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FT reported that the US and allies are in discussion to "impose sanctions on Iran’s energy and financial sectors without UN backing" Read More

LA Times covered the ongoing merchant strike in Iran over the government's proposed strike. "On Sunday, rug and fabric dealers in at least two cities joined an unprecedented week-long strike led by jewelers in most major business centers to protest the imposition of a 3% value-added tax and demands for more transparent accounting practices by retailers." Read More

Iranian press reported that "Iran's Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said on Saturday that more than 20 billion dollars are needed to be invested in the country's oil refining industry." "Nozari made the remarks in his address to the opening ceremony of the second Iran International Oil Refining Forum began here on October 11. The two-day forum is attended by a large number of domestic and foreign companies active in the field of oil refining industries. The minister voiced Tehran's readiness to 'shake the hands which are able and would like to assist us.'" Read More

Washington Post interviewed Gen. Odierno, who says Iran is bribing Iraqi legislators in hopes of derailing U.S.-Iraqi strategic agreement talks. "Gen. Ray Odierno said in an interview that Iran, a Shiite Islamic nation eyed warily by the United States and Sunni Arab countries, is working publicly and covertly to undermine the status-of-forces agreement as officials from Iraq and the United States report nearing a deal that must be ratified by Iraq's parliament. 'Clearly, this is one they're having a full court press on to try to ensure there's never any bilateral agreement between the United States and Iraq,' Odierno said in an interview. 'We know that there are many relationships with people here for many years going back to when Saddam was in charge, and I think they're utilizing those contacts to attempt to influence the outcome of the potential vote in the council of representatives.' Odierno said he had no definitive proof of the bribes, but added, 'there are many intelligence reports' that suggest Iranians are 'coming in to pay off people to vote against it.'" Read More

Iranian press reported that Iran's Vice President for Media Affairs Mehdi Kalhor "said on Saturday that Iran has set two preconditions for holding talks with the United States of America." "In an exclusive interview with IRNA, he said as long as U.S. forces have not left the Middle East region and continues its support for the Zionist regime, talks between Iran and U.S. is off the agenda." Read More

Iranian press quoted a national spokesman saying Iran was ready to answer certain questions from the IAEA. "A spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEO) says the country will answer rational questions regarding its nuclear program. ... He added, however, that the cooperation would only continue in matters defined under the UN body's regulations. ... 'Iran is ready to answer to the (UN nuclear) agency. However, we advise the UN body not to consider questionable reports,' Delaviz said." Read More

Reuters reported that Iran "will seek a seat on the council in an election this week that will pit it in a probably hopeless contest against Japan." "It is doubtful that even Iran expects to win. 'The Iranian ambassador came to see me to ask for our vote in the election,' said one Western envoy. 'I don't know who had more difficulty keeping a straight face -- him or me.' But diplomats will be looking to see how many countries vote for Iran in an election that could in part be an oblique comment on Tehran's arch-foe the United States. Strongly anti-American governments like those in Venezuela and Nicaragua may support the Iranian bid." Read More

Reuters reported Deputy Central Bank governor Hossein Ghazavi's comments that falling oil prices were an "alarm bell" for Iran's economy. "Deputy Central Bank governor Hossein Ghazavi, echoing the comments of other Iranian officials, also said the financial crisis sweeping the world would only have a limited impact on Iran's economy, business daily Donya-ye Eqtesad reported. 'Falling oil prices have a considerable risk and these days the falling price of this strategic product is like an alarm bell that is ringing,' the newspaper quoted Ghazavi saying after oil prices fell more than 10 percent on Friday." Read More

AFP reported that "Iran on Sunday predicted that OPEC would cut oil output at its November meeting in Vienna." "'OPEC will probably seek a cut in its production at the November meeting in order to balance supply and demand,' Iran's OPEC representative Mohammad Ali Khatibi was quoted as saying." Read More

Bloomberg reported that "Mehdi Karrubi, an Iranian cleric who favors resuming relations with the U.S., said he will run in the 2009 presidential elections." "'After talks and consultations and with knowledge of the existing strength and weaknesses and challenges ahead I declare my readiness as a candidate in next year's elections,' Karrubi was quoted as saying by the Iranian Students News Agency. Karrubi, head of Iran's National Trust party, spoke at a press conference in Tehran today, the state-run news agency said." Read More

Iranian press reported that "A senior Iranian diplomat says the 5+1 group members are divided in conducting nuclear talks with the Islamic Republic because of its strong negotiation logic." "Iran says the 5+1 group is evading negotiating with Tehran over its peaceful nuclear program as the country has underlined the need for constructive talks and cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany. 'It should be interesting to the world community that when a logical question arises during talks, the other party resorts to pressure instead of negotiating,' Movahedian said." Read More

AFP reported that "Iran has arrested an aide to Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri following fresh criticism by the dissident cleric against Islamic republic leaders over freedom, reports said on Sunday." Read More

UK Telegraph profiled an Iranian woman whose father was hanged for being a Christian and whose brother faces execution. "For one woman living in London, however, the Iranian parliamentary vote cannot be brushed aside. Rashin Soodmand is a 29-year-old Iranian Christian. Her father, Hossein Soodmand, was the last man to be executed in Iran for apostasy, the 'crime' of abandoning one's religion. He had converted from Islam to Christianity in 1960, when he was 13 years old. Thirty years later, he was hanged by the Iranian authorities for that decision. Today, Rashin's brother, Ramtin, is also held in a prison cell in Mashad, Iran's holiest city. He was arrested on August 21. He has not been charged but he is a Christian. And Rashin fears that, just as her father was the last man to be executed for apostasy in Iran, her brother may become one of the first to be killed under Iran's new law." Read More

Washington Post covered the debate in Iran over "Body of Lies" actress Golshifteh Farahani's decision to not wear a headscarf in U.S. public appearances. "In August, when screenshots from 'Body of Lies' of a veiled Farahani with Leonardo DiCaprio appeared on Iranian Web sites, the actress became the talk of the town. An Iranian news agency asserted that her passport had been taken by the authorities to prevent her from attending the movie's premiere. Farahani confirmed part of the report after the premiere last week, telling the New York Daily News: 'The intelligence service interrogated me several times. In the end, the judge said, "We have to see the movie and then decide what we're going to do with you." I'm on trial,' she said." Read More

In a Houston Chronicle Op-Ed, Cliff May and James Carafano write that Iran has threatened to destroy the U.S. and call for nuclear deterrence. "A lot can be done to deal with this terrible threat. For starters, we need to build comprehensive missile defenses that can shoot missiles down fired anywhere shortly after they lift off. We also need to develop national plans to mitigate vulnerabilities to an EMP attack and recover quickly from a strike if one does occur. America, however, also needs to dust-off its nuclear deterrent. Of all the nations that could pull off an EMP attack or hand that capacity to a transnational terrorist group, Iran is the only country that has directly threatened to destroy the United States. While much America's infrastructure is vulnerable to EMP, the nuclear strike force is not. We need to inform Iran that if an EMP attack were unleashed on America, Iran could well be held responsible and suffer massive nuclear retaliation." Read More

In the Washington Times, Rabbi Abraham Cooper discussed Ahmadinejad's anti-semitism and warned against appeasement. "It's clear we can't leave negotiations with Iran to media icons or to people so desperate to see good that they are blind to evil. Job one for our next president is to signal pro-American young Iranians they are not forgotten and oppressed minorities they are not forsaken. Any potential meeting with Tehran's evil theocrats must be linked to real and verifiable policy changes on the ground. Anything less could lead America down the road to appeasement or war." Read More