NYT: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki are caught in the same photo frame in Kabul. Related story here.

US watchdog moves to smother Iran trade

AFP | July 20, 2010

A top US financial watchdog outlined fresh measures to isolate Iran Tuesday, as Washington attempts to ramp up pressure on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program.

Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Mary Schapiro told Congress she was working on measures that would make it easier for companies to abandon their stake in firms that trade with Iran.

The rules would "make it clear that an investment company cannot be sued for divesting itself from stocks of companies that deal with Iran," said Schapiro.

Iran's parliament adopts bill against inspections

AP | July 20, 2010

Iran's parliament authorized tit-for-tat retaliation Tuesday against countries that inspect cargo on Iranian ships and aircraft as part of new U.N. sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program.

A fourth Security Council sanctions resolution imposed last month calls on, but does not require, all countries to cooperate in such cargo inspections if there are "reasonable grounds" to believe the items could contribute to the Iranian nuclear program, and any inspection must receive the consent of the ship's flag state.

The parliamentary bill passed Tuesday allows Iran's government to respond in kind, with cargo inspections of its own.

The Iranian bill also requires the government to maintain its limited level of cooperation with United Nations nuclear safeguards agreements. Iran, for example, refuses to allow surprise visits by U.N. nuclear inspectors.

The bill, which still needs approval by a constitutional watchdog, also requires the government to retaliate against nations that refuse to fuel Iranian aircraft by prohibiting their planes from fueling in Iran. Two Iranian planes recently failed to receive fuel in Hamburg airport in Germany, though the reason was unclear.

Large quakes hit southern Iran

Reuters | July 20, 2010

Several earthquakes, the largest with a magnitude of 5.8, struck southern Iran near its gulf coast early on Wednesday, the country's seismological center said, but state media said there was no word of any casualties.

The center reported a series of quakes measuring 5.8, 5.2, 4.1 and 3.9 in a sparsely populated southern region.

"No reports of possible casualties have been received yet," Iranian state television said.

Iranian nuclear scientist to be subject of movie

CNN | July 20, 2010

A government-linked film studio in Iran plans to make a movie about the Iranian nuclear scientist who Iranian officials say was kidnapped by U.S. agents, state media reported Tuesday.

According to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, Sima Film production company has hired a group of film school graduates to write a script about Shahram Amiri. The head of the production company didn't say when the film would be ready.