Iran

Iran and Syria Deny Israel Claims
Iran and Syria have denied all allegations made by the Israelis on the arms and ammunition contained in an Antigua-flagged Francop vessel intercepted at the port of Ashdod yesterday. Here are the details on the story.

Iranian Negotiators Show Support for Uranium Deal
A group consisting of Iranian, Russian, American and French negotiators has been meeting in Vienna, Austria for several days, and appears to have reached a breakthrough plan regarding Iranian uranium enrichment.

U.S. and Allies Seek "Unfettered Access" to Iran Site
The U.S. and its allies are becoming increasingly adamant about full disclosure of nuclear facilities in Iran, on the heels of a discovered site that was kept secret for years.

Ahmadinejad Launches Gambit to Make U.S. a Friend
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking before an address of the United Nations, noted that he wants his country and the U.S. to become friends.

Iran is Ready to Enter Negotiations on its Nuclear Program
Iran's top nuclear negotiator has indicated that the country is ready to address the U.S. and other nations regarding its nuclear program.

Israel Will Stop at Nothing to Keep Nuclear Weapons from Iran
Trying to play peacemaker with Iran and Israel, the U.S. could not help but be dismayed by Israel’s hawkish stance on appropriate responses to their arch enemy in the Middle East.

Iranian Plane Crash Kills 168 People
A Caspian Airlines plane crashed in Iran, killing everyone on board, in another reminder of the effects of the U.S. trade sanctions that prevent Iran from accessing safer flight technologies.

British Embassy Staff to go on Trial in Iran
Iran's powerful theocracy is accusing British Embassy staffers of inciting the post-election riots and violence that engulfed Tehran and other Iranian cities.

Taking Crazy to New Heights, Iran Detains British Embassy Staff
Protests in Iran have been violently suppressed over the past several weeks, international reporters barred from doing their jobs and threats lobbed by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at multiple Western countries – now, several British embassy staff members have been arrested.

Iran Slams Obama, Likens Him to Bush
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called out President Barack Obama yesterday, saying that Obama's comments on Iran are a mistake.

Iran Police React to Continued Election Protests with Violence
Iranian protestors largely quieted by brutal tactics employed by Ahmadinejad and Khamenei.

Iranian Citizens Increase Protests, More Violence Expected
The Iranian government is trying to silence those who are questioning the recent election results, but modern technology is making that impossible.

Disputed Iran Election Causes Chaos and Violence
Ahmadinejad declared the winner of the vote in Iran, but supporters of reform candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi are claiming widespread fraud and took to the streets to protest over the weekend.

Iran Welcomes Nuclear Talks in Official Statement
Relations between Iran, the U.S. and other Western countries appears to be thawing just a bit as Iran has announced that it will take part in talks over its uranium enrichment program.

U.S. Journalist Charged with Espionage by Iran
An American journalist who also has Iranian citizenship has been charged with espionage by officials in Iran, lending a much greater weight to the case.

Iran Official Says There is "Too Much Oil" on Market
OPEC officials may cut oil production further after an Iran official has noted that there is simply too much oil on the market.

U.S. to Invite Iran to Conference on Future of Afghanistan
In a new type of diplomacy in the Middle East, Pakistan and Iran will be invited to talks on the future of Afghanistan.

Former Liberal Iranian President to Run for Office Again
Reform-minded Momammed Khatami, former president of Iran, is poised to run for the office of president again in the country’s June 12 elections.

Iran Gets Pushy, Calls for End of U.S. Support for Israel
President Barack Obama has signaled a shift in U.S. thinking with his willingness to engage Iran, but the calls for reform by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may go just a bit beyond what Obama, and the U.S., are willing to concede.

Superpowers Call for Sanctions on Iran
Iran’s lack of response to incentives package to end atomic activity may cause world superpowers to impose sanctions.

Trade Remains Stronger Than Ever Between the US and Iran
Many Americans are surprised to find out how much trade takes place between the U.S. and Iran.

Iran Backs Out of Peace Talks
Iran has announced that it will not participate in a new round of peace talks with the U.S. and Iraq.

American Hostage Released
After four long months, American Haleh Esfandiari was released from an Iranian prison on Tuesday.

Iranian Man Stoned to Death for Committing Adultery
Iranian officials confirmed Monday that a father of two was stoned to death on charges of adultery, even though the charges referred to his relationship with his wife. The court did not consider his marriage to be legitimate, and his wife will also be executed.

Iran Native Drives Through Crowd on UNC-Chapel Hill Campus
A former UNC student from Iran intentionally drove through a crowded area of the UNC campus Friday, injuring six people, purportedly to avenge the American treatment of Muslims.

Iran Calls for End to Violence While Students Attend Suicide Bomber Seminars
At the same time that Iran’s foreign minister is calling for an end to the violent protests of the cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, students at Khajeh Nasir University in Tehran are attending seminars about how to be a good suicide bomber.

Is Iran Heading For A Second Revolution?
It’s the common malaise that seems to inflict dictators and autocratic rulers all over the world – inevitably leading to their downfall. They overreach themselves with insufficient provocation.

Iran: The Beginning of the End
Freedom loving people the world over are unified in support of the Iranian people as they fight for democratic freedoms and just elections.

Iran Claims New Proposals Will End Nuclear Row With the Us and Europe
Comments from the US and Iran reflect the growing chance of a rapprochement between the long-term enemies

Iran's Offer of Help to Rebuild Afghanistan Heralds New Age of Diplomacy With the Us
US and Iranian officials met at an international conference in The Hague

Iran's Version of the Sun Newspaper Folds in Just Six Months
The Khorshid closes following declining sales as economic crisis sends chill through newsrooms

Iran Offers to Help Us Rebuild Afghanistan
Iranian delegate at Hague conference in major conciliatory move towards Obama administration

Iran Refusing to Co-operate With Nuclear Inspectors, Says Un
Report by nuclear watchdog likely to sharpen debate within Obama administration over Iran policy

Iran Elections: Newspaper Warns Khatami Faces Assassination Risk
Pro-regime newspaper's comments seen as veiled threat

Toads the Latest Enemy in Iran's War on Drugs
Addicts rolling and smoking skins, says doctor

Iran Declares Readiness for Us Talks
Ahmadinejad tells huge crowd that change by Washington would have to be 'fundamental and not tactical'

Reformist to Stand Against Ahmadinejad in Iran Election
Muhammad Khatamin's candidacy opens prospect of change and improved relations with US

Iran's Reformist Ex-president Set to Stand Against Ahmadinejad
Mohammed Khatami to announce readiness to run, raising hopes that contest could ease country's isolation

British Council Suspends Operations in Iran After Local Staff 'intimidated'
British Council center in Tehran closed after staff ordered to resign by President Ahmadinejad's office

Khatami Gives Strongest Hint Yet of Attempt to Resume Iran's Presidency
Reformist says he should 'fulfill promises' to stand in June election

Iran Satellite Launch Raises Tension, Says Miliband
Foreign secretary expresses concern over state's claim to have broken into the global space race

Iran Launches First Homemade Satellite
Omid launch likely to stoke western fears of missile capabilities

No Thaw With Us As Iran Marks Anniversary of 1979 Revolution
Iran rejects idea of improved relations with the US unless President Obama introduces change of policy

US Overtures Divide Iran's Policymakers
Foreign minister says Tehran would be 'co-operative' in response to changes in American policy

Timeline: Iran's Foreign Relations
A look at diplomacy in Iran since the country's revolution thirty years ago

Iran Condemns Eu for Taking Exiled Group Off Terrorist List
European court rulings force EU to remove People's Mujahideen of Iran from terrorist list and unfreeze its assets

Iranian Football Boss in Trouble Over 'battle of Sexes' Claims
Match is said to have occurred between female and male youth teams of Esteghlal, a club with a mass following

As the Crow Flies: Birds Flee Tehran's Polluted Air
Exodus of the resilient black crow follows flight of other wildlife from Iranian capital

Iran's Fear of Prying Eyes: Bbc Accused of Hiring Spies to Work for Farsi Tv Channel on the Eve of Its Launch
Iran suspects MI5 plot as BBC prepares to launch Persian TV next week

Premarital Sex on Rise As Iranians Delay Marriage, Survey Finds
Study reveals that more than one in four men aged 19 to 29 had experienced premarital sex

Dating Site 'prostitution', Says Iran
Iranian internet dating website banned for 'promoting prostitution', on advice of leading Islamic clerics

Iran The War For Heart Mind And Soul Between Nationalist And Religion
If the Islamic terrorist organization has weapon and Technologies as does western countries, Russian and Israel. They will kill every male and take the women’s as the sex slaves.

Iran's Underground Rap Artists Take to Wearing Symbol of Islamic Revolution
Young Iranians drawn to Western culture are sporting the chafiyeh, usually worn by the country's leaders

Iran Claims Israel Spy Ring Broken
Revolutionary guards ratchet up war of nerves by claiming to have stopped a spy network run by Mossad

Iran Feeling the Pain of Plunging Oil Prices
Iran's oil stabilization fund, used to release profits when revenues decline, is reportedly badly depleted

Iranian Mps Sack Ahmadinejad Ally Over Fake Oxford Degree
President suffers blow as parliament votes out interior minister for faking British degree certificate

Faked Degree Could Devalue Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, has suffered a serious blow after Iran's parliament sacked his interior minister for faking a law degree from Oxford University

Iran Awaits More Than Just a Change of Face in the White House
It will take more than a new American president to improve the tortured relationship between Iran and the United States

Iran Opens New Naval Base at Mouth of Persian Gulf
The new base is strategically placed at the Strait of Hormuz, through which 40% of the world's traded oil passes

Russia, Iran and Qatar Announce Cartel That Will Control 60% of World's Gas Supplies
European commission poses immediate opposition to Opec-style cartel amid fears of rising prices

Iran Maintains Death Penalty for Teenagers Convicted of Murder
Deputy state prosecutor says it is 'necessary' to execute those who commit murder before reaching age of 18

Iranians Hope for Peaceful Regime Change
World briefing: Capitalism's travails handily illustrate the supposed superiority of Iran's unique system of collectivist Islamic republicanism

Crowd Foils Ostrich Record Attempt
Iran's eccentric bid to make world's biggest-ever ostrich sandwich in jeopardy after chaotic scenes

Iranians Scoff at Sandwich Record Bid
Iran's eccentric bid to set a world record for making the biggest-ever ostrich sandwich appeared to end in failure today after it was eaten by the hungry watching crowds

Iran Goes for Record With Huge Ostrich Sandwich
Venture organized by Tehran council to promote meat which is low in fat and high in protein and iron

Criticism of Perks Provokes Uproar in Iranian Parliament
Hasan Kamran, a fundamentalist member of Iran's parliament has been ostracized by fellow MPs

Pentagon Denies Us Jet Forced to Land in Iran
The Pentagon today denied a report that a US plane had been forced to land in Iranian territory yesterday

In Gender-sensitive Iran, a Car Designed Specially for Women
New vehicle to have electronic parking aids, automatic gearbox and be painted in 'feminine' colors

Bush Supports Plan for Us Thinktank Office in Iran
Administration gives go-ahead, in a departure from strict policy of isolating the Islamic regime

Iran Willing to Abandon Uranium Enrichment, Envoy Suggests
Tehran plans to continue nuclear program unless IAEA members can guarantee fuel supply

New Un Move on Iran Nuclear Plans
Deadlock broken as world powers, including Russia, agree to put resolution before security council

Failed Afghan Drug Policy Harming Us, Says Iran
Young Iranians paying price for Nato's 'failure' to curb opium production in neighboring Afghanistan

Mayweather Sr Muscles in to Help Hatton
Boxing: Ricky Hatton is being trained by Floyd Mayweather's father for his fight with Paulie Malignaggi on November 22

Focus On Iran 2
This paper is a continuation of Focus on Iran 1. It examined Iranian role in the international scene, its confrontation with the US and how it has continued to overcome its challenges. The paper highlighted some of the lessons African countries like Nigeria could benefit from associating with Iranian ideals.

Iranian Women's Rights Campaigners Imprisoned
Activists persuade MPs to shelve bill that would have made it easier for men to have more than one wife

Iran Jails Four Women's Rights Activists
Six-month sentences handed down for 'spreading propaganda against the country's Islamic system'

Religion: Iran Bars Spy Film Actor From Travelling Abroad
Actor stopped by officials from boarding flight from Tehran after gaining role in film about a hunt for an al-Qaida leader

Iranian Minister Flaunts Bogus Oxford Degree
Embarrassment for Iranian government over Ali Kordan's forged degree certificate

Focus on Iran Part 1
This article 'focus on Iran' is in two parts. This part 1 describes the writers observations while in Iran. The article tried to draw the relationship between what he observed in Iran and the media report about Iran. The article found that Iran occupies a strategic position in the southwest Asian region. It also found that Iran has been able to induce considerable development through good governance policy and research and development.

