The 17th meeting of the foreign ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) member states started work in the western Afghan city of Herat Saturday morning.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here on Thursday that his country is much capable of defending itself and its interests, underlining that the Iranian nation will stand up to aggressors and will not give up even an iota of its rights.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed reports that his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin had brought fresh nuclear proposals to Tehran during his Tuesday visit to the Islamic Republic.