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.