The first classical music orchestra from the West to visit Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution received an enthusiastic welcome during its first of two guest performances in the capital Tehran on Wednesday night.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki described the recent statements made by US President George W. Bush about Iran as irrational, and said the remarks indicated his lack of rationality and decision-making power as well as political paralysis.

Iran’s permanent envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asghar Soltanieh said that the recent report presented by the UN nuclear watchdog head Mohammed ElBaradei to the IAEA Board of Governors endorsed the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities.