Iran

Iran’s adversaries cannot harm the strong ties between Tehran and Damascus, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday, a week after Iran appeared to chide Syria for its decision to take part in a Mideast summit in the United States.

Energy minister here Sunday voiced Iran’s readiness to cooperate with Asia-Pacific countries in water and energy sectors.Parviz Fattah made the statement ahead of his departure to Deppu, Oita prefecture, Japan, where he attends the First Asia-Pacific Summit.

Iran‘s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki stressed that there has been no legal basis for referral of Iran’s nuclear case to the United Nations Security Council. 

Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili reiterated Friday that Iran will always maintain its principled stance regarding the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and continues to support cooperation over the country’s nuclear programme. 

TEHRAN (Reuters) – A Japanese student kidnapped by bandits in Iran is healthy and has spoken to his family in the past few days, an Iranian official said on Sunday.

TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran hanged three convicted drug smugglers in the central city of Qom on Sunday, Iranian media said, in the latest public execution in the Islamic state.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Syria’s acting deputy foreign minister stressed that his country would not allow anyone to impair Tehran-Damascus consolidated and cordial relations.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- An earthquake measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale jolted the district of Basmanj in the vicinity of Tabriz in Iran’s northwestern province of Eastern Azerbaijan on Sunday.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iran stressed that it would not accept any assignment or expectations beyond the law, alluding to the West’s call for a stop of its nuclear enrichment program.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a message to Traian Basescu on Sunday extended his congratulations to the Romanian president, government and nation on the country’s national day.