TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday said Islamabad valued its relationship with Iran, and emphasized strengthening the existing affinity between the two countries by expanding economic ties.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- In the early hours of Thursday morning, US forces raided the Iranian consulate in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, detaining at least five employees. The arrests were clearly aimed at reinforcing the bellicose message contained in President Bush’s speech.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Washington would hold Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to his promises to reduce sectarian violence and that it was now time to see results.