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Feeling the Pain in Tehran


(Foreign Policy) Nazila Fathi - Iran's Ministry of Intelligence published a report on its website calling for direct talks with the U.S., signaling an intriguing shift in the Iranian political landscape. The man who runs the Ministry of Intelligence, Heydar Moslehi, is a confidant of the supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. European countries that used to buy 20% of Iran's oil have suspended their imports since July. Other countries, such as China and India, have sharply reduced their imports under pressure from the international community. An embargo on the Iranian financial sector blocks its banking system from transferring money. American and European firms, fearing hefty fines, refuse to do business with Iran. Inflation is galloping at 25%, according to the International Monetary Fund. The rial has lost 300% of its value over the past year. The writer is a fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
2012-12-26 00:00:00
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