TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s just-ended visit to Turkey, a NATO ally that is also aspiring to the membership in the European Union (EU), yielded fruits in countering US efforts to set a diplomatic blockade over Tehran, analysts said.

While a partial pullout of Russian forces may be underway in Georgia, there was still plenty of military activity to keep observers busy. Georgia has accused the Russians of setting forest fires near Tbilisi, digging into positions near the capital, and occupying key villages and a power station.

US President George W. Bush believes progress is being made in resolving the Georgia crisis. But, speaking at his ranch in Texas, he said that South Ossetia and Abkhazia are a part of Georgia and “there’s no room for debate on this matter.”

(IRNA) – Iranian citizens were lucky to witness a partial lunar eclipse from 01:40 (marking the greatest eclipse) to about 03:15 hours local time on Sunday morning.

TEHRAN, (ISNA)-Iran and Turkey signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) during Ahmadinejad’s mission in Turkey on curbing terrorism and drug trafficking as well as working on tourism, environment and transportation.

TEHRAN, (ISNA)-Iran’s foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Iraqi deputy prime minister Barham Saleh discussed regional issues and ways to promote bilateral ties.

TEHRAN, (ISNA)-Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili meeting Iraq’s deputy prime minister Barham Saleh declared using potentials of the countries will be the best channel to promote regional cooperation.

TEHRAN, (ISNA)-Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi slammed recent deadly attack in the Lebanese city of Tripoli on the army, killing at least 15 people.

KIEV (Reuters) – A top Ukrainian security official on Saturday discounted any notion of a separatist rebellion in the sensitive Crimea as President Viktor Yushchenko proposed Kremlin talks on the issue of the Russian fleet based there.

KERBALA, Iraq (Reuters) – Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims poured into Iraq’s holy city of Kerbala on Saturday, defying bomb attacks across the country to attend a rite that has become an annual show of strength for the Shi’ite majority.