News:

Iran, Syria to Redefine Region. UPI. January 7, 2010.

Analysis:

An Exploration of Iranian Leadership Dynamics. Rand Corporation. Jan. 2010

Middle East: Atomic Agitation, Financial Times. Jan. 7, 2010.

Turkish Foreign Policy’s Double-Edged Sword: Iran. Today’s Zaman. Jan. 10, 2010.

Editorial:

Time for Tougher Sanctions. Economist. Jan. 7, 2010

Commentary & Opinion:

Iran Hasn’t Won Yet. By Jonathan Spyer. Australian. Jan. 7, 2010

The Nuclear Menace Looming Over Turkey’s Neighborhood. By Mehmet Kalyoncu. Today’s Zaman.  Jan. 10, 2010

The Most Asked Questions: Will Obama Attack Israel, Will Israel Attack Iran? By Barry Rubin. Jerusalem Post. Jan. 3, 2010.

Iran: The Last Resort.  By Michael Freund. Jerusalem Post. Dec. 30, 2009

 JAN. 1 – Sobering headlines about Iran, this  New Year’s Day.

The Jerusalem Post’s Hilary Leila Kreiger and Haviv Rettig Gur, in their dispatch from Washington, report the  US has “toughened its rhetoric” and is “looking increasingly to sanctions rather than diplomacy,” now that its deadline to Iran has passed.  The article  includes an interview with Israel’s Ambassador to Washington, Michael Oren, who calls for “crippling sanctions.” 

But this article, echoing other Israeli reports, notes a more “calibrated approach” emerging from the Obama administration, possibly taking the form of a new push for a U.N. Security Council resolution. The article suggests the U.S. does not wish to undermine the popular uprising against the Iranian government. Nor does it want to disrupt Iran’s energy markets.  

The Washington Post, in an article by Howard Schneider, also addresses the issue of the Obama administration “falling short” of “crippling sanctions.” It reports that Israel will nonetheless support “narrower”  U.S. sanctions as a “next step.”

Today’s required reading: In the Times (UK), “The world must neutralise Tehran’s toxic threat,” by Liam  Fox, UK Shadow Defence Secretary; and a stinging indictment of Europe in the Wall Street Journal (Europe): “Europe’s trade with Iran’s butchers,” by Goli Ameri, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs.