In the latest round of shuttle diplomacy on the crisis in the Caucasus, German Chancellor Angela Merkel travelled to Tbilisi. After talks with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, she said the Russians were not withdrawing from his country as quickly as hoped. The German leader, who met President Medvedev on Friday, …

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Commerce Minister Masoud Mirkazemi said export of non oil commodities, excluding gas condensates, increased by 145% during March 2004 to March 2006.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran successfully orbited its first home-made satellite Sunday morning.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Two Iranian nationals missing in western Afghanistan for several days are believed to have been kidnapped, Afghan officials said Saturday.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran and Turkey need more time to finalize a major natural gas deal, President Abdullah Gul said Saturday, playing down reports that US pressure on Turkey to abandon the project is behind the delay.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s just-ended visit to Turkey, a NATO ally that is also aspiring to the membership in the European Union (EU), yielded fruits in countering US efforts to set a diplomatic blockade over Tehran, analysts said.

While a partial pullout of Russian forces may be underway in Georgia, there was still plenty of military activity to keep observers busy. Georgia has accused the Russians of setting forest fires near Tbilisi, digging into positions near the capital, and occupying key villages and a power station.

US President George W. Bush believes progress is being made in resolving the Georgia crisis. But, speaking at his ranch in Texas, he said that South Ossetia and Abkhazia are a part of Georgia and “there’s no room for debate on this matter.”

(IRNA) – Iranian citizens were lucky to witness a partial lunar eclipse from 01:40 (marking the greatest eclipse) to about 03:15 hours local time on Sunday morning.

TEHRAN, (ISNA)-Iran and Turkey signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) during Ahmadinejad’s mission in Turkey on curbing terrorism and drug trafficking as well as working on tourism, environment and transportation.