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Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Russia and Iran will enhance cooperation in the oil and gas industry so they can boost economic development.

Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, is in Moscow on an official visit.

Russia seesa great potential for enhanced oil and gas industry cooperation,Putin said at a joint news conference which followed the meeting of the two leaders. He added thatleading Russian companies have reached a number of important agreements concerning the development of major hydrocarbon deposits in Iran.

Putin and Rouhani also agreed to continue cooperation aimed at stabilizing the global energy market and ensuring sustainable economic development.

The two sideswelcomed the agreements reached by OPEC members and other oil-producing countries, which contribute to the balancing of supply and demand at the [global] oil market within the acceptable price range,read the joint communiqu signed by the two presidents.

In December 2016, eleven non-OPEC oil-producing countries agreed to decrease oil production by 558,000 barrels per day in total. Russia pledged to shrink its oil production by 300,000 barrels per day alone. Several weeks earlier, OPEC members further agreed to decrease their oil production by 1,2 million barrels per day.

Russia and Iran also agreed to continue their cooperation within the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GESF) aimed at building a mechanism for a more meaningful dialogue between gas producers and gas consumers for the sake of stability and security of supply and demand in global natural gas markets.

Meanwhile, Russia's top natural gas producer Gazprom and the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) signed a memorandum of cooperation in the gas industry sector, with a particular emphasis on the Russian companys participation in the development of Iranian oil and gas fields.

Putin and Rouhani also discussed the issue of using national currencies as reciprocal payments and developing inter-bank cooperation between the two countries and ensuring an increase in trade and investments.

The two leaders particularly focussed on the potential creation of a free-trade zone between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union that consists of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Rouhani told journalists at the press conference that such a trade zone could significantly improve the trade situation andcreate new conditionsin the regional trade system.

The Iranian leader went on to say that bilateral relations between the two countries are moving to a new, strategic level.The relations between our countries in terms of economy, growth of trade and tourism show [significant] progress,he said, adding that Russia and Iran are moving towardsdeveloping strategic relationships in the economic, cultural and scientific [spheres].

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Iran, Russia increase cooperation in oil and gas industry - TRUNEWS

New York Times

Turk in Iran Sanctions Case Adds Rudy Giuliani to Legal Team New York Times Reza Zarrab, a prominent Turkish gold trader who has been jailed in New York on charges of violating the United States sanctions on Iran, has added Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former New York mayor, to his legal team, adding intrigue to a case that has ... Top Turkish bank executive arrested in multimillion-dollar pro-Iran bank fraudFox News Trump ally Giuliani hired for case touching Turkey, IranNewsday Giuliani to Help Defend Accused Iran Money LaundererNBCNews.com Reuters -Bloomberg -Al-Arabiya all 65 news articles »

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Turk in Iran Sanctions Case Adds Rudy Giuliani to Legal Team - New York Times

Islamic State has issued a video threatening Iran and promising to conquer the country soon.

The 36-minute, Persian-language video is aimed at Iran's Sunni Muslim minority and accuses Tehran of persecuting them. But analysts said the intention behind the video released late Monday may be a desperate effort to show that IS, at its weakest since its declaration of a caliphate in June 2014, is still a potent force.

"IS was not successful in recruiting Iranian Sunnis when it was at its peak, and such an outreach now seems to be the struggles of a sinking body," said Alex Vatanka, a senior analyst at the Washington-based Middle East Institute.

Iraqi army soldiers and volunteers, such as Iranian-backed Shiite militias and Sunni tribes, prepare to launch mortar shells and rockets against Islamic State militant positions outside Tikrit, March 4, 2015.

Iran is deeply involved in efforts by Iraq and Syria to rout Islamic State from their territory, providing Shi'ite militias with funding and equipment. Since 2012, Iran has acted as a major ally of the Syrian regime in Damascus, backing Syrian troops in their war with rebel groups across the country. At times, Iranian forces have been in battles with IS fighters in Syria, according to reports.

The video, narrated and hosted by several Persian speakers with heavy Baloch accents, alleges more than 18,000 Iranian Sunnis have been executed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. One of the speakers urges Sunnis to join the group "to defend their dignity and regain back the pride taken away by Iranian Shia authorities."

