Iran

Islamic countries, including Iran and Algeria, can play complementary roles to assist each other and provide for their needs, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, noting the aptitudes and potentials of Muslim nations.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tehran and Pyongyang can defend the rights of independent nations and governments in such international bodies as the United Nations (UN) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Human rights should not impose a culture on other cultures and nations, because every culture is of a special value, secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called for the improvement of the international mechanisms for protecting human rights, including the Universal Declaration of Human Right, stressing that the weak points existing in such mechanisms should be removed.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to define and promote real human rights based on spirituality and justice in the world.

Iran produced 9.8 mln tons of iron and steel and ranked the 20th among the world countries last year, the International Iron and Steel Institute said in its latest report.

The ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on Human Rights and Cultural Diversity started work here in Tehran on Monday.

Former UN Chief Weapons Inspector to Iraq Hans Blix believes the United States ought to exercise a greater degree of diplomacy when dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue.

Work on the seventh nationwide gas pipeline from Asalouyeh to Iranshahr in Sistan-Baluchestan province is in progress.

Turkish maritime officials are due in Tehran for attending the first Iran-Turkey conference on ports and shipping cooperation on September 4-6.