Iran privatized 12 petrochemical companies in the past Iranian calendar year (ended March 20, 2007), accounting for 35 percent of the sector’s subsidiaries, the National Petrochemical Company (NPC) reported here on Tuesday.

Russia believes that Iran is fairly fulfilling the IAEA requirements in tackling its nuclear problem.

France’s foreign minister appeared to soften his weekend warning of war with Iran if it develops nuclear weapons, emphasizing instead the need to “negotiate, negotiate, negotiate without respite”.