January 27, 2010)

The Washington Post published an article headlined "Iran's allies gain clout and possible softer edges." It says that by bringing down a pro-Western government in Lebanon it appears that Iran is winning some important points around the Middle East at the expense of Washington and its allies. But such gains have potential built-in costs. With Iran's extended family increasingly joining the ranks of power - first in Gaza, then Iraq and now Lebanon - there also comes pressure to moderate and make other compromises often required from those in charge. It eventually could bring some uncomfortable contrasts for Tehran - with its partners in the region embracing more flexible policies and Iran facing more sanctions and isolation for refusing to make concessions over its nuclear program.

The Los Angeles Times reported that a recent cyber attack on Iran's nuclear program could have triggered a disaster comparable to the one in Chernobyl 25 years ago. Russia's envoy to NATO urged NATO to join Moscow in investigating who created and unleashed the mysterious and destructive computer worm known as Stuxnet. The virus hit Iran's nuclear facilities last year, temporarily crippling its uranium enrichment program, which can make both nuclear fuel and the fissile core of warheads. U.S. government experts and outside analysts say they have not been able to determine who developed the malware, short for malicious software, or why.

"Russian and European Officials Clash Over Gas Pipeline Plans" is an article published by the New York Times. It tells about gas supply projects of the EU and Russia. Russia supplies about a quarter of Europe's gas, and Europe accounts for about 40 percent of Russia's total gas exports, with many East European countries entirely dependent on Russian gas, according to the European Commission. Experts have said that gas exporters to Europe will face increasing competition from other sources of energy, like liquefied natural gas. This, in turn, has raised questions about the economic viability of the expensive pipeline projects being built for the European market. The European Union has been courting Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to sell gas to the Southern Gas Corridor. Azerbaijan's decision could determine the fate of Nabucco.

The Turkish information agency Hurriyet reported that "Azerbaijan court abolishes fines for hiring illegal labor migrants." As the government of energy-rich Azerbaijan is intent on containing the country's growing number of illegal labor migrants, a recent Constitutional Court decision overturning stiff fines for employing illegal workers has made the situation uncertain. Azerbaijan's economic boom is driving the migration phenomenon, with the country experiencing a relatively robust rate of 5 percent economic growth in 2010. The Migration Service claims the number of illegal migrants is growing but remains tight-lipped on details. With an official unemployment rate of less than 1 percent, Azerbaijan is yet to see illegal migration become a significant political issue, however migration experts say the government "should do its best to avoid possible tension" in the future.

"Iran conducts "armed ground tactic"" by Press TV says that Iran has successfully deployed the "armed ground tactic" in the country's sensitive regions. Iran has achieved numerous breakthroughs in the defense sector and reached self-sufficiency in producing various types of military equipment and systems. Iran says it has managed to develop modern military hardware, including missiles, missile launchers and vessels.