LATEST: Former President Khatami in The Guardian: Rouhani Offers “An Unrivalled Opportunity”

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The European Union’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, the lead negotiator for the 5+1 Powers, has announced that they will meet the Iranian team next month in Geneva.

Ashton made the announcement after a meeting this morning at the United Nations with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who will lead Tehran’s negotiators.

Ashton also said Zarif will join representatives of the 5+1 later this week, probably on Thursday, in New York. She said that US Secretary of State John Kerry might also attend.

Zarif reacted on his Facebook page: “I had a very good and important meeting laying the ground for today and hopefully this week.”

Ashton said, “I was struck by the energy and determination on the part of the minister.”

She said, “As you would appreciate, there is a huge amount of work to do.”


Latest Updates, From Top to Bottom

Former President Khatami in The Guardian: Rouhani Offers “An Unrivalled Opportunity”

Former President Mohammad Khatami writes in The Guardian of his optimism over President Rouhani’s Visit to the United Nations:

The Iranian people’s vote for Rouhani and his agenda for change has provided an unrivalled and possibly unrepeatable opportunity for Iran, the west and all local and regional powers. With a foreign policy based on dialogue and diplomacy at the heart of the Middle East, we can imagine a better world for the east and the west – including the diplomatic resolution of Iran’s nuclear issue, which is utterly feasible if there is goodwill and fairness.

Iranian-Canadian Businessman Freed from Prison

Is this the first confirmed name from the list of 80 political prisoners pardoned by the Supreme Leader today?

Hamid Ghassemi-Shall, an Iranian-Canadian shoe salesman was arrested by Iran on espionage charges in 2008, has been freed.

Ghassemi-Shall was sentenced to death in 2009 but the penalty was suspended amid representations by the Canadian Government and a campaign by Amnesty International.

Judiciary Official: Supreme Leader Pardons 80 Political Prisoners

Iran’s Attorney General, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, has said that the Supreme Leader has pardoned 80 political prisoners.

Mohseni Ejei said that many of those freed were connected with the “sedition” after the disputed 2009 Presidential election.

Last week, 16 political prisoners, including prominent attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh and leading political Feizollah Arabsorkhi, were suddenly released from their lengthy prison sentences.

China’s Imports of Iranian Oil Up 10% in August

Iranian oil exports to China, its largest customer, rose 9.8% in August compared to July.

The exports reached 436,296 barrels per day in August, up 17.54% from August 2012.

China’s imports of 14.06 million tonnes from January to August are down 1.17% compared to the same period last year.

Chinese officials told Reuters late last year that domestic refiners might cut shipments 5-10% this year from the 438,450 bpd average for 2012.

Beijing, with other European and Asian countries, has a six-month waiver from US financial penalties in exchange for reductions in imports of Iranian oil.

The news accompanies resumption by some Indian refiners of Iranian imports after a four-month break, although Delhi’s purchases are still significantly below those of 2012.

Monday Summary

The Rouhani Government begins its “engagement” of the West at the United Nations on Monday, with a morning meeting between Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the European Union’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Ashton, the lead negotiator for the 5+1 Powers (US, Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany), will discuss a resumption of high-level nuclear talks with Zarif.

This weekend, Tehran named its team for the talks, with Zarif joined by two Deputy Ministers.

Rouhani and President Obama will be among the leaders addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.