Iran news headlines on Monday include IP gas pipeline inauguration; Iran block of using of tool to get around Internet filter; Iran allocation $2.7 billion for southern oil refinery; new EU sanctions against Iran for rights abuse; Iran’s Army test-firing new indigenous missile systems in an upcoming military exercise.
Zardari, Ahmedinijad inaugurate Pak-Iran gas pipeline project
President Asif Ali Zardari and President Mehmood Ahmedinijad jointly inaugurated on Monday multibillion dollar Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline Project at border town of Gabad.

The project was formally inaugurated at a ceremony which marks the start of work on the 781-kilometre pipeline earmarked for the Pakistani side of the border, with the cost of $1.5 billion. The pipeline on the Iranian side is almost complete.
Iran blocks use of tool to get around Internet filter
Iranian authorities have blocked the use of most “virtual private networks”, a tool that many Iranians use to get around an extensive government Internet filter, Iranian media quoted an official as saying on Sunday.

A widespread government Internet filter prevents Iranians from accessing many sites on the official grounds they are offensive or criminal.
Iran allocates $2.7 billion for southern oil refinery, Mehr says
Iran has allocated 2.1 billion euros ($2.7 billion) to build an oil refinery in the southern Hormozgan province that will begin operations this year, state- run Mehr news agency reported, citing an energy official.

Iran is halfway through the construction of the plant, which will add 27.6 million liters to the country’s daily gasoline output, said Ebrahim Azizi, governor general of the Hormozgan province where the Persian Gulf Star facility is located.
EU bolsters sanctions against Iran for rights abuse
EU foreign ministers strengthened sanctions against Iran on Monday for “serious human rights violations”, adding new names to a list of Iranians targeted by a visa ban and asset freeze.

The ministers renewed existing European Union sanctions for another 12 months while adding nine new names to the blacklist, bringing to 87 the total number of people subject to an EU travel ban and asset freeze.
Iran’s Army to test-fire new indigenous missile systems: Cmdr.
A senior Iranian commander says the Army Ground Forces plan to test-fire new indigenously-manufactured missile systems in an upcoming military exercise due to be held by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2013).


“New systems manufactured by [Iran’s] Defense Industries [Organization] have been delivered to the Army’s Ground Forces and these systems will be tested in the upcoming [missile] drills,” Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan said on Sunday.

 

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