Photo: IRIN Refugees arrive in Kabul in brightly coloured vehicles KABUL, 20 March 2007 (IRIN) – Afghan refugees living in Iran and Pakistan will receive a six-fold increase in cash grants upon their return to Afghanistan, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). “We want to support the reintegration …

Photo: WFP Destruction and damage left by flooding KABUL, 20 March 2007 (IRIN) – More than 50 people have been killed and hundreds displaced because of heavy rainfall, avalanches and floods over the past few days in Afghanistan’s southern and south-western provinces, officials say. In Uruzgan, Helmand, Badghis and Ghor …

KABUL – Amid political bickering in Washington and Brussels, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which assumed command of international military operations for Afghanistan last October, is struggling to assert a new image – one that Afghans can get their minds around. “We are determined to build the NATO brand …

The Afghan government admitted yesterday it had struck a deal with Taliban kidnappers to secure the freedom of an Italian hostage. An Italian aid agency said Daniele Mastrogiacomo, a journalist with La Repubblica newspaper, was freed only after five Taliban militants had been released from prison.President Hamid Karzai’s spokesmen admitted …

The Iranian ambassador to France said that there reside two important points in Iran’s nuclear case i.e. recognition of Iran’s right in compliance with the NPT rules and regulations for the use of peaceful nuclear technology and presentation of guarantees concerning non-diversion of Iran’s nuclear program to military.

The legal deputy of the Iranian foreign ministry said that in order to preserve its independence, the Iranian nation has so far paid a heavy price and will not give up its inalienable rights.

The Iranian defense minister stressed the point that the likelihood of imposition of sanctions against Iran, multiplies the incentive of the elites of the country’s defense industries in the design and manufacture of modern home-made terminals and weapons.

The pipeline project for the transfer of Iran’s natural gas to Armenia was put into operation in the presence of the Iranian and Armenian presidents.

Spokesman of the Iranian foreign ministry in reaction to the statements made by Egypt’s foreign minister, said that Iran’s nuclear activities are intended to pursue the country’s sustainable development adding that support for Iraq’s territorial integrity and sovereignty forms Iran’s strategy.

 Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Armenia a few minutes ago in order to inaugurate the Iran-Armenia natural gas transfer pipeline project.