Topic: Iran

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Iran votes: Why the Supreme Leader is so desperate to bring out voters

Suffering from a legitimacy crisis after the fraud-tainted, heavily protested 2009 vote, Iran feels immense pressure to demonstrate that people have regained faith in their political system.
Will Obama reconsider arming Syrian rebels? This week could be key.

President Obama has long been loath to arm Syrian rebels, worried that the weapons could fall into extremists' hands. But with the rebels faltering, he could reconsider.
Energy Voices Sanctions won't stop Pakistan from Iran natural gas

Pakistan is looking to Iran natural gas to help resolve its ongoing energy woes, Graeber writes. Tightened US sanctions on Iran's energy sector doesn't seem to deter Pakistan's pursuit for a natural gas pipeline to Iran.
Opinion Best way for Obama to help Syria is with aid and diplomacy – not weapons

Giving military aid to Syria's rebels – however just their cause – will only prolong the civil war and increase the risk of sectarian conflagration in the region. A better way to help the Syrian people is to pursue diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and provide more humanitarian aid.
Global News Blog Good Reads: From teens and Facebook to the culinary tastes of ‘Dear Leader’ to a new 5G cellphone

This week's round-up of Good Reads includes Facebook losing favor among teens, the first menial jobs of the rich and famous, reminiscences by Kim Jong-il's sushi chef, new campuses for the headquarters of tech giants, and the world's fastest cellphone.
Presidential cyberwar directive gives Pentagon long-awaited marching orders (+video)

The 18-page, Top Secret 'Presidential Policy Directive 20' instructs the Pentagon to draw up a cyberwar target list and to protect US infrastructure from foreign cyberattack.
Opinion On Iran's nuclear program, Obama should take a cue from JFK and 'go first'

Fifty years ago, John F. Kennedy announced the US would stop nuclear tests in space. The move was meant to build trust for negotiations with the Soviets, and it worked. President Obama should follow the JFK example by, for instance, waiving some sanctions on Iran.
Stalled nuclear talks fuel sharp exchange at Iran's final presidential debate

At a fiery final debate before June 14 elections, Saeed Jalili, Iran's top nuclear negotiator and a leading candidate, was challenged over 'missed opportunities.'
Energy Voices In global climate change fight, what can we learn from Kyoto?

Nations across the world continue to grapple with how to address climate change, and there have been some tough lessons learned since the Kyoto Protocol, first adopted in 1997. David Shorr, a program officer at the Stanley Foundation, talks about the future of climate treaties in an interview with OilPrice.com.
Backchannels NSA's data flood, through the PRISM of US interests and freedom (+video)

Do revelations about the US government snooping on citizens' telephone and Internet records make it harder for the government to advocate for Internet freedom around the world?
Opinion Why US must give military aid to Syria's rebels

The war in Syria is at a turning point. Backed by Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah militants, Bashar al-Assad has the upper hand. Ending the war requires backing him into a corner from which peace talks provide his only safe escape. US military aid for the rebels can help do that.
Backchannels An Egyptian preacher and a US senator compete over Syria's future

Both Yusuf al-Qaradawi and John McCain want Bashar al-Assad to fall. But in their competing visions you'll find reasons for the White House's reticence over deeper military involvement.
Terrorism & Security Syrian Army fires across border into Israel to retaliate for airstrikes

Today's incident marks the first time that Syria has admitted breaching the border with Israel since the civil war began.
Syrian Army, Hezbollah bear down on rebels in strategic Qusayr

For the Syrian rebels, Qusayr has been critical to bringing in weapons and fighters from Lebanon. But the regime and ally Hezbollah want the town, which lies at an important crossroads.
Iran hangs spies it says worked for US, Israel

Iran hangs spies: Two Iranian men were executed Sunday, convicted of working for the CIA and Israel's Mossad spy agency.
Why IRS investigation is already Obama's Watergate – and Benghazi, too (+video)

Since Watergate, every two-term president has had a second-term scandal. First-term mistakes and hyperpartisanship make probes – like those into Benghazi and the IRS – almost inevitable.
Robert Reich The problem with Obama's second term

President Obama is allowing the controversies that typically arise in a second term dominate his presidency because he has failed to define his core agenda. Is it a grand bargain on the budget deficit, gun control, jobs, or immigration reform? It's hard to tell.
Christianophobia

British journalist Rupert Shortt documents and examines the persecution of Christians around the world – a problem of which many Westerners are unaware.
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator: we're being asked to make all the sacrifices

Saeed Jalili, Iran's top nuclear negotiator and a contender in the June presidential election, sat down with the Monitor to share his views about an 'unbalanced' nuclear offer made by world powers.
Iran nuclear talks in Istanbul show progress remains elusive

Talks in Istanbul today over Iran's nuclear program and sanctions that have crippled its economy yielded little in the way of progress.
Opinion What could finally topple Iran's regime? Earthquakes.

Poor government response to earthquakes in Iran exposes the regime's corruption and incompetence. As the EU's Catherine Ashton and Iran’s Saeed Jalili meet in Turkey today, Tehran should heed history’s warning: No nuclear program can save a regime from a toppling earthquake.
Israel, US try full-court press to stop Russian weapons sale to Syria

The US and Israel argue the introduction of Russia's S-300 antiaircraft missile system could be a 'game changer' for the regime.
Iran's presidential race: 'Wild card' entry creates dilemma for Khamenei

Controversial candidates like former President Rafsanjani could draw high voter turnout, but may challenge the supreme leader's ability to control the process of replacing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Ahmadinejad charges? Iranian president cited over election filing appearance

Ahmadinejad charges? The dispute appears to stem from an ongoing confrontation between Ahmadinejad and the ruling clerics in Iran following years of tensions over power struggles.
Google Earth Engine unveils how Earth has altered

For the first time, the public can track back the environmental changes occurring on our planet's surface over time via Google Earth Engine.