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Iran News Digest- July 18, 2014

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Published: Saturday, 19 July 2014

By Iran News Update Staff 

EXTENSION OF NUCLEAR TALKS

The extension of  nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 was announced. Diplomats from most of the parties involved have maintained that there is still a great deal of distance between the contrary positions, but that progress is being made, which suggests that mutual agreement may be attainable within the next six months or so.

THE VALUE OF EXTENSION

Of course, despite the prevalence of criticism in Congress and the media for President Obama’s approach to the Iran situation, there is plenty of support for the extension of talks among some analysts and commentators. In an article at the Huffington Post, Elie Jacobs of the Truman National Security Project makes the point that the options are limited for obtaining a final solution to the nuclear issue. Very likely, he argues, it is a choice between diplomacy and war.

IRAN: REFUSING PAYMENT TO TERROR VICTIMS

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Published: Saturday, 19 July 2014

By Iran News Update staff

According to the National Post  Iran is disputing its requirement to pay victims of terrorist attacks that it financed.

Procrastination and haggling in nuclear negotiations is the routine for the mullahs, who understand nothing but firmness

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Published: Saturday, 19 July 2014

Iranian resistance takes position on extension of nuclear talks.

Procrastination and haggling in nuclear negotiations is the routine for the mullahs, who understand nothing but firmness.

•In light of the regional situation, Khamenei wants to maintain the nuclear structure and capability to acquire the bomb

•The international community must pursue the full implementation of the UN Security Council’s resolutions by the clerical regime

We're Talking To the Wrong Iranians

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Published: Friday, 18 July 2014

Linda Chavez, July 18, 2014

TOWNHALL: When it comes to an agreement with Iran about its nuclear program, no deal is better than a bad deal. Secretary of State John Kerry delivered the news to President Obama this week that a deal was unlikely by the July 20th deadline agreed to at the beginning of talks last September -- which no doubt disappointed his boss, who is desperate for some foreign policy success to point to. But unless Iran is willing to give up its program -- and dismantle the uranium-enriching centrifuges it currently operates and destroy its existing stockpile of heavily enriched uranium -- economic sanctions should not be lifted.

With Extension Looming, Renewed Visions for Nuclear Deal Emerge

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Published: Friday, 18 July 2014

By Iran News Update staff

With an extension of nuclear the interim nuclear agreement now a near-certainty, in spite of massive gaps that still exist between the US and Iranian positions, there has apparently been a new outpouring of analyses of what a final agreement must look like in order to defend Western interests.

Dark Clouds Are Gathering Over Iran

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Published: Friday, 18 July 2014

 BY GERALD F. SEIB- 15,07,2014

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: For the last several years, the tendency in analyzing the Middle East from Washington has been to conclude that trends are moving in Iran’s direction, strengthening Tehran’s hand as a regional power and undermining the positions of the U.S. and its allies among the Persian Gulf monarchies.

It may be time to rethink that bottom line.

Iran: 8 Facebook Activists Sentenced to 127 Years in Prison

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Published: Friday, 18 July 2014

By Iran News Update Staff 

The Iranian regime’s official news agencies an 13 July 2014,  reported that 8 Facebook activists were each given 8 to 21 year prison sentences.

All the activists were charged with “conspiracy against national security, spreading propaganda against the ruling system, and insulting officials,” state-run IRNA news agency reported.

US expert: Iran threat has created greater alignment between the interests of Israel and regional powers

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Published: Thursday, 17 July 2014

By Iran News Update Staff 

The Brookings Institution on Wednesday published the text of one of its fellows, Natan Sachs’ testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the topic of the role and attitudes of about Israel and Iran in his lengthy prepared statement.