UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Swiss-based commodities giant Glencore Xstrata said on Thursday that it had done nothing wrong when it engaged in metal swaps with Iran, rejecting a suggestion by U.N. experts that such bartering could have been a way of ev

Swiss-based commodities giant Glencore Xstratasaid on Thursday that it had done nothing wrong when it engaged in metal swaps with Iran, rejecting a suggestion by U.

* Swiss authorities saw no violations of U.N. or Swisssanctions

* Swiss authorities saw no violations of U.N. or Swiss sanctions

* Swiss authorities saw no violations of U.N. or Swiss sanctions

* Swiss authorities saw no violations of U.N. or Swiss sanctions

* Swiss authorities saw no violations of U.N. or Swisssanctions

SEOUL, May 23 (Reuters) - South Korea will receive a shipment of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for the first time since imports were halted last October due to European sanctions that made it difficult to get shipping insurance, sources said

SEOUL, May 23 (Reuters) - South Korea will receive ashipment of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for the firsttime since imports were halted last October due to Europeansanctions that made it difficult to get shipping insurance,sources said on T

SEOUL, May 23 (Reuters) - South Korea will receive a shipment of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for the first time since imports were halted last October due to European sanctions that made it difficult to get shipping insurance, sources said

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Metals swap deals with Iran by Switzerland-based commodities giants Glencore Xstrata and Trafigura could have been a way of skirting international sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program, according to a confidenti

Metals swap deals with Iran by Switzerland-based commodities giants Glencore Xstrata and Trafigura could have been a way of skirting international sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program, according to a confidential U.

* Iran violates sanctions using front firms, false papers -report

* Iran violates sanctions using front firms, false papers-report

* Iran violates sanctions using front firms, false papers -report

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives committee approved legislation on Wednesday seeking to impose tighter sanctions on Iran, the latest congressional effort to slow development of the Islamic Republic's disputed nuclear pro

* Iran violates sanctions using front firms, false papers -report

* Iran violates sanctions using front firms, false papers-report

* Iran violates sanctions using front firms, false papers -report

This month, the U.S. expanded itsalready aggressive sanctions on Iran by penalizing severalcompanies suspected of aiding the country’s nuclear program orhelping the regime evade trade restrictions. The U.S. Senatealso introduced legislation tha

UNITED NATIONS, May 22 (Reuters) - Metals swap deals with Iran by Switzerland-based commodities giants Glencore Xstrata and Trafigura could have been a way of skirting international sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program, according to a co

UNITED NATIONS, May 22 (Reuters) - Metals swap deals withIran by Switzerland-based commodities giants Glencore Xstrata and Trafigura could have been a way ofskirting international sanctions against Tehran over its nuclearprogram, according to a confi

UNITED NATIONS, May 22 (Reuters) - Metals swap deals with Iran by Switzerland-based commodities giants Glencore Xstrata and Trafigura could have been a way of skirting international sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program, according to a co

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NEW DELHI, May 22 (Reuters) - India's MRPL hasbought 600,000 barrels of Omani crude oil from trader Vitol forlifting in the first half of July, two sources with knowledge ofthe deal said, as the refiner avoids Iranian oil due to westernsanctions.

NEW DELHI, May 22 (Reuters) - India's MRPL has bought 600,000 barrels of Omani crude oil from trader Vitol for lifting in the first half of July, two sources with knowledge of the deal said, as the refiner avoids Iranian oil due to western sanctions.

* Supreme leader seen wanting compliant president (Recasts, adds reaction from voters, Khomeini's daughter, analysts)

DUBAI, May 22 (Reuters) - Iran denied on Wednesday any link to members of a spying ring detained by its Sunni Muslim regional rival Saudi Arabia, according to Iranian media.

DUBAI, May 22 (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday he would ask Iran's supreme leader to reverse a ban preventing his aide from running in next month's presidential poll, a test of stability after the violent trauma of the 2009

* Iran 7th biggest oil supplier to India in Jan-Apr vs 3rd yr ago

* Iran 7th biggest oil supplier to India in Jan-Apr vs 3rdyr ago

DUBAI, May 22 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday he would take up the ban of his close aide from the June 14 presidential election with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian media reported.

DUBAI, May 22 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday he would take up the ban of his close aide from the June 14 presidential vote with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian media reported on Wednesday.

* Total April crude imports at 69.12 mln bbls, down 5.6 pct y/y

* Total April crude imports at 69.12 mln bbls, down 5.6 pcty/y

* Total April crude imports at 69.12 mln bbls, down 5.6 pct y/y

SEOUL, May 22 (Reuters) - South Korea imported 4.18 million barrels of crude from Iran in April, down 44.4 percent from a year ago, official data showed on Wednesday a few days ahead of talks with Washington on extending Seoul's waiver for U.S. sanct

SEOUL, May 22 (Reuters) - South Korea imported 4.18 millionbarrels of crude from Iran in April, down 44.4 percent from ayear ago, official data showed on Wednesday a few days ahead oftalks with Washington on extending Seoul's waiver for U.S.sanctions

SEOUL, May 22 (Reuters) - South Korea imported 4.18 million barrels of crude from Iran in April, down 44.4 percent from a year ago, official data showed on Wednesday a few days ahead of talks with Washington on extending Seoul's waiver for U.S. sanct

* India cuts Iranian crude imports 17 pct Dec-April vs previous 6 months

* Ahmadinejad aide Mashaie says will try to appeal (Adds details, Mashaie response)

DUBAI, May 21 (Reuters) - Iran's electoral watchdog has barred former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and a close aide to president Mahmoud Ahadinejad from running in the June 14 presidential election, state media reported on Tuesday.

Speculation mounts that prominent politicians Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei have been barred from the election

SHANGHAI/LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) - Iran's government isnegotiating a tax of up to 40 percent on iron ore exports totake advantage of a surge in sales to China, aiming to replacerevenue from oil and other sources eroded by sanctions.

Even if we have often reported the presence of the F-22 Raptors at Al Dhafra, satellite imagery showing five radar evading planes parked at the main airbase in the UAE has been made publicly available for the first time recently. The

* India cuts Iranian crude imports 17 pct Dec-April vs previous 6 months

* India cuts Iranian crude imports 17 pct Dec-April vsprevious 6 months

* India cuts Iranian crude imports 17 pct Dec-April vs previous 6 months