US Seeks Tougher Action in Iran Nuclear Standoff
Warning follows Tehran's failure to give clear answer to demands that it halt all nuclear activities

'Freeze-for-freeze' Package Ignored As Iran Stalls for Time on Nuclear Demands
Sanctions include discouraging government export credits to finance trade with Iran and inspection of cargo

Iran Vows to Stay on 'nuclear Path' As Un Deadline Looms
No mood for compromise in Tehran, despite threat of sanctions and US or Israeli attacks

We Lie and Bluster About Our Nukes - and Then Wag Our Fingers at Iran
George Monbiot: By failing to disarm and breaking the rules when it suits, nuclear states are driving proliferation as much as Ahmadinejad

Iran Claims Us Acknowledges Its Nuclear Rights
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today claimed that US participation in the latest round of talks was recognition of Iran's right to acquire nuclear technology

Brown Warns Iran to End 'totally Abhorrent' Threat to Destroy Israel
Prime minister pledges to defend country's 'right to exist' as visit to West Bank ends

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Hails Geneva Talks on Iran's Nuclear Programme a Step Forward
Western officials say negotiations end with no sign of resolution between Iran and UN security council

Eight Women and a Man Face Stoning in Iran for Adultery
Arab defendants did not understand Farsi interrogation and trials were without witnesses

Iran Given Two-week Deadline to End the Nuclear Impasse
Six-nation negotiating team at the United Nations warns Iranian delegation that it has run out of patience

US Plays Down Hopes of Breakthrough From Talks, But Iran Upbeat
Western diplomats say significant movements will not be made until new US president elected

Meeting Not Expected to Yield Major Breakthroughs With Iran, Say Diplomats
European and US diplomats today played down expectations of a breakthrough at tomorrow's meeting in Geneva

Iran: Us Will Seek Green Light to Open Base in Tehran
Foreign minister Mottaki welcomes Washington's 'positive' stance prior to Geneva talks

Iran and the 'great Satan'
Restoration of any kind of diplomatic links between the US and Iran would be a change of huge significance after nearly 30 years of deeply troubled relations

After 30 Years, Us to Send Diplomats to Iran
The US is planning to establish a diplomatic presence in Tehran for the first time in 30 years, a remarkable turnaround in policy by president George Bush who has pursued a hawkish approach to Iran throughout his time in office

US Plans to Station Diplomats in Iran for First Time Since 1979
Exclusive: Washington's plans for presence in Tehran signals thaw in relations

Hopes for Peace Grow As Iran and Us Hold First High-level Talks for 30 Years
Bush administration's policy towards Tehran softens as senior official sent for Uranium program talks

Altered Images: Iran Launch Photos 'doctored'
Bloggers notice an extra missile digitally added to pictures of Iranian weapons test launch

US Will Not Hesitate to Defend Israel, Rice Warns Tehran
Second day of ballistic missile tests brings fresh vow of support from Bush administration

Total Pulls Back From Iran
French energy group abandons huge planned investment in country's gas reserves because political risk too high

Defiant Iran Tests Missiles to Show Strength in Face of Us Warnings
Tehran's military exercise involves nine missiles that could reach Israel and US bases in the region

Uranium Enrichment: Iran's Leadership Sends Out Mixed Signals Over Its Nuclear Programme
Iran yet to respond to new incentives package offer despite warnings from Israel and the US

Middle East: Death Sentence for Iranian Who Spied on Nuclear Project
Iran sentences businessman to death for spying on military and nuclear program for Israel

'If You Want to Help Iran, Don't Attack'
The Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi talks to David Batty about the regime's abuse of its population - and how the west needs to abandon the threat of war if it wants to win over Iran's people and bring change

Report: Bush Boosts Covert Actions in Iran
CIA and special forces operations were ordered by the president to destabilize Iran's government

Syria Planned to Supply Iran With Nuclear Fuel, Israel Says
Strategic expert says idea was to share plutonium from site bombed by Israel last September

Iran Dismisses Israeli Threat to Nuclear Facilities
Tehran says warning flights over Mediterranean prove Jerusalem is 'dangerous'

Israeli Jet Exercise is Warning to Iran Over Nuclear Facilities, Pentagon Says
'Sabre-rattling' display of capabilities could pressure Tehran into accepting uranium ultimatum

Iran's Chogha Zanbil
Asia's world renowned ziggurat.

International Diplomats Visit Tehran to Deliver Nuclear Ultimatum
Iran to be given a month to curb program as part of an incentives package to be published to Iranian public

EU Chief Offers Iran New Deal As Nuclear Sanctions Loom
Iran weighs up trade deals offered in exchange for halting uranium enrichment program

Risk of New Sanctions As Iran Rejects Latest Un Nuclear Deal
Proposal from major powers appears to have widened rifts among Iran's ruling conservatives

EU to Freeze Iranian Bank Assets If Nuclear Enrichment Continues
European Union member states have agreed to intensify financial sanctions against Iran, going beyond existing UN measures

UN Watchdog Accuses Iran of Refusing to Reveal Nuclear Aims
That Tehran has failed to provide documentation and other evidence is a matter of 'serious concern' says report

Iran Calls for Uranium Enrichment on Its Soil, With the World's Help
Government proposes creation of international consortium to defuse tension over its nuclear program

Iran Triggers £4m Rush for Caviar
Auction of Iranian caviar, which is among the best in the world, rocks the luxury food markets

Iran Offers Nuclear Deal But Refuses to Stop Enrichment
New proposals deemed unlikely to break diplomatic deadlock because of refusal to tackle uranium issue

Minister Loses Fight to Retain Ban on Iranian Dissident Group
Appeal court rules that Iranian opposition group must be struck off the government's list of proscribed terrorist organizations

Deployment of Aircraft Carrier a Us 'reminder' to Iran, Says Gates
US defence secretary denies the arrival of a new carrier represents an escalation in tension

US Military Ship Shoots at Iranian Boats, Navy Says
A ship contracted by the US military fired warning shots towards two Iranian boats, American defence officials say

Iran Loses Patience With Shell's Indecision
Oil firm has until June to commit to £5bn project or risk it being handed to rival

Tv Loves a Pop Star, But Not Pop Music
You'll see them on chat show sofas and in the reality jungle - but why won't telly let musicians do what they're best at, asks Miranda Sawyer

Police Told to Protect Iranian Rights Lawyer
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad orders police to investigate death threats made against Iran's leading human rights campaigner

Tolerant Baloch Religious Leaders executed in Iran
The illegitimate Iranian control of Balochistan must take an end.

Deadly Blast Hits Mosque in Iran
Several killed and scores injured in blast at mosque in southern city of Shiraz

Appeal to Save the Lives of 2 Baloch Teachers in Iran
This is the Ayatullah version of Justice, Equity and Piety: two Baluch religious leaders and teachers have been arrested, tortured, forces to confess, and condemned to death.

Conservatives Claim Victory in Iranian Election
Leadership portrays vote as act of popular defiance in face of international sanctions over its nuclear program

Iran's Young Women Find Private Path to Freedom
Challenge to hard line clerics taking place in the bars and cafes, not the polling booths

Turnout Low in Iranian Election As Reformist Voters Stay Away
Iranians went to the polls to elect a new parliament, but just as many stayed away

Unpopular Populist
Robert Tait: The absence of reformers from Iran's election will be of little consolation to President Ahmadinejad

Iranians Vote in Parliamentary Election
Low voter turnout in Iran's parliamentary election reflects a general lack of excitement over the choices on offer

Deportation Order on Gay Iranian to Be Reviewed
Gay teenager's family say he faces execution if he is sent home to Iran, where his former boyfriend was hanged

US Military Chief Quits Amid Claims of Iran Rift
Resignation prompts speculation that US military action against Iran is under consideration in Washington

US Middle East Commander Quits
The top US military commander in the Middle East is stepping down days after a magazine profile reported he was trying to block US military action against Iran

High-octane Politics
If Iran's leaders were really so dictatorial, they would have the courage to cut the country's absurd petrol subsidies

UK Fears Iran Still Working on Nuclear Weapon
British government believes Tehran could still be developing a nuclear weapon

Government Fights to Keep Ban on Main Iranian Opposition Group
Government aims to keep People's Mujahideen of Iran from list of banned terrorist organisations

Diary
Jon Henley: A great shame, we feel, that Dubya has dismissed out of hand Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's challenge to a live, uncensored and (we imagine) giggle-filled debate on how the world is run.

Decision Time for Us Over Iran Threat
Iran has installed 3,000 centrifuges for enriching uranium - enough to begin industrial-scale production of nuclear fuel and build a warhead within a year, the UN's nuclear watchdog reported last night

Iraqi Fighters 'grilled for Evidence on Iran'
Interrogator says US military seeks evidence incriminating Tehran.

Iran Signals Space Ambitions With Rocket Launch
Iran signals ambition to join elite group of countries in space by claiming to have reached orbit with rocket capable of carrying satellites

Iran Claims Launch Into 'space' of Rocket Capable of Taking Satellites
Iran signaled its ambition to join the elite group of nations in space yesterday by claiming to have reached orbit with a rocket capable of carrying satellites

Iran Bans Public Executions Amid Death Sentence Boom
Iran's judiciary chief moved to curb the increasingly common spectacle of public executions yesterday by banning the practice, except in cases approved by him

UN Renews Pressure on Iran
Iran came under renewed pressure to suspend its uranium enrichment program last night, when the five permanent members of the UN security council and Germany agreed in principle on a new package of sanctions

Security Council Leaders Draft New Iran Resolution
The world's leading powers have agreed the contents of a new draft resolution against Iran after talks on its nuclear program, the German foreign minister said today

Humiliation for Ahmadinejad As Veto is Overruled
The Iranian president suffered a serious blow after the country's most powerful figure, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sided with MPs by ordering him to supply cheap gas to villages suffering power cuts

Iran's Supreme Leader Rebuffs Ahmadinejad in Gas Row
President's authority suffers serious blow after supreme leader sides with MPs over cheap gas for villages suffering in harsh winter

Bush Takes Soundings on Iran
President George Bush yesterday began canvassing Arab support for containing Iran as his Middle East tour moved to the Gulf amid concerns about escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran

Amnesty Demands Iran Ends 'grotesque' Stoning Executions
Iran urged to abolish executions by stoning, described by Amnesty as "grotesque and horrific" form of punishment

Bush Urges Arab Allies to Confront Iran, 'the World's Leading Sponsor of State Terror'
President George Bush yesterday ratcheted up US rhetoric over Iran, lambasting it as 'the world's leading sponsor of state terror', and urging America's closest Arab allies to confront it 'before it is too late'

Mischievous 'filipino Monkey' Could Have Triggered Latest Us-iran Row
Heckling radio ham is being blamed for sparking a diplomatic row after American warships almost attacked Iranian patrol boats

Doubts Grow Over Iranian Boat Threats
Pentagon climbdown over 'you will explode' video· Mystery remains over where voice came from

US Warns Tehran Against Further Clashes Amid Claims That Boat Footage Was Faked
Iran was given another stern warning by George Bush yesterday of 'serious consequences' if it attacked US ships in the Gulf, as Tehran angrily accused Washington of faking evidence of an incident last weekend

US Ships 'threatened' By Iranian Boats
Pentagon officials claim 'serious provocation' in Strait of Hormuz

As the Regime Cracks Down, Life Goes on Behind Closed Curtains
Last week our Iran correspondent was expelled without explanation. In his last dispatch from Tehran, he talks about the country he grew to love and which he found to be at odds with its image as an austere Islamic nation

The Secret Lives of Us
From beauty salons to traditional male strongholds, Iranian women are using photography to show their country in a different light. Kate Connolly reports

Russia Will Supply New Anti-aircraft Missiles for Iran
Russia is to supply Iran with a new and lethal anti-aircraft system capable of shooting down American or Israeli fighter jets in the event of any strike on Iran's nuclear facilities

The Time for an American Attack against Iran is Over!
By now, the time for an American attack against Iran is over.

Russia Starts Nuclear Fuel Deliveries to Iran
Tehran just months from finishing power station · Move might put Moscow against US government

De Burgh to Be First Global Star to Rock Iran Since 1979
Chris de Burgh is to capitalize on his inoffensive image and not inconsiderable following in the Islamic republic by becoming the first major western artist to perform live since the 1979 revolution

MPs Attack Navy Over Debacle in the Gulf
· Iran's capture of personnel a national embarrassment· Decision to allow hostages to sell stories damaging

War Games
The US is shaping up for an attack on Iran - which is just what its unpopular president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, needs to survive as he faces disillusion among the public and rising anger among the ayatollahs. Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clark report

Stone Biopic a Big Mistake, Critics Warn Ahmadinejad
Planned biopic of Iranian leader directed by Oliver Stone is generating stern disapproval in conservative circles in Tehran

Stay of Execution Fails to Save Iranian Man
Accusers had withdrawn allegations of rape· Rights group highlights punishment of minors

British Spy Station Played Role in Us U-turn on Iran
The US intelligence U-turn on Iran was partly based on telephone conversations in Iran intercepted by the British intelligence listening station GCHQ, according to a source in Washington speaking on a basis of anonymity.

New Intelligence Points to Iranian Defector
The U-turn by US spy agencies over Iran, the biggest since the Iraq debacle five years ago, is the result of "physical" intelligence, likely to be a defector, according to various diplomatic and security sources in Washington today.

