Deputy Culture and Information minister of Laos in a meeting with Iranian ambassador to that country Mohsen Pak Ayeen welcomed widening of cooperation with Iran in the field of culture and information dissemination.

Pope Benedict XVI and former Iranian president Seyed Mohammad Khatami met at the Vatican Friday as part of ongoing Church efforts to improve relations with Muslims.

Iran will not bow to international pressure to halt its nuclear program, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, after world powers told Tehran to halt uranium enrichment or face a third round of UN sanctions, Reuters reported.