CARTOON: Foreign Minister Zarif, President Rouhani, and Supreme Leader try to hold clock back from June 30 deadline for nuclear agreement (Nikahang Kowsar)

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As Iran’s talks with the 5+1 Powers pursue a nuclear agreement by June 30, both President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif have declared that the Islamic Republic will not give ground because of demands and sanctions.

Rouhani told a forum in Tehran on Sunday:

Those who have imposed sanctions against Iran have extremely oppressed this nation.

But this doesn’t mean surrendering to their unreasonable words; rather we should move against this problem and make progress step by step.

Meeting a leading member of the European Parliament, Zarif played down the effects of sanctions while asserting that Iran has adopted a constructive approach towards the nuclear negotiations.

Iran and the 5+1 (US, Britain, Germany, China, Russia, and France) continue to draft a final text of an agreement. The sixth round of talks since an April 2 framework concluded on Friday in Vienna, although experts have remained to go over details.

Iranian officials, including lead negotiator Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, have begun to indicate that the June 30 deadline could be extended to ensure a final resolution. The US, however, has said this is not envisaged.

Meanwhile, Iran’s economy continues to be crippled by sanctions, limited oil revenues, budget deficits, and problems with production and investment. State media is holding out the prospect of a quick revival, including foreign support of oil and gas production, if a deal is concluded — Press TV headlines, “US ‘Angel Investor’ Interested in Iran“.

Another article announces, “Iran Rolls Out Huge Untapped Riches“:

Iran seeks to chisel out a name among the world’s major miners, courting international prospectors into a sector which boasts some of the world’s most stupendous riches but remains vastly underdeveloped.

Former Ahmadinejad Vice-President Baghaei Arrested and Detained

Hamid Baghaei, a former Vice President under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has been arrested and detained after years of investigations.

Judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei made the announcement on Monday without providing further details.

Baghaei, who was in charge of executive affairs, was barred from any civil service position for 4 years by the administrative justice court. He was punished for “numerous violations” as head of Iran’s Culture and Heritage Organization.

See Iran Breaking: Another Ahmadinejad Ally Gone – VP Baghaei Barred for 4 Years

Abdolreza Davari, an ally of the former President, said, “Baghaei was not so close to Ahmadinejad. I have not seen Mr. Baghaei recently.”

File photo of Ahmadinejad and Baghaei:

AHMADINEJAD BAGHAEI

In January, Iran’s supreme court convicted and sentenced former Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi to five years in prison and fined him 10 billion rials ($300,000).

2nd Hearing Held in Espionage Trial of Washington Post Correspondent Rezaian

The second session in the trial of Jason Rezaian, The Washington Post’s correspondent in Tehran, was held on Monday.

No details were given of the closed-door hearing, with Rezaian accompanied only by his court-appointed attorney.

Rezaian, an Iranian-American national, was arrested on July 22. His wife, fellow reporter Yeganeh Salehi, and two other journalists were arrested — Salehi was bailed in October and is awaiting trial.

Rezaian is accused of spying for the US Government and propaganda against the regime. No evidence has been produced in public, but it reportedly includes a letter written by the journalist to President Obama and an offer to help a fellow journalist with information from Iran.

See Iran Feature: Media Behind Bars — Jason Rezaian and Tehran’s “Justice” for Journalists
Iran Feature: Journalist Rezaian’s Trial — Judge “Convicts” Him of Helping Another Reporter