New Findings May Be Due to a Defector, Sources Suggest
The U-turn on Iran by US spy agencies, the biggest since the Iraq debacle five years ago, is the result of "physical" intelligence, probably a defector, according to various diplomatic and security sources in Washington yesterday

Young Woman Doctor Who Fell Foul of Iran's 'love Police' Was Strangled
GP dies in custody after arrest for sitting with her fiancé in the park - and the police say it is suicide

Iran Tries to Head Off Calls for Tougher Sanctions
Iran tried last night to weaken support for increased UN sanctions over its nuclear activities by calling for renewed cooperation with the international community after fresh negotiations made no progress on uranium enrichment

Court Tells Uk to Remove Iran Opposition From Terror List
Iran's main opposition movement should be removed from the British government's list of banned terrorist organizations, a court has ruled

Iran Leader Dubs Summit a Failure
Bush hopes for progress despite press skepticism· US to monitor parties' compliance to road map

Iran Unveils Long-range Missile
Ashoura missile can reach Israel and US bases in the Middle East, defence minister says

Official Cleared of Spying Despite Intervention By Iran's President
A former Iranian nuclear negotiator was cleared of spying for the west yesterday in a verdict that appeared to vindicate opponents of the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Ahmadinejad Offers to Be an Observer at Us Presidential Election
He denounces it as the "Great Satan" and frequently dismisses its power, but the overtures of the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to the US seem to grow ever more extravagant.

Iran Leader's Blog Attracts Critics
When Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, wanted to create a forum to trumpet his populist political message without the interference of media and opposition catcalls he launched his own blog

Arms Dealer Jailed for Sale of Iranian Guns to Kuwait
A British arms dealer who illegally sold more than 100 automatic weapons in the Middle East was jailed for four years yesterday, HM Revenue and Customs has announced

Leaving Home for the Homeland
An increasing number of Jewish Iranians are emigrating to Israel because of growing tensions at home. Rory McCarthy reports from Jerusalem

Ahmadinejad in Dog House Over Security Sweep
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, should have known better than to allow his security team to deploy four highly trained sniffer dogs in a search for explosives before his appearance at the national press exhibition

Heed Iran's Dissidents
Martin Woollacott: An attack would fortify Tehran's nuclear hawks, and we would all suffer the consequences

UN Committee Calls for Abolition of the Death Penalty
A UN general assembly committee yesterday passed a draft resolution calling for an end to the death penalty in a debate that put the US in the same camp as Iran and Syria

Ruse Fails to Save Book From Iran's Censors
Iran's strait-laced censors are not known for their tolerance of sexually risque literature, so a book called Memories of My Melancholy Whores was never likely to meet with their approval

Iranian Publisher's Ruse Fails to Protect Raunchy García Márquez Title From Censors
Iran's straight-laced censors are not known for their tolerance of sexually risque literature, so a book called A Memory of My Melancholy Whores was never likely to meet with their approval.

Decision Time for Us Over Iran Threat
Iran has installed 3,000 centrifuges for enriching uranium - enough to begin industrial-scale production of nuclear fuel and build a warhead within a year, the UN's nuclear watchdog reported last night

Iranian Charged With Passing Secrets to British Embassy
A former senior Iranian nuclear negotiator has been charged with passing classified information to the British embassy in Tehran, the Iranian intelligence minister said today.

Iranian Hardliners Accuse Former Nuclear Negotiator of Leaking Secrets to Uk Embassy
Claims come on eve of crucial report by IAEA· Clash between pragmatists and president intensifies

In the Delicate Geometry of Iran Lies the Big Test of Brown's Political Agility
Jonathan Freedland: Tehran represents the prime minister's great diplomatic challenge. He would do well to study the lessons of Iraq.

Washington Tells Eu Firms: Quit Iran Now
UK, French and German companies begin pullout under US pressure.

Beating the Drums of War – Who is Next, Iran?
A frank overview of the Administration's posturing of War with Iran, and an expose` of more effective alternatives.

Sunni Side Up
Bahrain's ruling dynasty fears a US attack on Iran could inflame tensions with the country's restive Shia majority, reports Ian Black from Manama.

Iran Condemns 'doomed' Sanctions
Revolutionary guard says US sanctions will only strengthen its ideals.

Khatami Hints at Comeback With Censure of President's 'lies'
Iran's former president Mohammad Khatami has fuelled speculation of a possible comeback by bluntly accusing his successor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, of peddling false statistics to hide rising inflation and unemployment.

Iran Clamps Down on Coffee Shops
The trend of opening coffee shops inside bookstores has fallen foul of the authorities amid a general clampdown on social and intellectual freedoms.

Nuclear Split Emerges in Iran
Signs of a split over nuclear policy at the heart of Iran's leadership emerged yesterday after MPs and an adviser to the country's most powerful political figure criticized the departure of its chief negotiator, Ali Larijani.

Talking Nuclear With an Old Friend of the President
World briefing: Saeed Jalili, who replaced Ali Larijani as Iran's top nuclear negotiator at the weekend, is a man of strong moral views who believes spiritual values should inform political actions.

Iran's President Moves to Tighten Grip on Nuclear Policy
Chief negotiator resigns after rift on strategy· Doubts surround future of foreign minister

Hardliners Gain As Iran's Nuclear Negotiator Quits
Revolutionary Guard has thousands of rockets to return fire on 'enemy'.

Brown Aide Plays Down Us Talk of Iran Threat
Neo-conservatives push Bush to make the case for war against Tehran.

US Sticking to Diplomacy on Iran, Says Uk Envoy
· Outgoing ambassador dismisses sabre-rattling · Negotiations can solve nuclear issue, he believes

Rules of Inhospitality
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran received an unsolicited invitation to speak at Columbia University in New York. In his opening remarks, the Dean heaped insults on him. I think this was a mistake.

Sex Change Funding Undermines No Gays Claim
Ahmadinejad account rejected in Iran · Homosexuality illegal but transsexuals tolerated

Iran’s President Tarred and Feathered by Columbia’s Bollinger
Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was allowed to speak at Columbia University on Monday, September 24, 2007 in a precedent setting event that President George Bush later said "spoke volumes" about freedom of speech in America.

Iran and the Us Must Talk
Martin Woollacott: Diplomatic structures are needed to bypass the rhetoric of conflict in Washington and Tehran.

A Dangerous Game of 'call My Bluff'
Iran seems convinced the US has no appetite for another conflict, but it may be wrong, writes Julian Borger.

It's the Economy, Mr Ahmadinejad
The Iranian president's adherence to 'donkey economics' is damaging his political stock, writes Robert Tait.

Rice Criticises Nuclear Watchdog
US secretary of state tones down talk of war with Tehran as Iranian commander reveals plans to bomb Israel if attacked.

Drift Into War With Iran Out of Control, Says Un
· Officials back nuclear inspector's warning · Tehran denounces French extremism in growing row

Time is Running Out to Avert War With Iran
Leader: The US is not destined to attempt a bombing raid on Iran's nuclear facilities, but it is bound to lose patience with diplomacy soon.

Proxy War Could Soon Turn to Direct Conflict, Analysts Warn
US strikes on Iran predicted as tension rises over arms smuggling and nuclear fears.

Iran Is The Real Enemy
Iran is the only side that has been making consistent gains throughout the four-year Iraq conflict – at minimal cost to itself. Its proxies in Iraq are doing all the fighting and killing.

Rafsanjani Election Ups Political Stakes in Iran
· Rightwing efforts to thwart former president fail · Victory lays ground for clash with supreme leader

Iran Forces Lecturers to Disclose All Foreign Trips
· Fear of academics being recruited as western spies · Security must be told even before tourist travel

From Iran to Us, Sarkozy Speech Signals French Diplomatic Shift
· President seeks role in Iraq mediation· Iran's nuclear ambitions are 'the most serious crisis'

Western-style Barbers Get the Chop in Iran
Police in Tehran have closed two dozen barber shops and hairdressers in a fortnight in the latest phase of a 'morals' crackdown aimed at enforcing Islamic dress codes among young Iranians.

Iran Frees Us 'spy' on Bail After Three Months
· Academic accused of fomenting 'soft revolution' · 67-year-old interrogated and held in solitary cell

Khomeini 'sought to Drop Death to America Chant'
One of Iran's most powerful politicians has provoked controversy by suggesting that the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the country's Islamic revolution, wanted to drop its signature chant, Death to America.

Iran Hangs 30 Over 'us Plots'
Surge in public executions is a push to silence political activists, say critics.

Hanging Crackdown in Iran
Critics say public execution of 'thugs' is really targeting political activists.

Ahmadinejad Gives the People His Ear With Hotline
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, is attempting to rebrand himself as a listening politician by establishing a hotline for ordinary voters.

Got a Problem? Dial 111 and Speak to Ahmadinejad
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, is attempting to rebrand himself as a listening politician by establishing a hotline for ordinary voters.

Ahmadinejad's First Afghan Visit Ruffles Us Feathers
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, audaciously signaled his determination to counter US global power today by meeting his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai, in open defiance of Washington's wishes.

Iranian President Sacks Ministers to Deflect Blame for Policy Failure
· Cabinet shakeup follows criticism of Ahmadinejad · Attempt to tighten grip on power before elections

Iran Accuses Britain of Digging Tunnel to Ferry Spies Into Embassy
· Prostitutes also used passage, hardliners claim· MPs demand inquiry amid fears of western plots

Reformist Paper Closed By Iran for Second Time
Authorities in Iran closed down the country's leading reformist newspaper yesterday in the latest stage of an offensive against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's opponents in the media.

Nicaragua Defies Us With Iran Trade Deal
· Tehran to fund projects in exchange for coffee, meat· Washington warns of 'dangerous partner'

Iranian Morals Police Arrest 230 in Raid on 'satanist' Rave
Iran's drive to enforce Islamic morals netted revelers from Britain and Sweden after police swooped on a "satanic" concert organized over the internet.

Handshake Picture Deals Election Blow to Iranian Reformist
· Khatami says photo is fake but drops presidential bid · Fundamentalists outraged at breach of convention.

Tehran the Target of Huge Arms Deal, Says Rice
· Iran accuses Washington of fostering weapons race· Americans push for more support for Iraqi premier

Senior Cleric's Death Opens Up Power Struggle in Iran
One of Iran's most senior clerics died today after a long illness, paving the way for a power struggle within the country's leadership.

Families Claim Iranian Student Activists Were Tortured in Prison
Fears that Iran is systematically mistreating political prisoners and dissidents have been further fueled after the parents of three detained student activists claimed their sons had been tortured.

Iran Raises Stakes in War of Nerves Over Enriching Uranium
· Weapons treaty at risk if UN increases sanctions· Threat paired with olive branch to atom watchdog

Father-to-be Allowed Into Delivery Room for First Time in Iran
Men given access in effort to reduce cesareans - Doctor says husbands can ease fears over childbirth

British Banks Fight Us Over Iran Embargo
A mounting US crackdown on foreign companies and banks doing business with Iran is provoking serious opposition in the UK and Europe, where diplomats are warning that the action could lead to a new trade war.

Tehran and White House to Restart Iraq Talks
The US and Iran, in a rare sign of positive engagement, today confirmed they are to hold a second round of discussions on the future of Iraq.

US Academics Admit Aiding Iran Democracy Drive
Two Americans detained by Iran for alleged spying last night admitted involvement in US-backed pro-democracy projects but appeared to stop short of making widely anticipated full confessions.

This Flurry of Middle East Activity is the Product of a Very Real Threat: Iran
Jonathan Freedland: The rise of Tehran has petrified Arab capitals - and intensified debate in the US and Israel about the use of force.

Iran Relaxes Stance on Nuclear Inspections
The UN nuclear watchdog said today that Iran had agreed to lift its ban on inspectors visiting a controversial nuclear facility, and was ready to answer questions about its past plutonium experiments.

Iran Bans Political Campaigning
Candidates in next year's Iranian parliamentary elections will be banned from displaying posters and banners, raising concerns over whether the poll will be free and fair.

Iran to Defy West By Executing Sex Offenders
Iran is to defy western criticism over its human rights record by executing 20 sex offenders and violent criminals days after a convicted adulterer was stoned to death.

Iran Media Accused of Trying to Oust President
Fears for press as aides talk of 'creeping coup' - Leader deploys new team to counter rising criticism

MPs Press Ahmadinejad to End Petrol Rationing
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was under pressure to perform a U-turn on petrol rationing today after the restriction prompted violent protests at filling stations across the country this week.

Iran Urged to End Petrol Rations After Violent Unrest
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was under pressure to perform a U-turn on petrol rationing yesterday after the restriction prompted violent protests at filling stations across the country this week.

Ahmadinejad to Meet Economic Detractors
The Iranian president today extended a surprise olive branch to his domestic critics by agreeing to meet experts who warned his economic policies risked plunging the country into financial chaos.

Iran Stays Execution By Stoning
Iranian authorities have halted the planned stoning to death of a man and woman convicted of adultery following international protests, it emerged tonight.

Iranian Mps Condemn Rushdie Knighthood
Iran has stepped up its protests over the award of a knighthood to British author Salman Rushdie, author of controversial novel The Satanic Verses.

