Middle Orient

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran-Khodro Auto Manufacturing Company, the Middle-East’s largest car manufacturer, said it plans to increase annual production capacity to 1,080,000 by 2011.

TEHRAN (FNA) – Iran on Sunday rejected French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s comments on the necessity to build a strong deterrent against what he called as new security threats posed by Islamic states.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Switzerland has taken a firm stand on its independence after its multibillion-euro contract to buy natural gas from Iran provoked protests and threats not only from Washington but also from Zionist groups.

SANAA (Reuters) – Reconciliation talks between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas appeared to have stalled on Saturday, as the two sides wrangled over proposals about the future of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian deputy power minister and his visiting Yemeni counterpart in a meeting here in Tehran explored avenues for implementing an agreement held earlier by the two sides on energy cooperation.

TEHRAN (FNA)- An earthquake measuring 4 degrees on the Richter scale jolted the area in the vicinity of the city of Ardal in Iran’s southwestern province of Char-Mahal and Bakhtiari on Friday.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran has signed a Euro700 million ($1.1 billion) deal for the liquefaction segment of “Iran LNG” plant with Chinese and European consortia.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Celebrated Irish musician and singer Chris De Burgh says media misinformation will not change his opinion about performing in Iran.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki underlined that the Islamic Republic has had no diversion in its drive to access nuclear technology and would not backtrack on its stance even one iota.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Omani King Sultan Qaboos bin Said sent a cable of greetings to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the occasion of the Iranian New Year.