The Latest from Iran (27 June): How to Un-Do Diplomacy --- "Jews Control the Illegal Drug Trade"

See also The Latest from Iran (26 June): The Oil Squeeze

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1st Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi1515 GMT: Supreme Leader. Is this confidence or concern in Ayatollah Khamenei's remarks today to judiciary officials?

1. CONFIDENCE OR CONCERN OVER SANCTIONS?

“The main aim of the sanctions imposed by arrogant powers is the Iranian people so that the pressure will cause people to become frustrated and separate from the Islamic establishment. However, by God’s grace, they will fail in this conspiracy as they still do not know our people and officials."

2. CONFIDENCE OR CONCERN OVER PEOPLE'S SUPPORT FOR REGIME?

“These bullying powers which lyingly call themselves the international community are trying to deprive the Islamic Republic of Iran of its popular support base."

3. CONFIDENCE OR CONCERN OVER REGIME UNITY?

“Under these conditions, cooperation among all organs and the three branches [of the government] is necessary, an obligation, and incumbent."

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The Latest from Iran (26 June): The Oil Squeeze

See also Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society --- At Neda's Grave
Iran Snap Analysis: A Fight Within the Regime Over Egypt
The Latest from Iran (25 June): Doing the Currency Slide

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1800 GMT: Oil Watch. Earlier we reported an apparent attempt by the National Iran Tanker Company to circumvent oil sanctions by re-naming 10 tankers and putting them under the Tanzanian flag (see 1100 GMT). It appears, however, that NITC has further problems....

Industry sources say the company has delayed the expansion of its fleet. A senior NITC official said the firm has yet to take delivery of a 318,000 deadweight tonne tanker "Safe", the first of 12 new supertankers the firm was to manage under a $1.2 billion contract with Chinese shipyards. Delivery was initially scheduled for May.

The delay also deprives the Islamic Republic of capacity to store oil on vessels as its customers cut purchases. Iran-based shipping sources said in April that Tehran had been forced to deploy more than half of its national tanker fleet to store oil at anchorage. That proportion has since increased, trade sources say.

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China Feature: Beijing Disputes Territorial Waters with Its Neighbours

Chinese television reports on South Korea's detention of China's fishermen

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One clash with a foreign neighbour might be an accident. Two might be an unfortunate coincidence. Three, and even four, starts to look like a pattern.

In the last two months, the Chinese regime has been in disputes over territorial waters with Palau, the Philippines, and both North and South Korea after Chinese fishermen were challenged by foreign navies and Coast Guards. So, is this just a case of a series of clashes and misunderstanding because of the fishing or is Beijing pursuing a policy which could raise tensions in the Pacific?

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North Korea Video Feature: The Wonderful World of the Regime's YouTube Channel (McFadden)

Disney, Take Note --- the North Korean regime's cartoon animals portray conflict and re-unification

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One of the more striking cartoons features a young boy, who falls asleep while doing his math homework and dreams of blowing up American warships and landing craft with missiles. While the other boys in his dream are successful at hutting their targets, the main character does not know how to zero in on the proper coordinates because he did not learn from his homework. When he wakes from the nightmare, he immediately returns to his studies.

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China Video Snapshot: Fishermen Clash with South Korean Coast Guard

Background to this month's incident: an Al Jazeera report on conflict between Chinese fishermen and South Korean authorities in 2010

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On 30 April, a Chinese fishing boat was intercepted by the South Korean coast guard. During the subsequent clash, three Koreans were injured, one fell overboard, and three more hid in the water. Eventually, the Chinese crew was subdued, and nine crew were arrested.

Christina Wang and Iris Gao write their first article for EA WorldView:

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Iran Snap Analysis: Are the Oil Sanctions Tightening on Tehran?

We already knew about the US effort to persuade Japan and South Korea to reduce their supply of oil from Iran. What is striking now is the inclusion of China. Officially, Beijing is taking the firm stance that it will not agree to any stiffened sanctions. We have suspected that, behind the scenes, the Chinese might be more accommodating to a reduction of their imports from the Islamic Republic.  The New York Times observes, "This weekend [China's] prime minister, Wen Jiabao, will begin a five-day visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, perhaps to explore the prospect of increased energy imports."

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North Korea: Kim Jong Il, the Country's Leader since 1994, has Died

State TV breaks the news of Kim Jong Il's death

See also North Korea Special: A Last Look at Kim Jong Il Looking at Things

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UPDATE 1000 GMT: Footage of North Koreans grieving over the death of Kim Jong Il

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North Korea's reclusive and enigmatic leader, Kim Jong Il, has passed away, according to North Korean state television. He has died at the age of 69. Kim Jong Il succeeded his father, Kim Il Song, in 1994. He will be succeeded by his son, Kim Jong Un.

North Korean media has reported that he died on Saturday.

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Korea Latest: As US-South Korea Drills Begin, Journalists Ordered to Leave

UPDATE 1110 GMT: Yonhap News interprets South Korea's flurry of varying message on China's call for six-party talks:

The foreign ministry said Sunday that China's offer to resume six-party talks on North Korea "should be studied very carefully," stressing that creating the right atmosphere for reopening the negotiations is a priority.

The reaction was seen as a de facto rejection of Beijing's proposal that the chief delegates from the six nations meet in early December to discuss tensions on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea's deadly artillery strike on a South Korean island.

UPDATE 1035 GMT: South Korea has shifted its position (see 0909 GMT) on the Chinese intervention, now saying it will "carefully consider" Beijing's call for a resumption of six-party talks.

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Korea Update: A (Dismissed) Signal from the North, A March in the South

The immediate crisis over North Korea's shelling of Yongpyeong Island has eased. There was a flutter on Friday when the North carried out a military drill with artillery fire only miles from the island, which is just off the western coast of the North-South border, and the state news agency pronounced, "The situation on the Korean Peninsula is inching closer to the brink of war." 

The display was more bravado than threat, however, offering a response to the tour of Yongpyeong by the top U.S. commander in South Korea and Sunday's planned US-South Korea military exercise, headed by an American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, in the Yellow Sea.

An important story emerged this morning. On 3 August, North Korean radio issued a clear warning, as a notice from the Western Front military command, that Pyongyang would carry out a military strike in response to any South Korean drills near the border and North Korean waters.

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US Audio: Sarah Palin and "Our North Korean Allies"

Mark this moment because it may be the only time I defend former Vice Presidential candidate and resigned Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

The Internet is afire because of Palin's statement in a radio interview, "We're bound to stand with our North Korean allies", with critics holding up another example of her outstanding cluelessness about seeing anything --- except Russia --- from her house.

For me, drawing from experience, it's a verbal slip. What is more significant is the other 57 seconds of the passage, in which Palin foregoes any comprehension of the issue for her "Administration is Bad, Standing with Our Allies [Whichever One It Is] Good" posture.