However, several opinion polls have shown little Sunni interest in joining IS.

The Baloch people live mainly in the Balochistan region of the southeastern-most edge of the Iranian plateau in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. They have long accused Tehran of discriminating against them for their Sunni faith.

Tehran has acknowledged it executed at least 977 people in 2015, mainly for drug-related crimes. Human-rights organizations have talked of mass executions of Sunnis and urged Iran to lift restrictions on Sunnis, who make up about nine percent of the population.

"It is hardly surprising that the Islamic State is trying to mobilize Iran's Sunni minority," said Ali Alfoneh a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. "Iran's Sunnis are subjected to varying degrees of discrimination, but they also suffer from the simple fact that they live in Iran's underdeveloped and impoverished periphery regions where everyone, Shia and Sunni, suffers.

"What I find surprising is that the Islamic State did not engage in a systematic propaganda effort earlier. It is equally surprising that Iran's Sunni minority, despite its sufferings, is not answering the call of the Islamic State," he said.

FILE - An Iraqi boy living in Iran holds a toy gun and flashes a victory sign in front of a poster of the Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in demonstration against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Tehran, June 20, 2014.

The video, which threatens to attack Iranian infrastructure, was released by Islamic States Diyala Province arm. Diyala province stretches from Baghdad to Iraq's border with Iran, but has never been the group's favorite hub due to its Shia majority. IS considers Shias to be apostates.

Several times in recent months, Iranian officials have spoken about breaking up IS-related terror cells and arresting IS-affiliated militants planning attacks inside Iran.

The claims lack many details, including when the alleged incidents took place, the identity of most suspects and concrete links to IS. And at times, the information has conflicted with other accounts.

"IS cells have been severely devastated by our security agents and operational units. We have identified them and targeted them miles beyond our borders," Amir Ahmadreza Pourdastan, commander of the Iranian Army, told a news conference last year.

But the growing emphasis by Iranian officials on the militant group's possible threat has caught the attention of Western analysts who monitor developments in Iran and offer varying views on the extent of the threat and Iran's aim by speaking publicly about them.

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IS Threatens Iran in Persian Language Video - Voice of America

U.S. Central Command Commander Army Gen. Joseph Votel / Getty Images

BY: Adam Kredo March 29, 2017 12:32 pm

Iran poses the "most significant threat" in the Middle East, where its nefarious activities and support for terror organizations have grown since the announcement of the landmark nuclear agreement, according to the top U.S. military commander in the region.

The United States has "not seen any improvement in Iran's behavior" since the nuclear agreement was inked, according to U.S. Central Command leader Gen. Joseph Votel, who warned Congress on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic is boosting its support for militias in Syria and Iraq while building large numbers of ballistic missiles.

Votel, testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, opened his remarks by stating "Iran poses the greatest long-term threat to stability in this part of the world."

Growing U.S. concerns about Iran's nefarious behavior since the nuclear agreement have promptedcalls from leaders such as Votel to adopt a strongermilitary posture against the Islamic Republic. President Donald Trump's White House has an opportunity to get tough with Iran as it continues to harass U.S. military assets in the region, according to Votel.

"Through both messaging and actions, we must also be clear in our communications and ensure the credibility of U.S. intentions," Votel stated in his written testimony. "Iran must believe there will be prohibitive consequences if it chooses to continue its malign activities designed to foment instability in the region."

The United States consistently is faced with "a range of malign activities perpetrated by Iran and its proxies in the region," according to Votel, who pointed to interference by Iran in Iraq, Syria, and other areas.

In addition to Iran's "nuclear weapons potential," the country poses several "credible threats," according to Votel. These include its "robust" ballistic missile program, cyber threats, and the continued harassment of U.S. forces stationed in the region.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, also poses a significant risk due to its clandestine efforts to foster terrorism against U.S. allies, according to Votel.

"We must make sure that we are postured for purpose in this region," Votel said. "We must have a credible, ready, and present force."

There is mounting concern that Iran may begin targeting U.S. forces in Iraq, where it has long supportedgovernment-tied militia groups fighting against ISIS forces.

While Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have mainly worked to fight ISIS, they could turn their attention to the United States at any time, according to Votel.