Iranian Guests Attacked at British Embassy Party
The British embassy in Tehran is expected to lodge a diplomatic protest after Iranian guests were attacked by demonstrators and detained by police after a reception to celebrate the Queen's birthday.

UK to Protest After Attacks on Embassy Party Guests in Iran
The British embassy in Tehran is expected to lodge a diplomatic protest after Iranian guests were attacked by demonstrators and detained by police following a reception to celebrate the Queen's birthday.

Brown's Bane Will Be Getting Dragged Into an American Attack on Iran
If he is not going to suffer Blair's fate with Iraq, his most important foreign policy task will be dissuading Washington. By Jonathan Freedland

Ahmadinejad Aims for a Big Hit With His 'works and Opinions'
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, has ordered his fiery polemics to be saved for posterity in preparation for commercial publication.

MP Threatened After Comments on Khamenei
One of Iran's most outspoken MPs has received a death threat after suggesting that the country's supreme leader is a weaker figure than the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, spiritual head of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran Steps Up Pressure on Academics Over 'spying'
Iran's powerful intelligence ministry has stepped up its war of nerves with the west by telling the country's academics they will be suspected of spying if they maintain contact with foreign institutions or travel abroad to international conferences.

Talk to Foreigners and We Will View You As a Spy, Iran Warns Academics
Lecturers told not to travel to conferences abroad - Purge of liberals feared in atmosphere of suspicion

Tehran Officials Charge Three Americans With Spying
Iran charged three Americans with spying and national security offenses in a move that intensified suspicion surrounding intellectuals with US ties.

Iran Interest Rate Cut Sparks Panic Selling
President's shock order defies expert advice - Bank shares plummet amid rampant inflation

Ahmadinejad Faces Backlash As Iran Brings in Petrol Rationing
Iran is to introduce petrol rationing in two weeks in a move that belies its status as the world's fourth largest oil exporter and threatens to trigger a popular backlash against its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Ahmadinejad Faces Backlash Over Plans for Petrol Rationing
Iran is to introduce petrol rationing in two weeks in a move that belies its status as the world's fourth largest oil exporter and threatens to trigger a popular backlash against its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Iran Accuses Us Academic of Plotting 'soft Revolution'
A US academic arrested during a family visit to Iran has been accused of trying to overthrow the country's Islamic system, stoking fears of a general crackdown against intellectuals with western ties.

Iran Accuses Us Academic of Instigating 'soft Revolution'
A US academic arrested during a family visit to Iran has been accused of trying to overthrow the country's Islamic system amid growing fears of a general crackdown against intellectuals with western ties.

London Buses Inspire New Tehran Tourism
London-style sightseeing buses are to offer street tours in an effort to transform the image of a city described by the Lonely Planet Guide as Iran's "big, loud, chaotic, vibrant and ugly beating heart".

US Ready to Talk With Iran
The Bush administration today made it clear it was willing to engage in high-level talks with Iran.

Iran Holds Ex-envoy on Security Charges
Key negotiator on nuclear row 'passed information' - Arrested man was allied to president's powerful rival

Rice Breaks the Ice With Syria, But Not Iran
Iraq conference backdrop for high level discussion - US praises Damascus's counter-insurgency effort

Planned Talks With Us Hailed As Leap Forward
Washington and Tehran are poised for their highest-level talks for years later this week, following Iran's agreement to attend a key international conference on the future of Iraq.

Inside the Struggle for Iran
A grand coalition of anti-government forces is planning a second Iranian revolution via the ballot box to deny President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad another term in office and break the grip of what they call the "militia state" on public life and personal freedom.

Iran and Eu 'closer' to Nuclear Deal
Sides nearing a 'united view' in some areas of discussions about Tehran's continued uranium enrichment.

Cricket: Irani in the Runs
Round-up: Ronnie Irani struck a career-best 218 to put Essex on top against Glamorgan in Chelmsford.

Iran Tones Down Rhetoric Ahead of Nuclear Talks
Iran's unusually conciliatory tone ahead of two key meetings tomorrow raised hopes that its tense confrontation with the US and some western countries on nuclear and security issues is beginning to subside.

Britain to Rethink Relations With Iran in Formal Protest Over Hostage Crisis
Tough response expected after review of incident - Anger persists at Tehran's claim of a great victory

EU to Hold New Nuclear Talks With Iran
The EU foreign policy chief and Iran's top negotiator are to for the first time since February in a fresh attempt to break the deadlock over Tehran's nuclear enrichment.

US Accuses Iran of Supplying Arms to Taliban Insurgents
Allegations aired publicly by officials for first time - Charges coincide with speculation over air strikes

Ahmadinejad: Iran Will 'cut Off the Hand' of Attackers
Iran's army will "cut off the hand" of any attacker, the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said during an annual military parade today.

Iran to Issue Book and Cd on Capture of British Sailors
Iran is to issue a CD and book documenting the recent detention of 15 British sailors in an attempt to counter claims of mistreatment and maximise what it sees as a major propaganda victory.

Cheating Piranhas in 3,000-mile Amazon Swim
Slovenian athlete battered but triumphant, thanks to guitar and torn pillowcase.

Anger As Hostages Sell Stories to Highest Bidders
The 15 British military hostages released by Iran were accused last night of cashing in on the ordeal by selling their stories in a string of lucrative media deals.

Americans Offered 'aggressive Patrols' in Iranian Airspace
The US offered to take military action on behalf of the 15 British sailors and marines held by Iran, including buzzing Iranian Revolutionary Guard positions with warplanes, the Guardian has learned.

Captives' Accounts 'dictated By British Military'
Iran last night rejected claims by British sailors that they had feared for their lives while in captivity. The foreign ministry said a news conference by the freed sailors and marines had been staged to cover up their entry into Iranian waters.

Diary
D'you reckon, now it's all over, the Broon should kit St Tony out in a smart new suit and release him as a gift to the Iranian people? By Jon Henley

Q&A: the Freed British Sailors
Mark Oliver and Peter Walker explain the background to the crisis caused by Iran's seizure of 15 British navy personnel.

The Bloody Reality of War
Two women among four UK soldiers killed by bomb- Blair hints at Iranian support for attacks

Captured British Sailors Flying Home
Fifteen British sailors and marines held captive by Iran for nearly a fortnight were flying home this morning after a resolution to the crisis which left both sides claiming vindication.

Diplomat Who May Have Secured Sailors' Release
The man thought to have been at the centre of negotiations to secure today's release of the 15 British personnel captured by Iran is Tony Blair's chief foreign policy adviser.

Ahmadinejad Releases British Sailors
Fifteen British marines and sailors held captive in Iran for almost a fortnight are expected to fly home tomorrow morning after the country's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, announced their release as a "gift" to the UK.

Diplomacy or a Deal - How the Standoff Ended
Hint of US concession on Iranians held in Iraq - Syria claims to have played leading role.

Military Aftermath: Bilateral Talks on Disputed Gulf Waters on Agenda
Britain is ready to discuss with Iran the whole question of territorial waters in the northern Gulf, the issue which was ostensibly the cause of the crisis, military officials said yesterday.

Freed With a Handshake and a Pardon From the President
Iran to release 15 sailors today as a 'gift' to Britain - Blair denies that secret deal resolved crisis

Q&A: the Seized British Sailors
Mark Oliver and Peter Walker explain the background to the crisis caused by Iran's seizure of 15 British navy personnel.

Delegation Ready to Fly Out for Iran Talks
Next 48 hours are fairly critical, says Blair - Tehran diplomat seized in Baghdad is freed

If This Crisis Can Be Overcome, Think About the Negotiations That Matter
The standoff with Iran over 15 British captured sailors has revealed much about both countries - and the wider conflict. By Jonathan Freedland

Iran Claims Captured Boat Personnel Have All Confessed to Trespassing
Admissions will not be broadcast, says state radio - No 10 refuses to be swayed by 'stage-managed TV'

Iran Outlines Conditions for Release of Uk Sailors
Iran's most senior diplomat, Ali Larijani, called for a "delegation" to rule on whether a British naval patrol entered Iranian waters last month before his government would release the 15 marines and sailors it is holding captive.

Tehran Says All 15 Uk Personnel Have 'confessed'
All 15 of the British service personnel held in Iran have confessed to illegally entering the country's waters, an Iranian state-run television channel said today.

Iran Snubs Uk Olive Branch
Ahmadinejad demands apology despite words of 'regret' from Beckett.

Iran Crisis Bumps Up Crude Prices
Oil prices shot up to their highest in over six months today on continued tension between Britain and Iran over British naval staff held by Tehran. By Ashley Seager

Britain Stumbles in Diplomatic Dance With Iran
The standoff over the captured British sailors is as much about Iran's internal divisions as international relations, writes Julian Borger.

Wildest Card in Turbulent Landscape Lies Beyond Reach of Normal Diplomacy
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is perhaps the wildest card in Iran's turbulent politics. It is a state within a state, with its own ideology, a 125,000-strong military force and a powerful parliamentary bloc - and one of the biggest players in the economy.

Hostages Caught in Tehran-washington Crossfire
As Iran sees it, provocative British trespassing in the Shatt al-Arab waterway is one element in an American-driven policy of destabilisation that includes systematic infringements of the country's territorial, economic and political sovereignty. By Simon Tisdall

Europe Threatens Action As Iran Airs New 'confession'
EU foreign ministers support British position and warn of 'appropriate measures' if 15 sailors and marines not released.

Navy Crewman's 'apology' Shown
Iran today broadcast footage of a second "confession" from one of its British military captives as Iran's president said the UK should apologise for "violating" Iranian waters.

Iran Suspends Sailor's Release
Tehran has suspended its plan to release the sole female sailor among the 15-strong British naval patrol that Iran's navy seized last week.

Change of Tack in State Tv Broadcast
Iranian state television made new and different claims last night about the activities of British military boats patrolling the northern Gulf.

Britain Seeks to Build Diplomatic Pressure on Iran in Attempt to Free Captive Personnel
Security council issues watered-down rebuke - EU and Arab League urge early release of sailors

Q&A: the Seized British Sailors
Mark Oliver and Mark Tran explain the background to the crisis caused by Iran's seizure of 15 British navy personnel.

Captured Uk Personnel Shown on Iranian Tv
Footage screened shows 15 British sailors and marines seized while on patrol off Iraqi shores last week.

Three Minutes in Which Routine Boarding Turned Into Armed Ambush
Iranian craft swarmed around naval boats - Personnel were put in an 'impossible position'

Repercussions Lost Amid Apathy and Holiday Mood
The historical chasm separating Britain from Iran found topical expression on the streets of Tehran yesterday in a mixture of ignorance and apathy over the 15 detained British navy personnel.

From Softly-softly to Sanctions - How Pressure on Iran May Be Increased
Gentle diplomacy: This was the approach taken in the first six days. Naval officers and diplomats suggested the issue of maritime boundaries was complicated and the whole affair could be a mistake.

Fury As Iran Shows Footage of Captured Sailors on Television
Britain to seek UN resolution over seizure - Sailor 'admits' boats were in Iranian waters

British Sailors Were 'ambushed' Outside of Iranian Waters
The 15 British service personnel were 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi territorial waters when they were captured by Iran, the Ministry of Defence insists.

'What Do You Say to a Family in Panic?'
The family of Faye Turney, one of the navy personnel seized by the Iranians, are deeply concerned for her well-being, friends said yesterday.

Privacy Plea By Family of Female Sailor in Iran
The family of the woman among the 15 Britons held in Iran last night said the family were going through a 'very distressing time'. Faye Turney, 26, was the only woman among the sailors and marines captured last Friday after boarding a dhow carrying suspicious cargo off the coast of Iraq.

Iran Denies Plan to Use Britons in Captives Swap
Iran yesterday denied reports it was seeking to use 15 British sailors and marines taken captive last week as a bargaining chip to exchange for Iranian officials arrested by US troops in Iraq.

Blair Warning to Iran After Failure to Trace Captured Patrol
PM denounces 'unjustified and wrong' seizure - Tehran claims Britons admitted incursion

Iran: Kidnappings Came Day Before Un Resolution
Defining demarcation lines in the Shatt al-Arab waterway has proved a historical challenge for cartographers, so it is not unlikely that it may have been beyond the 15 British sailors patrolling the internationally sensitive route last Friday.

Seized Britons Face Prosecution After Tehran Claims 'confession'
Iran defiantly rebuffed international demands yesterday for the release of 15 seized British naval personnel, claiming that the sailors and Royal Marines had confessed to entering its waters in an illegal act of aggression, and were now to be prosecuted in the Iranian capital.

Foreign Office Demands Tehran Frees Sailors
The Iranian navy has seized up to 15 British sailors, the Ministry of Defence confirmed today, sparking a diplomatic standoff between the UK and Iran.

Q&A: the Seized British Sailors
What happened today? Iranian naval vessels seized 15 British sailors in Iraqi waters, the Ministry of Defence said.

Free Our Sailors, Uk Tells Iran
Britain yesterday demanded the return of 15 sailors and marines seized by the Iranian navy in a channel separating Iraq and Iran.

