Iran

Syria has signalled to the UN’s Middle East envoy a willingness to change its relationship with Iran, Hizbollah and Hamas if progress were made towards a peace deal with Israel.

Tunisian Foreign Minister Abdelwaheb Abdallah in a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki on Friday voiced his country’s support for Iran’s right to use nuclear energy.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Hanoi Seyed Javad Ghavam Shahidi stressed the need for the expansion of economic and trade relations between the two countries.

International Atomic Energy Agency deputy head Olli Heinonen said talks with Iran on Thursday over its nuclear drive were “constructive” and that some “important steps” were made.

At least 18 people were killed and 24 others injured in a road accident Friday when a truck slammed into a bus full passengers in northern Iran.

Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog have reached an agreement on how to conduct negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, and the two sides said that they would continue talks to come up with a final solution.

Iran and Venezuela are planning to invest $4 billion in a joint project in the South American country’s heavy-crude-producing Orinoco Belt.

Iranian star Ali Karimi was in buoyant mood after Iran’s national Team came from behind to defeat Uzbekistan 2-1 in their opening game of the 2007 Asian Cup.

When Austria-based energy company OMV AG (OMV.VI) saw a chance to develop a lucrative Iranian gas field in April, it jumped at the $18 billion deal despite strong opposition from the US.

Triple-champions Iran survived a scare against the Uzbeks in Kuala Lumpur as they kicked off their drive for a first Asian Cup title in 31 years.