UANI

The New York Times reported on "newly declassified intelligence documents" providing "the most comprehensive account to date" of Iran's training of special groups who fight in Iraq. "Now, more than 80 pages of newly declassified intelligence documents for the first time describe in detail an elaborate network used by Iraqis to gain entry into Iran and train under Iranian supervision. They offer the most comprehensive account to date to support American claims about Iranian efforts to build a proxy force in Iraq. ... Yet the detainees gave strikingly similar details about training compounds in Iran, a clandestine network of safe houses in Iran and Iraq they used to reach the camps and intra-Shiite tensions at the camps between the Arab Iraqis and their Persian Iranian trainers." Read More

The Washington Post covered Iran badly losing its campaign to join the UN Security Council and quotes Britain's UN Ambassador saying the loss shows Iran's lack of support from the global community. "Tehran, which is the target of three Security Council sanctions resolutions, was routed by Tokyo, receiving only 32 votes in the 192-member U.N. General Assembly. Iran's loss represented a serious diplomatic setback for Tehran, which portrayed itself as a champion of the developing world that could balance U.S. and European dominance on the 15-nation security council. It insisted that it deserved a seat because it had served on the council only once in its history, under the shah of Iran, 50 years ago. John Sawers, Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, said Iran's 'thrashing' sends a strong message about the global displeasure with Tehran. 'Hopefully, they will understand that this means there is no support from the international community,' said U.S. diplomat Alejandro Wolff. Iran's delegation declined to address reporters after the vote." Read More

Reuters quoted Iran's OPEC governor Mohammad Ali Khatibi, who said that Iran wants OPEC to cut output by 1 million to 3 million barrels per day. "He was speaking ahead of a meeting of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on Friday in Vienna, amid mounting pressure within the group for a production cut. ... 'Pointing at various world financial crises and a drastic drop in world oil demand, he expressed hope that OPEC member states would reduce their output by 1 to 3 million bpd to establish balance between supply and demand,' the report said." Read More

Iranian press interviewed Russian Ambassador to Tehran Alexander Sadovnikov, who "said on Saturday that Tehran-Moscow ties have never been so friendly." "Talking to IRNA, he announced that Iran-Russia bilateral cooperation will further expand in the near future. He referred to construction of Bushehr nuclear power plant as an example of close industrial and economic cooperation between the two states. The Russian envoy added that Iran, Russia and the Republic of Azerbaijan have recently started constructive cooperation in the area of transportation particularly in the Caspian Sea region." Read More

Iranian press reported that "Venezuelan Minister of Planning and Development Haiman El Troudi stated on Saturday that he will visit Iran in the near future." Read More

Bloomberg reported that "Iran plans to export natural gas from its South Pars field to Bahrain." "IRNA cited Iran's Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari as saying one billion cubic feet of the fuel a day will be exported to Bahrain." Read More

John Bolton accused Russia of "providing cover to Iran's nuclear weapons program" in his Washington Post Op-Ed. "Russia has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity to threaten American interests: providing cover to Iran's nuclear weapons program by enthusiastically neutering sanctions resolutions at the U.N. Security Council and trying to market reactors to Tehran; selling high-end conventional weapons to Iran, Syria and other undesirables; using its oil and natural gas assets to intimidate Europe; making overtures to OPEC; and cozying up to Venezuela through joint Caribbean naval maneuvers, weapons sales and even agreeing to construct nuclear reactors." Read More