Hot and Cold Fusion
Why is Iran's great ally Russia simultaneously opposing sanctions against Tehran and delaying its nuclear progress, asks Mark Tran.

Iran Cracks Down on Teachers' Pay Protests
The authorities in Iran have signalled their determination to break a teachers' pay revolt by arresting up to 1,000 people in a brutal crackdown.

Iran Crushes Teachers' Pay Protest
The authorities in Iran have arrested up to 1,000 teachers in a brutal crackdown that signals their determination to break a pay revolt.

Cash Dispute Delays Opening of Iranian Nuclear Reactor
A dispute over funding has delayed the start of Iran's first nuclear power plant, the state-run Russian company building the facility said today.

Relatives of Missing Iranian General Accuse Us of Kidnap
Claims by western intelligence to have scored a coup by securing the defection of a senior Iranian general were contradicted yesterday by the man's relatives, who claimed he had been kidnapped by US or Israeli agents.

Iran to Take Nuclear Case Directly to Un
Ahmadinejad wants to 'defend country's rights' - Think-tank warns against military action by Israel

Arrests Fail to Halt Iran Protest
Police in Iran arrested trade unionists in an unsuccessful attempt to stop thousands of teachers protesting against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's economic policies outside Iran's parliament, the Guardian has learned.

Defection or Abduction? Speculation Grows After Iranian General Goes Awol in Turkey
Former minister vanished from Istanbul hotel - Fingers pointed at Mossad and anti-Tehran rebels

Same Goal, New Strategy
Reports suggesting that Iran has sought Saudi help in mediating its nuclear and other disputes with the Bush administration are wide of the mark. By Simon Tisdall

Ahmadinejad Challenged for Control of Iran's Economy
Rafsanjani says his rival has failed to enact reforms - Row erupts after supreme leader shores up president

The Readers' Editor on ... the Narrow Gulf Between Offence and Sensitivity
A few days after I wrote about the Guardian's preference for "the Gulf", as opposed to "the Persian Gulf" or "the Arabian Gulf" - in a column on sensitive terminology - the Iranian ambassador in London contributed to the Comment pages By Ian Mayes

Attack on Iran Would Backfire, Warns Report
UK nuclear expert fears for region after air strikes - Tragedy and turmoil would follow, says Blix

Iran's Speed Queen
Motor Racing: As a child she competed with the boys and stole dad's car. Now Laleh Seddigh beats men on the racetrack, defying convention to become a champion driver. Hollywood is chasing her - but not everyone in Tehran welcomes her success. Interview by Robert Tait.

Student Rebels in Iran Expelled and Earmarked for Army
Crackdown follows protest during Ahmadinejad visit - Compulsory service seen as government revenge

Iranian Youth Activists Face Boot Camp
Students involved in an angry protest against the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have been expelled and earmarked for compulsory military service, in an apparent act of official retribution.

US Praised for Diplomacy Ahead of Summit
Syria and Iran likely to attend stability meeting -Conference marks abrupt reversal by Washington

Ahmadinejad Under Fire in Iran for Hardline Nuclear Stance
Newspapers criticise 'no reverse gear' remark - US and Britain begin push for tougher sanctions

The Compelling Case That Confrontation is Still on the Cards
Analysis: Seymour Hersh's reputation as an investigative journalist means his latest report on US policy in the Middle East will fuel worries that despite Washington's insistence on using diplomatic means to end the nuclear crisis with Iran, confrontation is still on the cards.

Iranian Mps Enraged Over Test Accused of Mocking Muhammad
Iranian MPs have demanded an apology from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after teachers were given government-sponsored tests deemed 'insulting' to the prophet Muhammad.

US Iran Intelligence 'is Incorrect'
Much of the intelligence on Iran's nuclear facilities provided to UN inspectors by US spy agencies has turned out to be unfounded, diplomatic sources in Vienna said today.

US Intelligence on Iran Does Not Stand Up, Say Vienna Sources
Tip-offs did not lead to signs of banned activity - IAEA report raises pressure for new sanctions

Iran Shrugs Off Sanctions Threat As Nuclear Talks End in Stalemate
UN will declare country in breach of resolution - US aircraft carrier arrives in Gulf in show of strength

Iran 'six Months From Mass Uranium Enrichment'
Iran could be as little as six months away from being able to enrich uranium on an industrial scale, having mastered the technology since last August, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog warned in an interview published today.

Iran Shuts Down Website Critical of President
An Iranian website fiercely critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been shut down in an apparent fresh crackdown on anti-government dissent on the internet.

A DANGEROUS GAME: The Iranian Gambit
The Iranian gambit exposes the neocon deception of the withdrawal nightmare scenario as a desperate and final attempt to defend our illegal, immoral and catastrophic war. The greater nightmares unfold with a continued occupation.

Troops Close Iranian Border and Crack Down on Insurgents
More than 3,000 British and Iraqi troops yesterday cordoned off the southern city of Basra and closed border crossings with Iran in a major security crackdown.

Iran Car Bomb Kills 11 Soldiers
Sunni rebels allegedly linked to al-Qaida were blamed for a car bomb attack which destroyed a bus and killed at least 11 Iranian revolutionary guards yesterday in the latest outbreak of violence to strike one of Iran's most unstable provinces.

Mahdi Army Commanders Withdraw to Iran to Lie Low During Security Crackdown
Shia fighters to return 'once Sunnis are pacified' - Sadr strategy is to retain militia's infrastructure

Sunni Rebels Blamed for Deadly Attack on Elite Iranian Guards
Sunni rebels allegedly linked to al-Qaida were blamed for a deadly car bomb attack which destroyed a bus and killed up to 18 revolutionary guards today in the latest outbreak of violence to strike one of Iran's most unstable provinces.

Ahmadinejad Says Us Claims Are Smokescreen
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, today accused the US of seeking to blame others for its problems in Iraq.

Surprising Partners Among Tehran's Layer of Alliances
When Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed this week to hit back at American interests around the world if Iran was attacked, it was no empty threat.

Target Iran: Us Able to Strike in the Spring
Despite denials, Pentagon plans for possible attack on nuclear sites are well advanced.

Ayatollah: Even Bush Can Be Brought to His Senses
The war of words between the US and Iran today escalated as Iran's supreme leader warned that Tehran would target American interests if attacked.

Gaming for the Fiery Tomorrow
Game scenarios regarding the outbreak of hostilities in Persian Gulf leave out one thing: What happens after. But like the wise Solomon, let's have some follies first.

Attacking Iran Would Be Disastrous, Warns Coalition of Opinion Led By Retired Officers
Warnings of the dire consequences of military confrontation with Iran, and calls for a renewed diplomatic effort, are being issued on both sides of the Atlantic in a sign of the growing anxiety over the prospect of US or Israeli action.

As Us Power Fades, It Can't Find Friends to Take on Iran
Washington has exaggerated Tehran's capabilities and intentions in Iraq. It is confused and frustrated. By Jonathan Steele

Iranian Taxi Company Breaks Rank to Enlist Women Drivers
The taxi driver who tried to molest passenger Marzieh Khatoon Shariati did not know what he was starting.

Iranian Taxi Company Breaks Rank to Enlist Women Cabbies
Accepting female fares only, service says it is about safety, not segregation.

Nuclear-armed Iran Would Not Be Very Dangerous, Says Chirac
Remarks retracted after diplomatic confusion - Leader's mental sharpness called into question

Europeans Fear Us Attack on Iran As Nuclear Row Intensifies
Transatlantic rift emerges over how to handle crisis - America builds up its naval forces in the Gulf

Shell Defies Us Pressure and Signs £5bn Iranian Gas Deal
Shell has signed a deal to help Iran develop a major gas field, ignoring pressure from George Bush to isolate the country for being part of what he alleges is an 'axis of evil'.

Cheap Gas or Democracy? Us's Turkmen Problem
A friendly Turkmenistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, has high strategic value. By Simon Tisdall

Tehran Power Struggle Intensifies
Iran's beleaguered president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is facing a powerful challenge from his fiercest political rival for control of the country's nuclear and economic policies.

Iran President Defiant in Face of Critical Mps
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, defied his domestic critics yesterday by vowing not to retreat from his nuclear and economic policies despite growing pressure.

Iran Target of Us Gulf Military Moves, Robert Gates Says
Increased US military activity in the Gulf is aimed at Iran's "very negative" behaviour, the Bush administration said today.

Iran Replaces Eu As Top Palestinian Donor
Iran has become the single biggest donor to the Palestinian Authority, replacing the EU, according to a senior official in the Hamas government.

Tehran Largest Donor in £500m Muslim Pledges to Palestinians
Iran has become the single biggest donor to the Palestinian Authority, replacing the European Union, according to a senior official in the Hamas government.

President's Future in Doubt As Mps Rebel and Economic Crisis Grows
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has suffered a potentially fatal blow to his authority after the country's supreme leader gave an apparent green light for MPs to attack his economic policies.

We Are Not Leaving, Gates Warns Iran As Troop Surge Begins
Tehran sends out diplomatic feelers amid row over arrests.

Dancing Girls Video Embarrasses Iranian Tourism Chief
An Iranian news website has been closed and two of its senior executives arrested after it displayed footage showing the country's tourism chief at a female dance show.

'America is No Longer in the Driving Seat'
Iran and Syria both angrily denounced the US plan to send more troops to Iraq, complaining it would only prolong the 'occupation' and extend insecurity in the country and the wider Middle East.

Sex and Shopping Brings Hiv Crisis in Iran
Deals between prostitutes and boutique owners raise fears over spread of disease.

UN Poised to Pass Iran Sanctions Despite Threat
Ahmadinejad warns of immediate retaliation - US and Britain step up naval presence in Gulf

Iran: Sanctions Will Not Stop Nuclear Plans
UN security council moves closer to adopting resolution.

Ahmadinejad in Electoral Setback
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, faced electoral embarrassment today after the apparent failure of his supporters to win control of key local councils and block the political comeback of his most powerful opponent.

Iranian Students Hide in Fear for Lives After Venting Fury at Ahmadinejad
President's supporters vow revenge on protesters - Activists forecast harsher crackdown on dissent

Iranians Vote in First Test for Ahmadinejad
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, today underwent the first test of his popularity since taking office as voters went to the polls to elect local councils and a powerful clerical body.

Move to Bring Genocide Case Against Ahmadinejad As Iran President Repeats Call to Wipe Out Israel
The outgoing US ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, is backing a call for the president of Iran to be charged with inciting genocide because of his speeches advocating the destruction of the state of Israel.

Students Protest Against 'dictator' Ahmadinejad
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, faced an unprecedented outburst of public opposition today from student demonstrators who burned his picture and chanted "death to the dictator".

Rumsfeld Successor: 'we're Not Winning War'
Gates stuns Congress with sharp change of tone - Attack on Iran 'could be devastating for US'

Hardliners Turn on Ahmadinejad for Watching Women Dancers
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, who flaunts his ideological fervour, has been accused of undermining Iran's Islamic revolution after television footage appeared to show him watching a female song and dance show.

Iran v Saudis in Battle of Beirut
World Briefing: Britain and other European countries are now scrabbling to shore up Fouad Siniora's shaky pro-western government in Lebanon, writes Simon Tisdall.

Plane Crash in Tehran Kills Elite Troops
Iran's poor air safety record came under renewed scrutiny today after at least 36 Revolutionary Guards were killed when a military plane burst into flames on takeoff.

Hanging Caught on Video Reveals Iran's Crackdown on Dissidents
On Tuesday the UN General Assembly condemned Iran for human rights abuses and a video - filmed by a Revolutionary Guard, smuggled out by opposition activists and seen by The Observer - is rare evidence of Iran's efforts to quell dissent.

Iranian Actor in Sex Video Scandal Says Ex-fiance Faked Footage
An Iranian actor at the centre of a video sex scandal has spoken for the first time publicly to deny being a collaborator in the now notorious home-made film.

History Be Dammed
Conservationists are opposing an irrigation project they fear could destroy priceless symbols of Iran's pre-Islamic heritage, writes Robert Tait.

Iran's Fundamentalists Push for Segregation on Campus
Religious fundamentalists in Iran are demanding separate university classes for men and women in a drive to impose puritanical Islamic values on the country's campuses.

Bestsellers Banned in New Iranian Censorship Purge
· Publishing industry in crisis as books blacklisted · Minister ends relaxed attitude to western culture

Iranians Outraged As Google Redraws Map
· Video places ancient city in Azerbaijan republic · Users urged to blitz search engine over 'insult'

Ahmadinejad's New Mission: Taming Tehran's Traffic
President takes time off from baiting the west to berate Iran's deadly drivers.

Vice-president Faces Isolation Over Iran and Syria After Key Ally Leaves Pentagon
Donald Rumsfeld's replacement by Robert Gates at the Pentagon could mark the most significant shift in the balance of power inside the Bush administration since it took office nearly six years ago, with consequences for both Iraq and Iran.

Iranian Soap Star Faces Lashing After Sex Tape Made Public
The career of a rising young Iranian actor has been left in tatters by the widespread distribution of a private film showing her having sex.

