An article "Obama Set to Offer Stricter Nuclear Deal to Iran" was published in The New York Times. It says that American officials propose a new offer to Iran for negotiating. The author reports that despite strict sanctions and political pressure on Iran it is still doesn't look to resolve the situation over its nuclear program. The new offer would require Iran to send more than 4,400 pounds of low-enriched uranium out of the country. This initiative is likely to fail. But it fulfils President Obama's promise to keep negotiating even while the pressure of sanctions increases.
Meanwhile, The Los Angeles Times reported that Washington blacklisted 37 shipping companies owned or acting for Iran and that the U.S. said are linked to Teheran's nuclear program. It was done to pressure IRI into agreeing to taking steps to prove that the program is not used to make bombs. However, Iran insisted its nuclear program is entirely for peaceful uses and declines any offers to return to negotiations. Both authors conclude that Iran still continue to overcome sanctions with its patience and resistance whether the U.S. and the U.N. continue to severe them.
Elaborating this theme Washington Post published an article E.U. rules let Iran import, export oil, creating possible split from U.S. policy'. While the U.S. penalizes companies if they sell gasoline to Iran the European Union issued regulations allowing for the import and export of oil and gas to Iran. However, the effect might be minimal as European oil companies might still refuse to supply Iran with fuel for fear of appearing to thwart U.S. sanctions. And there already have been complaints in the European parliament over U.S. pressure on E.U. companies regarding Iran.
Another theme concerning Iran was touched by the Los Angeles Times. IRAN: Senior judiciary official defends chopping off robbers' hands' tells that severing the hands of repeat offender thieves is a common punishment in the Islamic Republic. Iran's deputy chief judiciary official Ebrahim Raisi praised such punishments in flowery religious terms. While Iranian authority is proud to use this form of corporal punishment against property criminals, the authors of the article express high concern and find it too severe.
The Washington Post is also reported on human rights in IRI. Iran vying for board of UN Women' tells about striving of Iran for being a member of the new U.N. agency to promote equality for women. Looking back, the authors of the article recall the story of the stoning sentence against the 43-year-old woman. Mark Kornblau, spokesman for the U.S. Mission, supposes there are many qualified countries that would make positive and constructive contributions as board members better than Iran given its poor record on human rights and the treatment of women.
In response to these accusations Iran concern about the violation of human rights in the US and the West, as Press TV agency reported. Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast pointed out that the use of violence by the US law enforcement against American citizens, critical condition of many detainees in the country. He was referring to the controversial move by a Florida priest to announce "burn a Qur'an day" on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US. He stated that Qur'an-burning was a major case of human rights violation.
According to the Hurriyet news agency, Armenia and Iran pledged to boost economic ties. According to IRNA, Teheran also underlined the need to speed up construction of an Iran-Armenia railway, saying that the implementation of the railway agreements would be "a big step" toward the development of the two states.
Reuters published an article "U.S. prepares new offer for Iran nuclear talks" touching the topical theme of the day. The author reports that Iran has welcomed the offer of talks, which the Western powers want to yield a deal curbing its uranium enrichment drive and opening it to U.N. nuclear inspectors in exchange for a package of benefits. However, the offer will surely be seen by Iran as unacceptable and will likely cause further delays in negotiations.
