Iran Primer's Blog
Ahmadinejad in New York for U.N. Assembly
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke to several New York audiences after arriving Sept. 22. He discussed Iran's nuclear program, Syria, the "Innocence of Muslims" film, Israel and other key issues. The following are excerpts…
Treasury Links Iran Oil to Elite Military
On Sept. 24, the Treasury Department submitted a report to Congress determining that the National Iranian Oil Company is an agent or affiliate of the Revolutionary Guards. The following is an excerpt from the report. The IRGC is Iran’…
FACT SHEET: Two Years of Tightening U.N. Sanctions
On Sept. 20, one week before the U.N. General Assembly’s opening session, the American mission to the United Nations issued a fact sheet outlining the growing squeeze on Iran from U.N. sanctions since the passage of Resolution 1929…
IAEA Presses Iran on Nuclear Program
On Sept. 13, the U.N. nuclear watchdog passed a resolution urging Iran to cease uranium enrichment and comply with international obligations on its nuclear program. At a board of governors meeting in Vienna, 31 out of 35 countries,…
U.S. Treasury: Iran Oil Exports Down 55 Percent
On Sept. 12, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen announced that Iran’s crude oil exports have decreased by 55 percent since January 2012. “Today, the Iranian government is relegated to the backwaters of the international financial system,” said Cohen at the New York…
U.S. Welcomes Release of Christian Pastor
On Sept. 10, the State Department applauded Iran’s release of a Christian Pastor who was sentenced to death for apostasy in 2010. The charges were reportedly dropped from apostasy to evangelizing Muslims, with a sentence of three years. Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was released for time served,…
Canada Closes Iran Embassy, Expels Iranian Diplomats
On September 7, Foreign Minister John Baird announced that Canada has closed its embassy in Tehran and expelled Iranian diplomats in Ottawa. He cited Iran as “the most significant threat to global peace and security” as the reason. Baird also warned all Canadian citizens against travel to Iran. The…
Democratic Platform on Iran
On Sept. 4, the Democratic Party adopted its party platform. The platform credits President Barack Obama for his cooperation with the international community and implementing “the toughest UN sanctions ever on Iran.” It states that “a diplomatic outcome remains the best and most enduring solution”…
Part II: Khamenei on U.N./World Order
On Aug. 30, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s inaugural address to the Non-Aligned Movement Summit challenged the United Nations and called for a new world order. The following are two key excerpts from his speech, beginning with comments on the United Nations. The U.N. Security…
Part I: Khamenei on Nuclear Weapons
On Aug. 30, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s inaugural address to the Non-Aligned Movement condemned nuclear weapons. The following is an excerpt from his speech.International peace and security are among the critical issues of today’s world and the elimination of catastrophic weapons of…