Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said the United States seeks to keep the region insecure and under critical conditions through sowing discord between Iran and Arab states and forging a fear from Iran.

The top EU foreign policy official urged the United States to engage Iran in direct negotiations about its nuclear program and other issues to try to stabilize the Middle East.

Iran is deporting around 5,000 refugees a day back to Afghanistan, an Afghan official said.