World Press on Iran, Turkey and the Caucasus (August 25, 2011)

The Washington Post published the article, which says that Turkish champion Fenerbahce was removed from the Champions League because of an ongoing match-fixing investigation and replaced by runner-up Trabzonspor. Turkey’s Football Federation said it withdrew Fenerbahce on the eve of the group-stage after holding emergency meetings Wednesday. Fenerbahce is suspected of fixing matches to win the title last season. Fenerbahce’s removal comes a day before it was to take its place among 32 elite European clubs in the group stage draw being conducted in Monaco.

“EU targets Iranian elite security force in sanctions on Syria” is an article published by the Los Angeles Times. It says that The European Union announced sanctions Wednesday against Iran's elite Al-Quds security force, saying it was providing Syria with materiel and other support to help Syrian President Bashar Assad crush that country's popular uprising. The sanctions represent the most direct international accusation that Iran is helping Syria to quell a 5-month campaign of opposition protests. There was no immediate public response from Iranian authorities to the sanctions, who have remained among Assad's strongest allies. The EU sanctions will freeze assets and ban travel by certain individuals and entities. British newspapers previously have quoted unidentified Western diplomats as accusing Iran of providing riot-control and surveillance gear to Syria to help Assad's regime against dissidents.

New York Times continues the same theme. It published the article subtitled “Europe Accuses Iranian Force of Aiding Syrian Crackdown.” It says that The secretive Al Quds force is an elite and ideologically grounded unit that was created to protect and promote the Iranian revolution. It carries out operations beyond Iran’s borders and was responsible for initially training and arming the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. The list of sanctions also names five Syrian generals, as well as Hassan Turkmani, a former defense minister and special Assad envoy; Munir Adnuf, the deputy chief of the Syrian Army; and Samir Hassan, a businessman that it identifies as one of the government’s financiers. In addition the list includes Mr. Assad’s younger brother, Maher, who commands the army’s Fourth Division and is believed to be responsible for much of the bloodshed.

The Turkish information agency Hurriyet reported that Russia has grounded its Soyuz rockets after one of the unmanned craft crashed shortly after blast-off while carrying tones of cargo for the International Space Station, a space official said Thursday. Wednesday's accident has raised concerns over the reserves of the six crew members on board the station and clouded the future of an ISS program that relies almost exclusively on Russia following the retirement of US shuttles. Both Russian and US space officials took care to dispel suggestions that the accident may prompt an emergency evacuation of the ISS crew. Space officials from both sides said the team – which besides three Russians includes two US astronauts and a spaceman from Japan – had at least two months of supplies of food and other basics.

“Iran warns of Western plots to dominate ME” is an article published by the Iranian news agency Press TV. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned of plots hatched by Western powers to dominate the Middle East region, urging dialogue and understanding to resolve issues. He cautioned that resorting to internal conflicts and killing will only serve the interests of Zionists (Israelis) and insisted that regional countries are capable of resolving issues by reliance on their rich Islamic and historical culture, the presidential website reported. President Ahmadinejad said that Iran has amicable ties with all countries except the Israeli regime, noting the Iranian nation opposes injustice, oppression, dependence and humiliation. He also emphasized the importance of establishing close ties with Egypt and reiterated that if unity between Tehran and Cairo takes effect, no space would be left for Israel and hegemonic powers in the region.