A team of archaeologists has recently discovered a large fortress dating back to the Parthian era (250 BC-226 CE) near the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf area.

 The heads of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government as well as members of the Assembly of Experts met with Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani at his office at the Assembly of Experts on Sunday night.

Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf announced on Monday that despite some security problems Iranian companies will soon start implementing infrastructure projects in Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

Spokesperson for the coalition of reformist groups, Abdollah Naseri, said on Monday that since the coalition has to use candidates other than reformers to complete its list, it has set three conditions as the criterion for choosing candidates.

Egyptian security forces have raided the houses of Muslim Brotherhood members and arrested more than 90 people from the banned political group, the Muslim Brotherhood said Wednesday on its Web site.

Iran’s Oil Minister Gholam-Hussein Nozari has announced that Tehran will soon close a deal with Russia’s Gazprom to form a joint company for implementing energy projects.

Iraqi radical Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has extended for another six months a cease-fire between his Mahdi army militia and U.S. and Iraqi forces. 

Substitute Friday prayers leader of Tehran Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani here on Friday called on the 8th Majlis elections campaigners to avoid backbiting and defaming their rivals.

Iran’s ambassador to Tajikistan Ali-Asghar Sherdoost said here Friday that Iran has donated 4.5 million liters of fuel, worth about five million dollars, to Tajik citizens in line with its humanitarian efforts.

Iran and Kyrgyzstan here on Friday signed a banking cooperation agreement. Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Kyrgyz Finance Minister Tazhikan Kalimbetova signed the agreement, which calls for establishment of offices of Iranian banks — initially, that of Iranian private bank, the Eqtesad Novin Bank — in Bishkek.The agreement was …