Iran’s potential to shut down nearly 40 percent of the world’s oil trade represents a weapon possibly more powerful than its missiles, gunboats or any arms system Tehran claims to possess. But such a move would cut both ways in any possible military showdown with the United States.The Islamic Republic’s …

Iran’s adversaries cannot harm the strong ties between Tehran and Damascus, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday, a week after Iran appeared to chide Syria for its decision to take part in a Mideast summit in the United States.

Energy minister here Sunday voiced Iran’s readiness to cooperate with Asia-Pacific countries in water and energy sectors.Parviz Fattah made the statement ahead of his departure to Deppu, Oita prefecture, Japan, where he attends the First Asia-Pacific Summit.

Iran‘s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki stressed that there has been no legal basis for referral of Iran’s nuclear case to the United Nations Security Council. 

Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili reiterated Friday that Iran will always maintain its principled stance regarding the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and continues to support cooperation over the country’s nuclear programme. 

In a historic ceremony Saturday, President Berdymuhamedov of Turkmenistan used a gold-plated spanner to bolt together two sections of rails, marking the formal start of construction of railway link between Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran.   

The commander of coalition forces in two volatile Baghdad neighborhoods says Shiite splinter groups backed by Iran are continuing their attacks, in spite of a reduction of violence in the area by mainstream Shiite groups and mostly-Sunni al-Qaida.

President Bush and senior Iraqi Shi’ite politician Abdel Aziz al-Hakim of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council met privately in Washington on Tuesday.

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said here Wednesday that self-confidence and reliance on God Almighty are the most important back up of the Iranian Armed Forces.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Wednesday that the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report confirming Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities marks an absolute victory for Iranian nation.