Iranian Leader Calls for a Baby Boom to Help Defeat West
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has called for a baby boom to almost double the country's population to 120 million and enable it to threaten the west, as he boasted that the country's nuclear capacity had increased "tenfold".

Ahmadinejad Urges Iranian Baby Boom to Challenge West
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has called for a baby boom to almost double the country's population to 120 million and enable it to threaten the west.

Iran Embarks on Anti-smoking Drive
The hubble-bubble, or water pipe, is set to disappear from Iran's traditional restaurants and tea-houses as part of a stringent anti-smoking drive by the government.

Iran Bans Fast Internet to Cut West's Influence
· Service providers told to restrict online speeds · Opponents say move will hamper country's progress

Khatami's Uk Visit to Bring Tirade From Iran
Iran's reformist ex-president Mohammad Khatami is to visit Britain this month in a move that is certain to infuriate hardline supporters of his successor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Khatami's Uk Visit Set to Bring Tirade From Iran
Iran's reformist ex-president Mohammad Khatami is to visit Britain this month in a move certain to infuriate hardline supporters of his successor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

US Steps Up Sanctions Pressure on Iran
The US today added to the pressure for Iran to face international sanctions unless it suspends nuclear enrichment work.

UK to Seek Incremental Sanctions Against Tehran
The British government signalled yesterday the latest round of negotiations with Iran had failed and that it will begin a push within the next fortnight for targeted UN sanctions against Tehran.

Motor Racing: Iranian Female Barred From Defending Title
Female Iranian driver, Laleh Seddigh, known as 'Little Schumacher', has been barred from competing in a rally in Tehran.

Cricket: Irani Fails to Fix It
Roni Irani failed to fix promotion as Worcestershire beat Northamptonshire to overhaul Essex and seal their place in division one.

Actors on an Empty Stage
Every Monday, 70 or so actors turn up at Iraq's National Theatre - a marble monstrosity built during the Iran-Iraq war when Saddam's slogan was 'fight with one hand, build with another' - to sit and chat.

I Love Everyone, Says Smiling Ahmadinejad
It is unconventional for New York press conferences to begin with a recital of the Qur'an, but then the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran is anything but conventional.

Iran Has Called the West's Bluff on the Nuclear Standoff
The US cannot risk imposing stricter sanctions or military action. Fairness is now the only option. By Martin Woollacott

Iranian President Labels Us a Lawbreaker
The intensifying war of words between Iran and the United States reached the floor of the United Nations last night when the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, accused America and Britain of violating international law.

Iran and the Bush Doctrine
If we altered the paradigm by inviting Iran into a partnership against a common enemy in Al Qaeda, we might begin to see the changes in the Middle East we desire: A resolution to the impossible quagmire in Iraq and a resumption of the peace process in the Palestine-Israeli conflict.

In Hours, Kiran Desai Went From Virtual Unknown to Potential Booker Winner
In hours, Kiran Desai went from virtual unknown to potential Booker winner. But having been through it all with her mother, Anita, she is not about to lose her head. By Ed Pilkington

IAEA Says Congress Report on Iran's Nuclear Capacity is Erroneous and Misleading
· Claims about programme are 'unsubstantiated' · Leak shows watchdog detected five major errors

Iran Closes Daily Paper
Iran's most prominent reformist newspaper has been closed down for failing to remove an executive accused of publishing blasphemous articles and insulting officials. By Julia Day.

Iran Offers to Freeze Uranium Enrichment for Eight Weeks
Iran offered to freeze its uranium enrichment programme yesterday for eight weeks in what looked like a successful tactic aimed at delaying consideration of international sanctions.

Iranian President Calls for Purge of Liberal Lecturers
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's outspoken president, fired an ominous warning at the country's educated elites yesterday by calling for a purge of "liberal and secular" academics in the universities.

Dozens Dead in Iranian Air Blaze
Up to 80 people have been killed after a plane caught fire after skidding off an airport runway in Iran's holy city of Mashhad today.

At Least 29 Dead in Iran's Latest Air Disaster
At least 29 people were killed after a plane burst into flames on landing at an airport in north-eastern Iran in the latest in a string of disasters that have prompted mounting concern about the country's air safety record.

Bush Demands Action As Iran Snubs Un
· Tehran ignores deadline to suspend nuclear work · Watchdog's report opens slow process to sanctions

Diary
A great shame, we feel, that Dubya has dismissed out of hand Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's challenge to a live, uncensored and (we imagine) giggle-filled debate on how the world is run. By Jon Henley

Iran Nuclear Response Leak Reveals Demands
The US would have to lift decades-old sanctions against Iran and probably give assurances that it has no policy of regime change towards the Islamic republic to settle Iran's nuclear dispute with the west, according to leaks of the Iranian response.

'Significant Gaps' in American Intelligence on Iran
A congressional report yesterday warned that the US was facing "significant gaps" in its intelligence on Iran that could be as serious as the shortcomings in its prewar knowledge about Iraq, leaving Washington ill-prepared to assess Tehran's military capabilities.

A Cause Without Effects
With the world's eyes on Iran's nuclear ambitions, the deteriorating human rights situation in the country is being forgotten, says Robert Tait.

US Interventions Have Boosted Iran, Says Report
The US-led "war on terror" has bolstered Iran's power and influence in the Middle East, especially over its neighbour and former enemy Iraq, a thinktank said today.

Iran Gives Response to Nuclear Proposals
Fears Tehran will refuse to give up uranium enrichment and concerns about international inspections of its nuclear sites.

Iran Refuses Access to Nuclear Site
Iran was accused today of hampering international officials engaged in inspecting its nuclear facilities.

Cricket: Irani Feasts on Sussex Fare, Again
Pro40: Championship hopefuls Essex won by 30 runs at Hove thanks to Ronnie Irani's third century against Sussex this season.

Iranian Leader Launches Blog Aimed at International Audience
His political approach has become a byword for populism and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad endowed it with a hi-tech dimension by launching his own weblog.

Nuclear Row Boosts Iranian President
World briefing: Simon Tisdall reports from Tehran on the Iranian president's efforts to use the dispute over his country's nuclear activities to distract attention from its economic problems.

Iran Likely to Defy Un on Nuclear Package
· Diplomats say president will oppose concessions · Hard line diverts attention from worsening economy

Outcry After Dissident Dies in Iranian Jail
Iran's treatment of political dissidents came under renewed scrutiny yesterday after a former student leader died in prison after going on hunger strike.

Iran Warns the West: Ignore Us at Your Peril
Tehran predicts summit failure as UN observers die in Israeli airstrike.

Instrumental But Excluded
Iranian diplomats have not been invited to crisis talks on Lebanon despite Tehran's purported key role, says Simon Tisdall.

Iran's Fashion Police Put on a Show of Chadors to Stem West's Cultural Invasion
They are unlikely to grace any catwalk or adorn the figures of supermodels, but the latest in Islamic fashions got top billing from Iran's religious authorities.

Iran Referred to Security Council As Nuclear Row Flares
· Call for sanctions could follow US-led move · Russia and China agree to limited resolution

Iran Urged to Release Philosopher
International pressure is growing on Iran to release a prominent philosopher and writer, Ramin Jahanbegloo, who was arrested two months ago on unspecified charges.

Iran's Jews Learn to Live With Ahmadinejad
Maurice Motamed, Iran's sole Jewish MP, has one of the loneliest jobs in the Middle East. And it's not made any easier by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statements about the Holocaust.

Iran Rejects Us 'pressure' on Nuclear Issue
The US is determined to topple Iran's Islamic government whether or not the crisis over the country's nuclear activities is resolved, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, said today.

Iran Accuses Washington of Using Nuclear Issue As an Excuse to Topple Government
· West's compromise deal labelled 'a sermon' · US accused of 'wanting to set fire to the region'

Iran's Theocracy 'won't Be Toppled From Outside'
When Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unexpectedly won the presidency last year, many Iranians concluded the brief era of tentative reform symbolised by the outgoing president, Mohammad Khatami, was over.

A Year On, Ahmadinejad's Popularity is Soaring
· Iran president favourite to win second term · Nuclear issue and populist strategy boost standing

EU Offers Tehran Last-minute Talks to 'explain' Nuclear Deal
The EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, has made an unexpected private offer of last-minute talks to persuade the Iranian government to accept the west's nuclear package.

EU Offers Iran Last-minute Nuclear Talks
The EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, has made an unexpected private offer of last-minute talks to persuade the Iranian government to accept the west's nuclear package.

Ahmadinejad 'has 70% Approval Rating'
The popularity of Iran's controversial leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is surging almost a year after he unexpectedly won closely contested presidential elections, Iranian officials and western diplomats said on Tuesday.

Bush Wrongfooted As Iran Steps Up International Charm Offensive
Defying US containment efforts, Iran is pursuing its own policy of regional engagement. And to Washington's growing unease, it seems to be working. By Simon Tisdall

US Seen As a Bigger Threat to Peace Than Iran, Worldwide Poll Suggests
· Findings also show fall in support for war on terror · Decline in America's image 'all to do with Iraq'

The Weight of Introspection
The European Union has taken the lead in the Iran crisis but constitutional paralysis means it is still struggling to be a major world player, says Ian Black

The Weight of Self-importance
The European Union has taken the lead in the Iran crisis but constitutional paralysis means it is still struggling to be a major world player, writes Ian Black

This Mouse Could Roar
The European Union has taken on a rare high profile role in the Iranian nuclear crisis but constitutional paralysis means it is still struggling to make its voice heard on the world stage, writes Ian Black

Iran's Football Team Face Mass Protest
Ministers, Jewish campaigners and TV presenter to join demonstration before kick-off today against 'fascist' policies.

Iran Regime Split Over West's Latest Offer
Europe yesterday tried again to settle the three-year nuclear impasse with Iran, offering an ambitious package of rewards to Tehran if it forfeits its right to enrich uranium.

Solana to Offer Iran Rewards
The European Union's foreign policy director, Javier Solana, is to meet Iranian officials today to present a package of rewards and penalties aimed at stopping the country's uranium enrichment programme.

Iran Gives Ground on Us Plan
Tehran officials signal their willingness to talk about nuclear power after Washington's U-turn.

Britain Rules Out Force Against Iran
Military force is not on the agenda in the international impasse over Iran's uranium enrichment programme, Britain said today.

Iran 'could Have Bomb in 10 Years'
Iran could have a nuclear bomb within 10 years, the Bush administration's head of intelligence said today.

If Iran is Ready to Talk, the Us Must Do So Unconditionally
It is absurd to demand that Tehran should have made concessions before sitting down with the Americans. By Jonathan Steele

World Powers Close to Iran Proposal
World powers meeting in Vienna are close to agreeing on a package of incentives and penalties to be presented to Iran over its programme of uranium enrichment.

Rice Calls Iran's Bluff
The Bush administration's offer of face-to-face talks with Iran is a step back from the abyss. While hedged in with caveats and conditions, it represents a significant shift in the US position after a quarter of a century of undeclared warfare with Tehran's post-revolutionary leadership. By Simon Tisdall

US Prepared to Negotiate With Iran
The US today deviated from its hard line on Iran by declaring its readiness to take part in talks if Tehran stopped enriching uranium.

No Let-up Predicted in War Zones
· Torrid year ahead for world hotspots, institute predicts · Iran crisis could spill over into neighbouring states

U-turn By White House As It Blocks Direct Talks With Iran
· Hardening of Bush policy rebuffs Tehran's approach · Move appears to surprise US ambassador to Iraq

Riots Prompt Iran to Close Major Newspaper
The Iranian government has closed one of the country's top three newspapers, detaining its editor and cartoonist, for publishing a caricature that caused members of Iran's Azeri minority to riot in protest.

EU Offers Iran Reactor to Halt Enrichment
· 'Bold' proposal aimed at ending deadlock in talks · Sceptical White House could scupper initiative

The Danger of an Attack on Iran Can No Longer Be Ignored
Ming Campbell has a chance to put the Liberal Democrats centre stage by raising the flag of common sense on the Middle East. By Jackie Ashley

From Derby to Darfur - Beckett's Baptism of Fire
· Foreign secretary back from 36 hours in US · Talks on Iran, Middle East, Africa and human rights

Beckett Cautious on Iran Options
Margaret Beckett, the new foreign secretary, has stopped short of calling an attack on Iran 'inconceivable' in her first public statement on the developing crisis over the state's nuclear ambitions.

US Rejects Iran's First Letter in 27 Years After It Ducks Nuclear Issue
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, sent a letter yesterday to George Bush - the first such communication for 27 years - offering an analysis of global issues and "new ways of getting out of the current delicate situation in the world".

Iran Breaks 27-year Habit to Offer Bush 'new Diplomatic Opening'
· Letter from Ahmadinejad signals change of policy · Blair rules out invasion or nuclear strike

Is Iran Moving Closer To Direct Talks With The US?
World Briefing: Yesterday's letter from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to George Bush, the first such publicly announced communication since the 1979 Iranian revolution, may represent a tentative but significant first step towards direct talks with the US. By Simon Tisdall

The Education of a New Foreign Secretary
Tonight in New York, Margaret Beckett dines with Security Council veto holders - and and Iran will be at the top of the menu. Ian Black reports.

