Middle Orient

TEHRAN (FNA) The United States’ hue and cry about the incident in the Strait of Hormuz serves as a part of Washington’s psychological warfare against Iran, Iranian parliament speaker said in the wake of a wave of western media reports about an alleged confrontation between Iranian and US navy vessels …

TEHRAN (FNA) Iran played down an incident between Iranian forces and US naval ships in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the event as an “ordinary occurrence” that ended without any disturbance.

TEHRAN (FNA) President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday he was seeking a 17 percent spending increase in the budget for the next Iranian year.

TEHRAN (FNA) At least 21 people have been killed and 88 others injured in Iran in accidents related to heavy snowfall and strong winds during the last few days.

TEHRAN (FNA) Five Iranian speedboats warned three US navy ships to keep away from the Islamic Republic’s territorial waters in the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf over the weekend, US media quoted a Pentagon official as saying on Monday.

TEHRAN (FNA) The head of the UN nuclear watchdog will arrive Friday in Tehran on a two-day visit to discuss Iran’s nuclear program.

TEHRAN (FNA) A visiting delegation of Iranian police officials conferred with their Omani counterparts about several key issues in an official session in Masqat on Sunday, where the two sides discussed enhanced cooperation.

TEHRAN (FNA) Iran is to shake up its system of interest rates to take more account of rising inflation, officials said Sunday.

TEHRAN (FNA) Iran’s former nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said in Damascus on Sunday that his country makes all efforts to help the Lebanese groups reach a consensus.

BAGHDAD – Two suicide bombers struck in a Sunni Arab district of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 14 people including the leader of a U.S.-backed neighborhood security patrol, police said.