Middle Orient

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The Iraqi government announced on Monday it would put 12,000 neighborhood guards on its payroll, a move welcomed by U.S. forces promoting a program of raising mainly Sunni Arab “concerned local citizen” militia.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- A senior Iranian army official said cooperation among regional countries would secure peace and stability in the region, and described deployment of alien troops in the Middle-East as an insult to regional states.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- PTT will soon seek negotiations over contract details to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Iran’s Pars project after the operator reached a construction agreement.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is currently in Doha, Qatar to attend a summit of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, proposed that the next PGCC summit be held in Tehran.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iran’s former nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said military operations against Iran would not deter the country’s nuclear progress.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmad al-Khalifa described Iran’s nuclear programs and activities as peaceful.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad viewed his visit to Qatar as a cornerstone for a new era of cooperation among Persian Gulf littoral states.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad extended his congratulations to Pakistani government and nation on re-election of Pervez Musharraf as the country’s president for a third term.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- A senior Omani commander said here Sunday night that his country’s army has decided to remove its weak points and solve the existing problems through cooperation with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian and Omani armed forces are decisive to bolster military and intelligence cooperation, chief of the joint staff of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said.