Iranian Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel cancelled a speech to the Council of Europe in protest at an invitation to the head of the outlawed Iranian opposition.

The financing of a $3.5 billion investment in Iranian gas production will come entirely from a state-owned company, as US opposition has put off foreign investors, officials at the Turkish Energy Ministry said yesterday.

Iran said despite the US’ “psychological war” against it, Washington is not in a position to launch a costly military offensive against the Islamic Republic after being embroiled in Iraq.