Al-Jazeera news channel said its policy is based on respecting religious leaders, stressing that it did not intend to offend the Shiite Muslim leader, Grand Ayatollah Sistani.

 Iran on Wednesday freed on bail a former nuclear official after holding him on national security-related charges for more than a week, the judiciary said.

Officials from six world powers are expected to meet Thursday for talks on persuading Iran to halt its uranium enrichment work.