Multiple suicide bombings struck areas in the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Anbar province, and about 350 Iraqi civilians and six US troops had to be treated for exposure to chlorine gas, the military said today.

The new Hamas-Fatah coalition was to set to clear a final formal hurdle today, approval by the parliament, before taking on the challenge of persuading a sceptical world to end a crippling year-long boycott of the Palestinian government.

A suicide bomber driving a tanker truck detonated his explosives in a line of cars waiting to enter Fallujah, killing at least six people and wound dozens, police said today.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the complementary role the Iranian and Syrian nations play has established the best type of brotherly ties between the two countries beyond cordial relations or common interests.

Islamic Republic’s Prosecutor General Dorri Najaf-Abadi described the Warner Brothers film ‘300’ as a great insult to the Iranian nation, and reminded that no one can raise doubts about the identity and grandeur of the Iranian nation.

Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Utri stressed the need for the consolidation of Tehran-Damascus ties under the present sensitive juncture of time, reminding that Iran and Syria are, as always, siding with each other to develop regional stability and security.

While the Bush administration works to stop Iran from having any constructive role in Iraq, Iranian air-conditioners fill Iraqi appliance stores, Iranian tomatoes ripen on the windowsills of kitchens here and legions of white Iranian-made Peugeots sit in Iraqi driveways.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad underlined that a consensus among the 5+1 member states could not dissuade him from taking the trip to New York and defending the rights of the Iranian nation at the UN Security Council.

Westerners do not know Iranians, otherwise they would realize that UNSC resolutions would leave no impact on our people’s resolve to access and use nuclear energy, Tehran’s Interim Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Imami Kashani said today.

Commander-in-chief of the Islamic Republic’s army Major General Salehi warned that in case the enemies of his country grow insane enough to attack Iran, then they will be surprised.