CNN

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif insisted Wednesday that the Obama administration mischaracterizes concessions by his side in the six-month nuclear deal with Iran, telling CNN in an exclusive interview that "we did not agree to dismantle anything."...Read On

Money-laundering ring funding Hezbollah cracked by Australian police

Al-Arabiya

Australian police revealed Thursday they had cracked a major global money-laundering ring with operatives in more than 20 countries and funds syphoned off to groups reported to include Hezbollah...Read On

U.S. and Iran Offer Clashing Accounts of the Civil War in Syria

New York Times

Secretary of State John Kerry and President Hassan Rouhani of Iran offered clashing accounts on Thursday of the civil war in Syria, and the role that Tehran is playing in the conflict.

The contrasting assessments illustrated the chasm that still separates the United States and Iran on Middle East issues even as they have agreed on a temporary accord to freeze much of Iran's nuclear program...Read On

AFP

Claims by top Iranian leaders that Washington is misrepresenting terms of an interim nuclear deal left the White House with a new political headache Thursday as it battles to build support for the pact...Read On

On Syria, Obama administration is leading to failure

Washington Post

Diplomatic initiative that Mr. Kerry launched offers no means to hold the regime of Bashar al-Assad accountable for committed atrocities, or even to stop them. On the contrary: It may serve to prop up the Assad government by treating it as a legitimate party to negotiations about Syria's future...Read On

US says businesses should be 'cautious' over Iran

BBC

US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has said companies must "proceed with caution" when dealing with Iran, in an interview with the BBC in Davos...Read On

Talks with Iran over nuclear program face dilemma

The State Journal

Vast differences between Iran and the six-nation coalition seeking to dismantle the Islamic republic's nuclear program may lead to another short-term deal - and that could renew criticism that Iran is stalling and energize the push in Congress for tougher sanctions even if they endanger negotiations...Read On