Owing to the vigilance of Iran’s armed forces, enemy is seeking to escape from the region, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Republic army said on Monday.

Iran has decided to take square strides in its economic activities and transient political pressures cannot deter Tehran from making progress.

Iran’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Hamid Reza Asefi on Sunday met with UAE’s Foreign Minister Abdallah bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan and discussed with him expansion of bilateral ties.

Iraq welcomes Iran’s participation in a conference this week on regional security, Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffak al Rubaie said.

Following his phone talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad agreed to dispatch his foreign minister to the security talks in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will attend the upcoming security talks on Iraq in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheik, the ministry spokesman said here on Sunday.

AP – Afghan and coalition forces clashed with Taliban militants Saturday in separate incidents in the east and south, killing 21 insurgents, officials said. The police and Taliban engaged in a one-hour gun battle in the Alishar district of Khost province, said Wazir Padshah, a spokesman for the provincial police. …

By ALISA TANG, Associated Press The Afghan government said it was investigating Taliban claims Saturday that the militants have released a French aid worker who was kidnapped early this month along with another French citizen and three Afghan colleagues. Purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said that the French woman …

AFP – President Hamid Karzai reiterated his calls for Taliban fighters to put down their arms at a military parade Saturday that showed off Afghanistan’s newly-acquired weaponry and growing army. The president and his cabinet were among scores of dignitaries at a march-past of soldiers and equipment, much of it …

A prominent Iranian lawmaker called on the US to release the five Iranian diplomats to pave the ground for Iran’s active presence in Iraq’s security talks in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.