Iran

Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari has said that the Islamic Republic’s oil and gas output could reach 4.5 mln barrels per day of oil equivalent within the next two years.

China has pulled out of a meeting to discuss new sanctions on Iran, European diplomats said on Friday, highlighting the obstacles western powers, specially the US, face in their quest to increase pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana would table a report on Iran’s attitude to engagement in nuclear talks whether or not there will be a new meeting with Iran’s nuclear envoy, his spokeswoman said on Friday.

Georgia lifted a nine-day state of emergency on Friday and President Mikhail Saakashvili appointed a new prime minister as he prepared to run in a snap presidential election next year.

The head of the Turkish state lottery was shot dead in his office by a former lottery employee on Friday, the state-run Anatolian news agency said.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is scheduled to pay a several-hour visit to Tehran following his attendance in the upcoming summit of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia early next week.

The Moroccan Foreign Trade Minister discussed future trade and business cooperation with Iranian Commerce Minister Massoud Mir Kazemi on Thursday.

Iran’s new Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari blamed misunderstanding for the fall of the $22 billion deal to export five million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India.

A report from the UN nuclear watchdog agency on Thursday found Iran to be generally truthful about key aspects of its nuclear history.

Chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said on Thursday he would be alone at the next round of talks with the European Union’s top diplomat, Javier Solana, to discuss Tehran’s nuclear program.