UANI

Iranian press reported that a senior Iranian oil ministry official said that Iran needs $5 billion more for fuel imports, in addition to a previously budgeted $3.3 billion. "'We have [a] budget of $3.3 billion but the needs of gasoline and gas oil is more than the... budget that we have,' Akbar Torkan, a deputy oil minister, told newswire Reuters, adding that the extra funds needed were 'something between $4-5 billion.'" Read More

The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran is now backing the U.S.-Iraqi security agreement after reportedly trying to stop it. "Today, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, a senior official who is close to top Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, praised the Iraqi government for how it conducted itself in endorsing the pact that calls for U.S. troops to leave Iraq at the end of 2011. And Iranian state media today said the deal was a 'victory' for the Iraqi government since it was about the withdrawal of American soldiers." Read More

Voice of America reported that "Iran recently announced that it tested a new long-range surface-to-surface missile, called the Sejil, with a range of 1200 miles. The announcement of the test came a day after Iranian media reported that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps had test another new missile, called the Samen, near the Iraqi border." Read More

AFP covered the U.S. Justice Department's announcement that it had indicted two men for allegedly trading with Iran since 2002. "Mohammad Reza Vaghari, 41, of Broomal, Pennsylvania and 42-year-old Mir Hossein Ghaemi of Edgewood, Maryland were charged with conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). ... According to the indictment, Vaghari and Ghaemi would purchase items from American companies before exporting them to the United Arab Emirates, where co-conspirators delivered the products to customers in Iran. The FBI and the Department of Commerce are investigating the case." Read More

Reuters reported that "Iran denied Monday a report it had detained 10 spies who had entered the Islamic Republic illegally from neighboring Pakistan." "State television said Saturday the spies were seized in Iran's south-eastern Sistan-Baluchestan province bordering Pakistan. The report had said they were carrying $500,000 in cash, espionage cameras and maps of sensitive regions. 'We deny this report,' Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi told a news conference, without giving further details." Read More

The Boston Globe editorial page opined that Iran's backing of the U.S.-Iraqi security agreement suggests they are now open to a "grand bargain" with the U.S. "By withdrawing its tacit veto of a deal that extends the legal basis for a US military presence in Iraq, Tehran is opening a door to a grand bargain with Washington, a deal that would address Iraq's future as well as Iran's regional role and its nuclear program. Iran's green light could presage the beginning of the peaceful resolution of the standoff over Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability." Read More

Reuters reported that "Iran said on Monday it would not hinder any Turkish bid to mediate between the Islamic Republic and the new U.S. administration but cautioned that its differences with Washington were deep-rooted." "Asked about Erdogan's remarks to the New York Times that Obama's election opened new opportunities for a shift in Iran- U.S. relations and that Ankara would be ready to mediate, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said: 'We think the comments ... stem from Turkish goodwill and good and growing neighborly ties between Iran and Turkey, so we will certainly not raise any obstacles.'" Read More

Iranian press covered the visit of six American University Presidents to Iran. "The presidents, which come from three private and three public institutions in the US, include Jared Cohon from Carnegie Mellon University, David Leebron of Rice University, J. Bernard Machen from the University of Florida, C. D. Mote, Jr. from the University of Maryland, David Skorton of Cornell University and Larry Vanderhoef from the University of California UC Davis. " Read More

AP reported that "Venezuela and Iran plan to start a new university program in the South American country with a focus on teaching socialist principles." "Hung tells the state-run Bolivarian News Agency that the aim is to promote discussion of '21st century socialism.'" Read More

Reuters reported that "Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Turkey on Monday for the development of two phases of its South Pars gas field in the Gulf and on transferring gas to Europe." Read More

AP reported that "Iranian demonstrators ended a 65-day vigil outside U.N. headquarters Monday and headed to Washington to seek assurances the United States will continue protecting a disarmed militia in Iraq that opposes Iran's government." Read More

Reuters reported that "U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has raised concerns about nearly 3,500 opposition Iranians living in exile in Iraq and regarded as terrorists by the Baghdad government, which wants to expel them." "The Iranians, who include members of the exiled opposition People's Mujahideen Organization of Iran, have been housed at Camp Ashraf, 70 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad, for two decades.  ... Ban has cited a letter circulated last week by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights to the Iraqi government outlining concerns about the Iranians at Camp Ashraf." Read More