Games, Cock-Fights and Fandangos in the Persian Gulf
The Fifa World Cup begins next month. It's a quadrennial event that grips the entire world in a month-long state of frenzy. But there is a another game going on. Read the chicken trail from 60s nuclear strategist Herman Kahn to present day Iran.

Scathing Nuclear Report As Us Brands Iran Enemy No 1
· Tehran says it 'doesn't give a damn' about inspectors · US and UK lead calls for action as crisis deepens

Iran Delivers Sanctions Warning
Iran will withdraw from all cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency if the UN security council imposes sanctions, Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator warned today.

President Lifts Ban on Women Watching Football in Iran
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has announced that women will be allowed to attend football matches in big stadiums for the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran's Enemy Lies Within
Internal political divisions and economic weaknesses may present a bigger threat to the longevity of the Iranian government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad than the US and Israeli air forces combined, a report published yesterday suggests.

Iranian Group Seeks British Suicide Bombers
Relations between the west and the hardline Iranian regime are set to worsen after a Tehran-based group claimed yesterday it was trying to recruit Iranians and other Muslims in Britain to carry out suicide bombings against Israel.

Iran 'will Cut Off Hands of Aggressors'
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, today threatened to "cut off the hands of any aggressor" if the country was attacked.

Oil Prices Rise Amid Iran Fears
Oil prices remained at record levels today amid rising tension between the US and Iran and concern over Nigerian supplies.

Leaders Call for Calm Over Iran's Nuclear Ambitions
· Pope and UN secretary general urge caution · Senior US figures warn against conflict backlash

So How Close is a Showdown Over Iran?
News of British involvement in a mock invasion of Iran is just the latest step in what seems a slow slide to war. Paul Harris in Washington, Gaby Hinsliff in London and Robert Tait in Tehran report.

No Plan B - So Could the Us Ever Learn to Live With Iran in the Nuclear Club?
The Bush administration has yet to decide on a clear plan B for Iran if diplomacy and sanctions fail to persuade Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. But military planning is progressing to fill that policy vacuum and may create a momentum of its own.

Britain Took Part in Mock Iran Invasion
Pentagon planned for Tehran conflict with war game involving UK troops.

Iran Escapes Un Ban on Caviar Exports
A UN panel has extended the suspension of caviar exports by major producers of the delicacy except Iran, a UN diplomat said.

ElBaradei Backs Iran Negotiations
The president of Iran today said the country would ignore international calls to halt uranium enrichment.

Iran Vows to Continue Uranium Enrichment
The president of Iran today said the country would ignore international calls to halt uranium enrichment.

Bells Ring Out on Day of Rejoicing and Patriotic Pride
Bells rang out in schools across Tehran yesterday in response to an order from Iran's Islamic regime for a day of rejoicing in recognition of its claim to have joined the ranks of the world's nuclear fuel producers.

Straw Voices Concern Over Iran Nuclear Announcement
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, today said he was "seriously concerned" by Iran's announcement that it had successfully enriched uranium for the first time.

Iran Declares: We Are in the Nuclear Club
West surprised by swift and successful enrichment of uranium.

Tehran's Triumphalism Plays Into Hands of Us Hawks
· Iran's defiance will help convince wavering states · Severity of sanctions to depend on report's verdict

Iran Claims Nuclear Breakthrough
Iran "will soon join the club of countries possessing nuclear technology", president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today, after his predecessor claimed the country had successfully enriched uranium for the first time, a vital step in producing nuclear material.

US Plans Strike to Topple Iran Regime - Report
· US 'intent on Iran attack' · Bush accused of 'messianic' mission

Iran's Nuclear Activity
World Briefing: The US has repeatedly declined to rule out military action if coercive diplomacy fails to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear activities. And if the issue at hand is relative US-Iranian military might, it is really no contest, says Simon Tisdall.

Us Encouraged By Tehran's Enemy Within
Increased repression and unrest affecting Iran's numerous ethnic and religious minorities are providing new opportunities for the US as it steps up efforts to destabilise and if possible bring down the hardline Islamic government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. By Simon Tisdall

UN Demands Iran Stops Uranium Enrichment
· IAEA told to report back in 30 days on compliance · Security council makes no mention of sanctions

Straw Rejects Military Action Against Iran
Jack Straw today insisted that military action against Iran would be neither "appropriate or conceivable", as he unveiled the Foreign Office's priorities for the next 10 years.

Iranian Hawk Swoops on Universities to Crush Dissent
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is cracking down on Iran's universities in an effort to crush a student pro-democracy movement and strengthen the hardliners' grip on power.

Iran Releases Dissident Journalist After Six Years
Iran's most famous political dissident, Akbar Ganji, was freed yesterday after six years in captivity for accusing the country's religious leaders of ordering the murder of some of their fiercest critics.

Iran Links Britain to Shooting of 21 Officials
Iran has accused Britain of trying to stir religious and ethnic unrest in its eastern border region after armed rebels ambushed a party of government officials and killed 21.

Back to the Future
Ahmad Abad dispatch: Robert Tait looks back more than fifty years to the last time Iran was referred to the world's official guardian of peace and security.

People
Ian Botham | Kiranjit Ahluwalia | Aishwarya Rai | Miranda Richardson | Naveen Andrews | Rebecca Pidgeon | Nandita Das | Robbie Coltrane | Patricia Hewitt | Michael Boyd | Adriano Shaplin | Sean Buckley | David Greig | Lee Hall | Liz Lockhead | Sarah Phelps | Moira Buffini | Chris Barber | Louis Armstrong | Luigi Dallapiccola

Straw: Iran Nuclear Negotiations Still Open
Any action which the UN security council takes against Iran over the nuclear dispute must be "incremental and reversible", the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, said today.

Judgment Day At The UN
Iran’s been referred to the UN Security Council: Behold the final throes of world bureaucracy at its infinite ineptitude. Folks, two to four weeks of sound and fury signifying nothing—and then all h-e-double toothpicks breaks out . . . somehow all this played out back in 2003—just change the "q" to an "n" and presto, Iraq = Iran, and you’ve won the game of world scrabble!

IRAN'S DAY OF INFAMY...There's a Jackephant in the Room!
Historicists are quick to point out that saber rattling is a biggie between and amongst belligerents prior to the outbreak of hostilities—to say the least: Witness Nazi Germany’s bombasts; and of late, the ever-outrageous remarks between Iran and the US-Israel Alliance; especially, those uttered at the annual AIPAC gathering in D.C.

Iran is Only Months From Bomb Technology, Says Britain
The west's confrontation with Iran over its nuclear activities intensified yesterday after Britain claimed that Tehran could acquire the technological capability to build a bomb by the end of the year.

White House Increases Pressure on Iran
The Bush administration kept up the pressure on Iran yesterday to abandon its nuclear ambitions with ...

Search for Elusive Deal Begins As Un Agency Meets on Iran
· Mixed signals from west on desire for compromise · Tehran's refusal to halt R&D a key sticking point

US Envoy Hints at Strike to Stop Iran
· Bolton says nuclear plant can be 'taken out' · UN agency meets to send report to security council

Iran's Own Eminem Raps for Islam
With his desire to purge Iranian culture of the un-Islamic influence of 'decadent western music', President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad needs all the allies he can get. But now he has support in the unlikely form of Kiarash Alimi, a teenage Iranian musician who has taken up rap to persuade fellow youth their tastes are misguided.

Blaming the British
From cabbies to shahs, most Iranians believe political events can be traced back to English interference, writes Robert Tait.

UN Watchdog Refuses to Give Iran Clean Bill of Health in Nuclear Row
· Aspirations 'not entirely peaceful,' says report · US and EU expected to push for tougher action

Bush's Ports, Iran's Bourse & Messianic Bombings...
Last week, February 2006, saw a national security boondoggle over the UAE-US port takeover; the sacred Shiite Al-Askari Shrine (where the "Hidden Imam" or Moslem Mahdi-Messiah abides) was blown up; and, the Iran-Hamas Financial Alliance was sealed—what a difference a week makes! Let us probe the significance of these interrelated sorties—for each plays an integral part in the apocalyptic drama unfolding before our eyes . . .

Iranian Minister Calls for End to Cartoon Violence
The Iranian foreign minister today called for an end to violent demonstrations over cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad.

Iran Calls on Britain to Withdraw From Basra
· Foreign minister claims troops affecting security · Blair says Tehran is just trying to divert attention

Iran Says Uk Must Withdraw Troops From Basra
The Iranian foreign minister today demanded that Britain pull its troops out of the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE: Peace with Iran
If ever a nation had reason to feel threatened, it is Iran. They have shown patience and restraint while their neighbor was occupied by a world power, whose leader anointed them a charter member of the "axis of evil." If they were inclined to attack us without direct provocation, it is highly probable they would already have done so.

Iran Demands Apology Over German Cartoon
· World Cup jibe heightens Tehran-Berlin tensions · Two killed and buildings ransacked in protests

Iran Resumes Uranium Enrichment
Iran today announced it had resumed small-scale uranium enrichment and said it would defer talks with Russia aimed at ending the crisis until next week.

Thousands Would Die in Us Strikes on Iran, Says Study
· Report warns of effects of American or Israeli strikes · Military operations would mean long confrontation

US Says Iran and Syria Stoking Cartoon Protests
America entered the row over the Muhammad cartoons yesterday accusing Syria and Iran of stoking up protests against the caricatures to suit their own ends.

Beware the Ides of March
There is a clear and present danger of a unilateral US strike against Iran. It will be grossly counterproductive. The Iranians need only retaliate against two or three major oil installations, besides sinking enough tonnage to make the Straits of Hormuz perilous to navigation. Letting loose a tiny armada of floating mines and employing a dirty nuke will precipitate global economic pandemonium.

Iran Taunts West on Security Council Move
· Tehran prohibits surprise inspections of atomic sites · President: 'Our enemies cannot do a damn thing'

A Consumer Society Not Ready for Sanctions
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's provocation of the west has become his trademark and yesterday Iran's hardline president echoed the defiant rhetoric of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, spiritual leader of the country's Islamic revolution, towards America during the 1979-81 Tehran embassy siege.

Iran Faces Un Nuclear Crisis
Tehran defiant over uranium plans as watchdog's referral to Security Council raises the prospect of international sanctions.

Tehran Urged to Agree to 10-year Nuclear Freeze
· Fuel production wait could defuse dispute · Inspectors give Iran 'a window of opportunity'

Iran Nuclear Row Nears 'critical Phase'
The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said today that the dispute with Iran was reaching a "critical phase", but that any referral to the security council would allow a "window of opportunity" to defuse the situation.

'America Wants Iran to Be Dependent on It and Iranians Don't Want That'
Cries of "marg bar Amrika" (death to America) no longer fill the air, but in the shadow of the Den of Spies - formerly known as the US embassy - echoes of an equally atavistic anti-Americanism still resonate.

Iran Nuclear Crisis Sent to Security Council
· Britain and UN allies win compromise agreement · Russia and China in talks in Tehran to defuse row

Iran Papers Reveal 'uranium Warhead Instructions'
· Referral is 'end of diplomacy', says Iran · Russia and China back US and EU line

Iran: Why Sanctions Or Military Force By The U.S. Will Fail
We must not become active militarily nor endorse sanctions upon Iran.

Bombs Kill Eight in City Due to Host Iranian Leader
Eight Iranians were killed and dozens injured by two bombs in Ahvaz, on the day President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been due to visit the south-western city.

Iran Shifts Billions From Banks in Europe Amid Fears of Un Sanctions
· Tehran's nuclear stand-off intensified by transfers · British invite to Afghan talks irks wary Americans

EU Wants Iran Emergency Meeting
Britain, Germany and France are to call for an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency early next month to discuss Iran's nuclear ambitions, the Foreign Office said tonight.

Iran, Russia And China: An Analysis
The current situation in Iran is rapidly becoming untenable. Should we get involved militarily?

Iran Increases Tension With Threat to Block Inspections By Un Watchdog
· Foreign minister offers talks despite hardline · Bush says the time for negotiation has passed

Iran Threatens to End Un Cooperation
The Iranian government today threatened to withdraw cooperation with the UN's nuclear watchdog.

Straw Says Un Referral 'probable' in Nuclear Row
It is "highly probable" that Iran will be referred to the UN security council over the breaking of International Atomic Energy Agency seals at its nuclear research facilities, the foreign secretary said today.

Confusion on the Streets, Solidarity in the Regime As Iran Chooses Brinkmanship
White House steps up pressure as Blair predicts referral to UN security council.

US Warns Iran As Nuclear Row Escalates
The White House warned Iran yesterday that it risked a "serious escalation" in its nuclear standoff with the UN and the west after Tehran broke the seals on equipment at its uranium enrichment facility.

Tough Response May Seem Inevitable But Could Play Into Tehran's Hands
Iran's hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has been spoiling for a fight since he was elected last summer. Now it looks as though he has got one, as the US, Britain and EU allies prepared yesterday to refer Iran's nuclear activities to the UN security council for possible punitive sanctions.

