Iran is storing oil in tankers at sea, but may soon have to decommission wells if the EU trade emargo is not lifted. Photograph: Tim Chong/Reuters
Iran Sanctions Are About To Get Tougher -- Ramin Mostaghim and Paul Richter, Los Angeles Times
Western governments are preparing to increase the economic pressure on Tehran, and already-scrimping Iranians will no doubt feel the impact.
TEHRAN — As the West has tightened its economic chokehold in an effort to force Iran's government to scale back its growing nuclear program, Iranians have coped by cutting back.
Ali, a 31-year-old employee at a Tehran print shop, doesn't buy as much chicken or red meat as before and has stopped going to the barber. He gave up smoking Marlboros for cheaper Iranian-made Bahmans, and asked his wife to quit her health club.
Read more ....
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
Iran sanctions will halve oil sales but may still not succeed -- Julian Borger and Saeed Kamali Dehghan, The Guardian
Battle Rial: To end Iran's nuclear program, it's time for America to step up its economic warfare. -- Mark Dubowitz, Foreign Policy
Syria's Threatened Christians -- Daniel Brode and Roger Farhat and Daniel Nisman, New York Times
Your Syria Is My Bahrain -- Mark N. Katz, The Moscow Times
Kuwait’s Crossroads: Islamists and American power imperil the Gulf’s freest state. -- Doug Bandow, American Conservative
US still faces 'volatile situation' in Iraq despite strategic gains -- Carlo Munoz, The Hill
Beijing, a Boon for Africa -- Dambisa Moyo, New York Times
Analysis: Sudan rulers dig in as foes look for Arab Spring -- Alexander Dziadosz, Reuters
Sudan’s fundamental questions -- Mohammad Fadhel, Special to Gulf News
Why Mexico and Paraguay are embracing controversial parties of the past -- Sara Miller Llana, Christian Science Monitor
What Really Happened at the European Summit? -- Peter Coy, Bloomberg Businessweek
Did EU Leaders Actually Deliver A Fiscal And Banking Union At The Summit? -- Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes
Putin's Got America Right Where He Wants It: And that's bad news for Obama. -- Micahel Weiss, Foreign Policy