Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman here on Saturday strongly condemned the terrorist blast in the Iraqi city of Karbala, which killed and wounded a number of innocent civilians and pilgrims, and described it as a criminal act in violation of the divine and Islamic values.

Commander of the Islamic Republic’s naval force Admiral Sajjad Kouchaki said his troops are fully ready to suppress enemies’ threats forcefully.

Chairman of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaoddin Boroujerdi lashed out at the Untied States for the kidnap of the Iranian diplomat, Jalal Sharafi, describing the measure as a heavy crime violating the international rules and regulations.

An Iranian legislative official here on Saturday protested at the abduction and torture of Iranian diplomat Jalal Sharafi as a blatant violation of the international rules, stressing that the US should be accountable for its inhuman acts and behavior.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel here on Friday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on Iraq’s National Assembly.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is scheduled to leave Tehran for Latin America this week. The visit is aimed at developing bilateral ties with the different Latino states, including Venezuela.

Member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are due to convene in Vienna as of April 30 to May 11 to attend a provisional meeting on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) revision, Iran’s permanent representative to the IAEA Ali Asqar Soltanieh said.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will pay a visit to Iran in the next few months, the country’s ambassador to Tehran said here on Saturday.

A prominent Iranian lawmaker called for the immediate freedom of the five Iranian diplomats kidnapped during a raid by the US troops on Iran’s consulate general in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil around three months ago.

The head of the UN atomic watchdog said on Thursday that Iran was still at the starting stage of creating a uranium enrichment plant, and further dismissed concerns about Iran’s activities, saying that the country’s nuclear programs are under IAEA inspection.