TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- A parliamentary friendship group left Tehran for Amman on Saturday on an official visit to Jordan.

EU cancels talks between Turkish, Cypriot ministers 03/11/2006 BRUSSELS, Belgium — The EU has halted plans for a meeting between European officials and the foreign ministers of Turkey and Cyprus. Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said arranging the two-day meeting had proved impossible. …

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Justice Minister Jamal Karimi Rad criticized the West’s double standards for human rights, mentioning that western countries misuse human rights as a lever to practice their policies.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- The “ground is prepared” for direct talks between Iran and the United States over the situation in war-ravaged Iraq, former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami said.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian parliament gave tentative approval for the spending of an extra $2 bln and 200 mln on petrol imports but warned fuel rationing might be necessary.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Russia said it believed Iran’s nuclear program was peaceful, and a political dialogue, not sanctions, must be used in talks with Tehran.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- China holds that all parties concerned should refrain from taking any action that may lead to the escalation of the situation on Iran nuclear issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a meeting with the participants at the ECO Interior Ministers’ meeting here on Wednesday, stressed the need for the independent countries to reinvigorate their regional cooperation to get rid of hegemonic and unilateralist powers.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iran starts staging its extensive maneuvers in the Persian Gulf with the launch of its long-range Shahab series missiles on Thursday.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi said security concerns are among the main root causes of ECO’s lack of progress in establishing a positive regional convergence.