TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iran-Azerbaijan friendship association officially started its work as of today. The association is said to pursue different goals, particularly development of relations and utilization of the two countries’ potentials. Member of Iran-Azerbaijan Association Mir-Qasem Mo’meni told FNA that given the significance of the Republic of Azerbaijan …

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- France said on Sunday that EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran had weeks rather than months to agree an agenda for talks about Tehran’s nuclear program.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Some 800,000 foreigners are working in Iran illegally. An Iran Daily report on Monday said that

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) Gholam-Reza Aghazadeh said that Iranians can complete Bushehr power plant and put it into operation without any need to Russian experts.

RAMALLAH —  In a deepening of the political tension between Fateh and Hamas, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday said Abbas would not travel to Gaza Tuesday for a planned resumption of negotiations to form a Palestinian unity government.

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AP) — Seeking to end anger in the Islamic world caused by his remarks on holy war, Pope Benedict XVI told Muslim ambassadors Monday that the two faiths must overcome any historic enmities and together reject violence — saying the future of humanity is at stake.

KISMAYO, Somalia (AFP) — Muslim gunmen opened fire Monday on crowds protesting the overnight Islamist takeover of Somalia’s key port of Kismayo, with conflicting reports of casualties.

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) — The African Union will add 4,000 troops to its extended Darfur peacekeeping mission, bringing the number of police and soldiers in western Sudan to 11,000, a spokesman for the AU said on Monday.

SANAA (AFP) — Four French nationals kidnapped by Yemeni tribesmen two weeks ago have been freed and are well, state-owned news agency Saba said Monday.

RABAT (Reuters) — Morocco’s once secretive socialists have launched a mass membership drive to boost their chances at polls next year in which their message of secular modernity faces a challenge from resurgent Islamists.