By NOOR KHAN, Associated Press A purported Taliban statement demanded the release of a number of the group’s fighters and the withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan in exchange for the freedom of two kidnapped French aid workers. Separately, suspected Taliban militants ambushed a police patrol in eastern Afghanistan in …

Deputy Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) Ahmad Fayyaz-Bakhsh left Tehran for Moscow at the head of a delegation to finalize issues pertaining to the delivery of nuclear fuel to Iran’s first nuclear power plant in the southern province of Bushehr.

Mauritania’s President described Iran’s position as outstanding among all Muslim states, saying that Iran treats devilish acts with benevolence and benediction.