Morning Brief: Iran doubles down

Top Story

Tensions with Iran continue to escalate. One day after Washington urged Tehran to halt its missile tests, Iran fired off another round. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Iran not to be “confused” about U.S. capabilities, though Defense Secretary Robert Gates downplayed the possibility of confrontation. “Attacks on Iran proper would generate a great deal of ill-will,” according to a new report by Rand. Carnegie expert Karim Sadjadpour doesn’t see a U.S. or Israeli strike on Iran as likely, however.

Decision ’08

Jesse Jackson accused Barack Obama of “talking down to black people.” He also said something more colorful that Fox News caught on tape.

Obama embraced Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki’s call for a withdrawal timetable for U.S. troops.

Is John McCain reconsidering his stance on cap-and-trade?

Global Economy

Foreclosures rose by 53 percent (year over year) in June in the United States.

The New York Times examines the G-8’s newfound consensus on climate change and finds it wanting.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are “insolvent,” according to former St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President William Poole.

Americas

In a victory for the president, the U.S. Senate approved the FISA bill.

Ingrid Betancourt’s husband fears the former hostage no longer loves him.

Asia

Thailand’s foreign minister has resigned over a sovereignty dispute with Cambodia.

Chinese authorities have arrested 82 suspected terrorists accused of planning to disrupt the Olympics.

Pakistan is attracting more foreign fighters, U.S. officials say.

Middle East and Africa

Meet Improvised Rocket Assisted Munitions, the deadliest new threat to U.S. troops in Iraq.

Turkish investigators suspect al Qaeda was involved in yesterday’s attack on the U.S. consulate in Istanbul.

Calls for U.N. sanctions are “racist,” according to the Zimbabwean government.

Europe

Russia’s Gazprom wants to purchase all of Libya’s oil and gas.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that the EU must not devolve into “some sort of institutional soap opera” after Irish voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty.

Where’s the stiff upper lip? Half of the British military wants to quit.

Today’s Agenda

Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan is in Baghdad for security talks. He’s only the second leader from a neighboring country to visit Iraq since the invasion.

The six-party talks over North Korea’s nukes have resumed in Beijing.

Secretary Rice is visiting Georgia (the country).