TEHRAN (FNA) Iran played down an incident between Iranian forces and US naval ships in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the event as an “ordinary occurrence” that ended without any disturbance.

TEHRAN (FNA) ICE Brent crude futures rose above $97 on Monday after a news report that several US warships patrolling around Iran’s territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz received a warning from Iranian forces.

TEHRAN (FNA) Iran and Pakistan will sign an agreement on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline next week, a minister said in Islamabad on Monday.

TEHRAN (FNA) President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday he was seeking a 17 percent spending increase in the budget for the next Iranian year.

TEHRAN (FNA) At least 21 people have been killed and 88 others injured in Iran in accidents related to heavy snowfall and strong winds during the last few days.

TEHRAN (FNA) Five Iranian speedboats warned three US navy ships to keep away from the Islamic Republic’s territorial waters in the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf over the weekend, US media quoted a Pentagon official as saying on Monday.

TEHRAN (FNA) The head of the UN nuclear watchdog will arrive Friday in Tehran on a two-day visit to discuss Iran’s nuclear program.

TEHRAN (FNA) A visiting delegation of Iranian police officials conferred with their Omani counterparts about several key issues in an official session in Masqat on Sunday, where the two sides discussed enhanced cooperation.

TEHRAN (FNA) Iran is to shake up its system of interest rates to take more account of rising inflation, officials said Sunday.

TEHRAN (FNA) Iran on Sunday awoke to heavy overnight snowfalls which forced schools to shut, blocked major roads and led to the cancellation of domestic flights.