"We remain concerned about Iran's efforts to prop up the Syrian regime against the opposition and its desire to exploit Shia population centers to increase their malign influence, not just in Syria, but also in Arab states across the region," Votel stated in his testimony.

"We are watching closely for indications and warnings of decreasing Iranian concern regarding the threat posed by ISIS, leading to a potential shift to targeting U.S. and coalition personnel and infrastructure in an effort to influence a potential long-term U.S. security presence," he said.

Iran also is seeking to foment unrest in Yemen, Lebanon, and the Gaza Strip. Its growing relationship with Russia poses regional concerns, Votel said.

"Iran fosters instability by funding and promoting a threat network that employs provocation, violence, and covert arms transfers that serve as the stimulants for a range of conflicts across the region," according to Votel. "It complements this subversive arm with conventional military provocation and overt threats to close key maritime sea lanes, especially at critical international economic chokepoints, namely the Strait of Hormuz and the BAM Strait, which puts global political stability and economic prosperity at risk."

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Top US Commander: Iran Poses Greatest Global Threat, Demands Tougher Action - Washington Free Beacon

WASHINGTON-- Aiming to prove their commitment to Israel, senior U.S. lawmakers are backing bipartisan legislation that would slap Iran with new sanctions while maintaining rigorous enforcement of the landmark nuclear deal.

The measures, unveiled ahead of the opening of the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, seek to build consensus among Republicans and Democrats who are so often bitterly at odds on domestic issues.

The United States will stand with Israel, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said at the conference Tuesday. But the Kentucky Republican criticized the nuclear agreement as a windfall for Tehran that prevented the U.S. from taking more aggressive steps against Iran.

But today we can take a different approach, McConnell said. Today, we can combat Irans capability to fund, arm, and train terrorists like Hezbollah, Hamas, and its proxies in Syria.

In exchange for Tehran rolling back its nuclear program, the U.S. and other world powers agreed to suspend wide-ranging oil, trade and financial sanctions that had choked the Iranian economy.

The House bill, which is co-sponsored by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, targets Irans illicit ballistic missile development program. The measure would shut out of the international financial system Iranian and foreign companies involved in the missile program - along with the banks that back them.

The Senate legislation imposes mandatory sanctions on people involved in Irans ballistic missile program and anyone who does business with them. The measure also would apply terrorism sanctions to the countrys Revolutionary Guards and enforce an arms embargo.

The measure is supported by Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the panels top Democrat.

To combat these threats, we must harness every instrument of American power, House Speaker Paul Ryan said at the conference Monday. We must work with our allies - and Israel in particular - to counter this aggression at every turn.

In the opening days of the conference, Israeli leaders hoping Trump would be a rubber stamp for the Jewish state heard plenty of reassuring rhetoric. Missing from the agenda so far, however, were concrete steps advancing the Israeli governments top priorities.

The Iran nuclear deal, so despised by Israel and congressional Republicans, is solidly in place. The U.S. Embassy is no closer to moving to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government wants. And as it has under past presidents, Washington is still telling Israel to slow settlement construction.

It is making for an unusual AIPAC conference, one relieved of the strains that marked the last years of President Barack Obamas tenure, but also filled with significant uncertainty.

Netanyahu on Monday called the U.S.-Israeli relationship stronger than ever.

His ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer, said a day earlier that for the first time in years or even decades, there is no daylight between our two governments.

Vice President Mike Pence said he and Trump stand without apology for Israel and we always will.

But its too early to tell whether Trump will ultimately fulfill Israels wishes. And there are indications hes reconsidering several stances adopted during the campaign.

As a candidate, Trump repeatedly vowed to be the president to finally relocate the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, which Israel considers its capital. As Pence said Sunday, that unequivocal promise has morphed into Trump now giving serious consideration to moving the American embassy.

While candidate Trump said hed renegotiate or dismantle the Iran nuclear deal, which Israel fiercely opposes, President Trumps administration is continuing to implement the accord while examining whether it should stand.

On Irans missile program, however, Trump has expanded U.S. sanctions. The administration last month responded to a missile test by hitting 25 people and entities with sanctions. But backers of the new legislation want the president to go further.

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Mitch McConnell criticizes Iran nuke deal as "windfall" for Tehran - CBS News