TEHRAN (FNA)- Tehran’s provisional Friday Prayers leader Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said that the West aims to bully nations seeking nuclear technology by creating obstacles to Iran’s civilian nuclear program, a senior cleric said.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Deputy Science Minister for International Affairs Arsalan Qorbani on Friday said the chancellors of 7 US universities will visit Iran in November.

TEHRAN (FNA)- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, along with members of his cabinet, is scheduled to pay a visit to Arak, in the central province of Markazi on Saturday

TEHRAN (FNA)- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said Iranians were not surprised by the US officials propaganda against Iran’s achievements in the field of space technology.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran is making great diplomatic efforts to release crew of its bulk carrier which was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Georgian Ambassador to Iran Levan Asatiani praised Iran’s position which had called on Georgia and Russia to stop war and settle the conflict over South Ossetia peacefully.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian commerce minister said that despite the recent decline, Iran is still the world’s leading exporter of hand-woven quality rugs

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran has attained self-sufficiency in the drilling industry and is capable of carrying out drilling operations all around the world, National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) managing director said.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Syria’s head of international markets and exhibitions organization Friday night said that Iran’s presence in the 55th Damascus International Exhibition was significant.

TEHRAN (FNA)- American sanctions on Iran’s financial sector have not hampered business for Bank Mellat, one of Iran’s major state-owned banks, its managing director said Friday.