The Bush administration Friday defended its approach to Iran’s nuclear program in the face of implicit criticism from International Atomic Energy Agency director Mohammed ElBaradei.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A doctor who treated wounded al-Qaida fighters at Tora Bora in Afghanistan has confirmed Osama bin Laden was at the mountain stronghold as U.S. and Afghan forces attacked — and said the al-Qaida chieftain seemed concerned about only his own welfare.

KABUL, Afghanistan – Police and villagers hunted on Friday for 13 mine-clearing workers kidnapped in a restive part of Afghanistan less than a week after Taliban militants vowed to step up an abduction campaign.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that his country has not yet decided about the future of talks with the Untied States over Iraq.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz highlighted his country’s close energy ties with Iran, and described Islamabad as a major customer for Iran’s gas supplies.

Sweden’s deputy foreign minister voiced support for Iran’s right to access peaceful nuclear technology, and further welcomed Tehran’s increased cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Iran’s Interior Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi described his country’s growing power as the main reason underlying increasing threats against the Islamic Republic.

Some 18,000 German nationals have become Muslims since 1945, the daily Cologne-based Koelnische Rundschau newspaper quoted the Islam-Archive Central Institute, based in the western town of Soest.

The visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Dr Mahdi Safari on Thursday gave an update to Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri on Tehran’s ongoing negotiations with the European Union and the IAEA regarding its nuclear program.

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said Tehran and Moscow have come to a good understanding on the completion of Iran’s first nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr.