A counter-terrorism expert says there is only anecdotal evidence backing newspaper reports claiming the Taliban is specifically targeting Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.

Tehran’s provisional Friday Prayers leader Ali Jannati dismissed as biased certain analyses presented about the resignation of Iran’s former nuclear negotiator, stressing that Ali Larijani’s replacement with Saeed Jalili would not be followed by a shift in Tehran’s nuclear policy.

Iran’s first Vice-President Parviz Davoudi said his country’s relations with Syria are at the highest levels possible, adding that Tehran has not set a limit on the expansion of its relations with Damascus.