Iran

President George W. Bush will welcome German Chancellor Angela Merkel to his Texas ranch on Friday where they will seek to show unity on Iran even as Tehran defies the West over its nuclear programme.   

US defense officials have signaled that up-to-date attack plans are available if needed in the escalating crisis over Iran’s nuclear aims, although no strike appears imminent, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in Malawi that Tehran has the political will to boost its ties with African countries, IRNA reported. 

China urged Iran to heed rising international worry about its nuclear ambitions, saying Beijing would seek to work with Europe and the United Nations to defuse the crisis but holding its tongue on any new sanctions, Reuters reported. 

The World Bank has suspended 5,4 mln dollars’ worth of aid scheduled for projects in Iran because of US financial sanctions against the Islamic republic, a senior bank official said, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. 

Interpol rejected a request by Iran to drop arrest warrants against five leading Iranians, wanted by Argentina for their alleged role in a 1994 bombing that killed 85 people, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s announcement Wednesday that Iran had 3,000 working centrifuges raised fears in Washington that Israel would respond to the statement with a preemptive military strike, the Times reported Thursday. 

Iran is ready to promote economic cooperation with Asian states, particularly in energy field, first Deputy Foreign Minister Ali-Reza Sheikh Attar said on Thursday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad-Ali Hosseini condemned as an “unprincipled” act a recent decision by the Interpol on refusing to drop charges against a number of Iranians for their alleged involvement in a 1994 bombing in Argentina.

  President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Wednesday that the country is more than ever in need of the culture of martyrdom, self-sacrifice and appreciation of martyrs, war veterans and the disabled.