Russian-language media in the United States are divided over whether the Nov. 24 death-by-poison of writer and former Russian secret agent Alexander Litvinenko was government-backed or intended to frame Putin, though most agree Alexander Litvinenko is a curious target. 

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah is due to arrive in Tehran within the next few days.

UK’s News of the World newspaper claims that they know who poisoned former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, but only print his middle name – Igor “for legal reasons.”   

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Head of Russia’s Federal Atomic Energy Agency Sergei Kiriyenko is due to attend two rounds of talks with his Iranian counterpart Gholam Reza Aghazadeh during his visit to Tehran in the next two weeks.

The FBI has been dragged into the investigation of Alexander Litvinenko’s death after details emerged that he had planned to make tens of thousands of pounds blackmailing senior Russian spies and business figures. 

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini stressed that the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has not conveyed any message from the US during his recent visit to Tehran.

A day after NATO announced plans to invite Croatia to join it in 2008, the former Yugoslav republic’s EU hopes also received a boost. Speaking on Thursday (November 30th), EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the country would likely enter the Union before 2010.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said six-party talks on Iran’s nuclear program would take place on Tuesday, swiftly reversing an earlier statement that the talks had been delayed.

President Alfred Moisiu said on Thursday (November 30th) that he is through waiting for the various political parties to agree on electoral reform and will use his constitutional powers this Saturday to set the date for local elections himself. Sources suggest he will choose either January 20th or 21st.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Kuwait’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Deputy Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Hamad Saturday said that the Arab states share the common view that Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West should be settled through peaceful ways.