19.08.10 Iran Strategic Focus August issue: Table of contents

OBAMA: A DEAL IN EXCHANGE FOR 'CONFIDENCE-BUILDING' STEPS?

COMMENTARY
> Where does President Obama's Iran briefing leave Iran-US relations?

MONTH IN REVIEW
> Foreign relations: Iran–US: US House Republicans ponder a measure
supporting an Israeli strike; Iran-UK: Voices against severing economic ties; Iran–Arab world: Hardline cleric accuses Saudis of funding opposition; Velayati visits Lebanon, Syria
> Nuclear issues: Iran ready for talks after Ramadan; Progress emerges in Iran's nuclear conundrum; Long delayed Bushehr power plant operational soon
> Domestic issues: Government, Majles at odds over Tehran Metro budget; Head of judiciary blasts president
> Risk elements: Domestic political infighting; Sanctions compliance; Street protests

SPECIAL FEATURE
> Fate of NIOC articles of association still unclear: Background; Status quo; Outlook
> Factsheet 1: Article 2 of the Petroleum Act

OIL AND GAS
> Oil sector news: New appointment; Time's up: Majles to present its own NIOC articles of association; Details of financial relationship between government and NIOC announced
> Gas sector news: Gas industry privatisation; New pricing formula for petrochemical feedstock; NIOC reconsidering LNG production; Kheirandish: establishment of LNG Industry Company is necessary; Petroleum Ministry policy is to sell gas directly to UAE; Latest on gas issues; IGAT 9 to be built on BOO basis; Bank Saderat to offer $475m in bonds for South Pars development plan
> Electricity news: MEC discusses privatisation; IPO acted slowly in privatising
power plants
> Upstream project update: Table 1: Project tracker, Table 2: South Pars update
> The significance of the commissioning of the Bushehr nuclear plant

ECONOMY AND BUSINESS
> Foreign company news: More than 700 Austrian companies trade with Iran
> Foreign investment: Iran claims to be sixth in terms of attracting foreign investment
> Unemployment: Central Bank of Iran reaches 14.6%
> Banking: €340m of Bank Saderat resources blocked in Europe; First Iranian hard currency fund inaugurated
> Economic reports: CBI governor reports economic conditions; Services has highest share of employment
> Privatisation: Share of SAIPA purchased by its own staff
> Economic policy: Iran to replace dollar and euro with other currencies; Iran may ban imports from sanctioning countries; CBI announces strategy to deal with sanctions

IRAN DIARY
> Foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey and Brazil met in Istanbul to discuss the latest
developments on the nuclear issue
> Interior minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar met Turkish deputy interior minister Osman Gunash
> President Ahmadinejad cabled a message to his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari toexpress condolences to the Pakistani government and nation on flood casualties.