Iran

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voiced preparedness here on Wednesday to attend open debates with former Presidents Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Seyed Mohammad Khatami, his main rivals on the scene of politics.

Iran’s Economy Minister Davoud Danesh Jafari described the Untied States’ sanctions against his country’s banks as a maneuver serving propaganda purposes.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel dismissed US sanctions against Iran, saying that the move proves Washington’s isolation in the international community.

Iran said on Wednesday that it views “positively” a US demand for more talks on improving Iraq’s security.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad introduced Gholam Hossein Nozari and Ali Akbar Mehrabian to the parliament as his nominees for the post of the Oil and Industries ministers, respectively.

Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency started a third day of their last round of talks on issues related to the Islamic Republic’s P1 and P2 centrifuges here on Wednesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a meeting here on Tuesday conveyed a message from Vladimir Putin to his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Mohammad Zarei and Kia Qadami swooped six golds to help Iran celebrate the Asian junior men’s weightlifting title in advance in the Jordanian capital Amman Tuesday.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Sadiq said Iran’s gas is crucial for Pakistan to meet its growing energy demands.

Kidnappers holding a Japanese student taken hostage in Iran are still holding him outside the Islamic republic in the border zone between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the judiciary said on Tuesday.