Iran Scuppers Deal With West on Uranium Tests
· Tehran officials refuse to meet atomic agency · Rice warns time is running out to avoid UN censure

Secret Services Say Iran is Trying to Assemble a Nuclear Missile
Document seen by Guardian details web of front companies and middlemen.

Bearing the Cross
Christian believers in Iran face constant surveillance by the Islamic republic, writes Robert Tait.

Iran Declares Ban on Western Music
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has banned western music from state radio and TV stations, it was announced today.

Gulf States Show Concern at Iran's Nuclear Plans
Gulf Arab leaders yesterday discussed turning the Middle East into a nuclear-free zone amid growing unease over Iran's nuclear intentions.

Iran's Fishermen Struggle Under Caviar Boycott
· US embargo on prized Caspian export · Sturgeon stocks dwindle as black market flourishes

Iran's President Forced to Compromise on Oil Chief
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's president, finally cleared an important political hurdle yesterday when MPs approved his fourth choice as oil minister - the plum post in his cabinet.

Anger in Iran As Calls Grow for Air Crash Answers
· Grieving families identify victims as toll rises to 116 · Military deny ageing plane was forced to fly

Iranian Military Plane Crash Kills 100
More than 100 people were killed yesterday when an Iranian military plane carrying scores of journalists hit a 10-storey block of flats in Tehran.

128 Killed As Plane Hits Tehran Flats
At least 111 people were killed today when an Iranian military transport plane crashed into a 10-storey block of flats in Tehran.

111 Killed As Plane Hits Tehran Flats
At least 111 people were killed today when an Iranian military transport plane crashed into a 10-storey block of flats in Tehran. The official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said the C-130 Hercules had been attempting to make an emergency landing at Mehrabad airport, to the south of...

Timeline: Iranian Air Disasters
Chronology of major air crashes involving Iran in the last 20 years.

Iran Plans New Nuclear Reactor
Iran is to build a second nuclear reactor to match the plant currently under construction in the coastal city of Bushehr, state television reported today. The decision came after a meeting of the country's cabinet and president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last night. The reactor has...

Ahmadinejad Faces Crisis As Mps Reject Oil Nominee
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was propelled into a crisis yesterday after MPs rejected his third nominee as oil minister, the most strategically sensitive post in his government.

Polemic and Purges Pile Up Troubles for Iran's Leader
President stirs resentment at highest levels and on the streets of Iran.

Iran in Turmoil As President's Purge Deepens
Iran is facing political paralysis as its newly elected president purges government institutions, bringing accusations that he is undertaking a coup d'état.

'Hostage' Britons Freed By Iran
· Couple tell of arrest off disputed Gulf island · Interrogated as possible spies, released and reheld.

Iran Offered Nuclear Power Deal
The European Union and the US have offered Iran a compromise over the use of enriched uranium to generate electricity in its nuclear power stations, senior diplomats said today.

Setback for President Over Oil Ministry Post
Iran appeared to be entering a period of potentially damaging political uncertainty yesterday after the president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was forced to withdraw his nomination to head the oil ministry.

The Rash Revolutionary
The cavalier approach of Iran's president has set his country on a dangerous and unpredictable course, writes Robert Tait.

Iran Sacks 40 Diplomats As Foreign Policy Hardens
· President likely to replace envoys with supporters · Nuclear plant to resume uranium processing

Iran's London Envoy Sacked As President Purges Officials
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has embarked on a purge of senior Iranian diplomats, with the ambassador to London among his first victims.

Iran Backs Away From President
Under massive international condemnation, Iran moved rapidly to explain that its president's call for Israel to be 'wiped off the map' should in no way be taken as a threat of violence.

Iran Faces Up to Its Most Lethal Threat - Drugs
One in 17 people are addicted, but groups such as Narcotics Anonymous are fighting back.

Iran's Heritage Deserves Respect From America and Europe
The greatness that was Persia continues to endure through the repeated turmoil of the Middle East.

Military Action Against Iran 'inconceivable', Says Straw
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, today said military action against Iran was "inconceivable".

Iran Hits Back Over Un Nuclear Censure
Iran threatened yesterday to curb UN inspections of its nuclear projects in retaliation for the decision by the UN nuclear watchdog to take the nuclear dispute to the security council in New York.

Iran to Rebuild Spectacular Tent City at Persepolis
After dismissing it as a disgrace, Islamic rulers to recreate party venue.

European Leaders Hold Nuclear Talks With Iran
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany are meeting the new Iranian president today in an attempt to avoid referring Iran to the UN security council over its nuclear activities.

Iran Could Make Nuclear Bomb 'within Five Years'
Iran could develop nuclear bomb-making capability within five years, but a longer timeframe is more likely, a leading thinktank said today. A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies found that international political opposition to Tehran pushing ahead with its nuclear...

Iran Under Growing Pressure to Halt Nuclear Projects
The chief of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, criticised Iran last night for persistently failing to disclose details of its nuclear projects.

Setback for Iranian President As Nominee Ministers Rejected
Iran's new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, suffered his first political setback last night when the conservative-dominated parliament rejected four of his proposed cabinet ministers, including the nominee for the strategically vital oil portfolio.

Iran is Building Secret Nuclear Components, Says Rebel Group
Iranian opposition activists said yesterday that Tehran was rushing to build nuclear components in breach of its commitments to the UN.

Iranian President Appoints Hardline New Cabinet
Iran's new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, yesterday signalled a sharp move towards ultra-Islamist policies and a readiness to confront the west by naming a hardline cabinet.

Iranian Stand-off Pushes Oil to Fresh High
Refinery problems add to pressure as petrol threatens to hit £1 a litre.

IAEA Orders Iran to Halt Uranium Enrichment
Tehran defiant as UN's nuclear body reluctantly issues statement.

Iran Urged to Re-suspend Uranium Enrichment
A draft resolution calling for Iran to resume full suspension of its uranium enrichment activities was submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency today. The draft - drawn up by Britain, France and Germany - asks the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, to confirm Tehran's agreement...

Iran 'has Made 4,000 Centrifuges'
Iran has secretly manufactured around 4,000 centrifuges capable of weapons grade uranium enrichment - 25 times the quantity it has admitted to the UN, it was claimed today.

Europe Offers Iran Deal to End Nuclear Showdown
The main European powers yesterday called an emergency meeting of the UN's nuclear authority to try to chart a way out of an escalating crisis with Iran over its nuclear ambitions.

Europe Offers Iran Nuclear Incentives
A package of European proposals reportedly offering incentives in return for Iran's commitment not to develop nuclear bombs was handed over to Tehran today. But there were fears the negotiations were on the point of collapse after Iranian officials indicated that their initial assessment...

Iran Sends in Troops to Crush Border Unrest
The Iranian government has deployed large numbers of troops in cities in the northwestern region which borders Iraq in an effort to quell three weeks of civil unrest that has left up to 20 people dead and more than 300 wounded, according to reports from dissident groups.

EU Warns Iran: No Talks If Nuclear Freeze Ends
Issue will be taken to UN security council, Tehran told.

Iran Defies Eu to Resume Nuclear Activity
Iran said this afternoon that it had begun work at a uranium conversion plant despite warnings from the European Union that doing so could risk international sanctions being imposed.

Iran Threatens to Restart Nuclear Activity
Britain, France and Germany ask for week's grace as Tehran claims it has offer of non-aggression deal.

Iranian Reformists Fear Era of Repression
Police attack peaceful protesters as hardline president prepares to take power.

Millwall v Iran Match Likely to Be Called Off Amid Fears of Racist Attacks
A soccer match between the Iranian national team and Millwall is almost certain to be cancelled today because the organisers fear the game will be targeted by far right extremists.

Iran's Nuclear Talks in Doubt
The future of Iran's nuclear talks with the EU was in doubt yesterday amid reports that the country's top nuclear negotiator had quit.

Kurd Murder Claim Against Iran Leader
Tehran denies new allegations about hardline president-elect.

A Humble Beginning Helped to Form Iran's New Hard Man
Ahmadinejad has tasted the poverty he wants to eradicate.

Shock As Iran Elects Hardline President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad becomes the president elect of Iran, basking in an electoral landslide few had foreseen.

...Behold: THE PRINCE OF PERSIA....The War in Iran has begun!
A witch’s brew: The mixture of religion and politics. That’s precisely what this article has done! The Coalition of the Willing’s incursion into Iraq in early 2003 were under girded by the Religious Right in America . . . to dismiss this same enthusiasm for war with Iran is absurd: Theologically, what's going on here?

Fraud Claims Mar Iranian Poll Run-off
The head of the central electoral committee called on Tehran's provincial governor to suspend balloting amid claims of violations and abuses.

Iranian Revolutionary Faces Biggest Test
Former inmate Akbar Rafsanjani will enter a presidential run-off against a surprise conservative opponent who has the backing of the regime's hardline religious hierarchy.

Hardline Iran Hails a Devout Working Class Hero
Religious conservatives rally round the unexpectedly successful presidential candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, despite allegations of dirty tricks.

Partial Recount in Iranian Election
The Iranian authorities today ordered a partial recount of votes in the country's close presidential election and stopped the publication of a reformist newspaper.

Iran Poll Challenger Accused of Ballot Fraud
Iran's presidential election was thrown into uncharted territory yesterday after a hardline candidate who unexpectedly won his way into a run-off vote was accused of ballot-rigging.

Hardliner Enters Iran Poll Showdown
Rafsanjani in head-to-head race against little-known presidential candidate.

Cries for Freedom Amid Violence As Iranians Vote for President
A stream of Iranians, many chorusing a demand for greater freedom, voted yesterday in a presidential election marred by violence and dismissed by the US as unfair.

Why Iran's Clerics Fear This Election
The choice of candidates today is wider than in any Arab country. Jonathan Steele

Iran Poll 'marred By Dirty Tricks'
Iran's outgoing reformist president, Mohammed Khatami, warned yesterday that the country's presidential election was being undermined by orchestrated dirty tricks as voters prepared to choose his replacement.

Iran's Tea Industry Drains Away As Smugglers Vie for a Share of the Pot
It was smuggled to Iran in secret, from under the nose of the British establishment in India. But now the country's tea industry is deep in trouble and the verdant gardens that once sustained millions of farmers and their workers are used only for grazing sheep.

Reformist Challenger Threatens to Pull Out Over Iranian Poll Violence
The leading reformist candidate in Iran's presidential election has threatened to pull out in protest at violent attacks on his supporters by religious extremists.

Election Fears As Bombs Kill Nine in Iran
Attacks in Tehran and volatile Arab province appear to be aimed at disrupting presidential poll.

Iran Liberals Beaten Up As Poll Nears
Vigilantes let off the leash as religious conservatives show thuggish determination to remain in power.

Iranian Women Kick Out Against Football Ban
With the red, white and green tricolour of the Iranian flag draped around her shoulders, Niloofar Ardalan appeared to be in her element as she cheered on the national football team as it battled to reach next year's World Cup.

Iran Forward Not Back
New Labour's campaigning methods have been adopted in some surprising quarters, writes Robert Tait.

Iran Reverses Ban on Reformist Candidates
Iran's hardline council of guardians today reversed its ban on two reformist candidates seeking to stand in the country's presidential election.

Voter Fury Threatens Iranian Election
With polling a month away, those in Tehran's conservative bazaar now reject the whole system.

Europe on Alert Over Iran Nuclear Ambitions
European powers are poised to call an emergency meeting of the board of the UN's nuclear watchdog after an escalating dispute with Iran about its nuclear projects.

Iran to Resume 'some Nuclear Activities'
Iran today said it would resume some nuclear activities, raising the possibility that the country would be brought before the UN security council on the grounds of nuclear proliferation.

Iran Bans Arab Tv Station After Riots
Iran has closed the Tehran office of al-Jazeera television and suspended its activities in the country after accusing the Arabic-language channel of stirring up ethnic unrest.

Iran Closes Al-jazeera Offices
The Iranian authorities have shut down the Tehran offices of al-Jazeera, accusing the broadcaster of inflaming ethnic riots in the south of the country. By Stephen Brook.

Iran Agrees Fresh Nuclear Talks
The Iranian government decided to enter into a fresh round of negotiations with Britain, France and Germany next month, aimed at resolving the nuclear stand-off, after a meeting with British, French and German officials in Paris yesterday.

US in Dark on Iran's Wmd, Says Inquiry
A presidential commission has found that US intelligence on Iran is so patchy that it is impossible to reach definite conclusions about the country's suspected weapons programmes, it was reported yesterday.

EU Sways Bush Towards Softer Line on Iran
President George Bush declared yesterday that the US and Europe were 'united' in their determination to prevent Iran becoming a nuclear power and for the first time suggested that the Europeans could negotiate with Iran on behalf of the Americans.

Bush and Schröder Unite on Iran
German chancellor says rift over Iraq is in the past as 'two old guys' go out of their way to make peace.

Bush: Talk of Strike on Iran is Ridiculous
Europe's fears about an imminent military strike against Iran are "simply ridiculous", the US president, George Bush, declared last night, using blunt language to allay widespread concern about another unilateral attack by the US.

Iran and Syria Confront Us With Defence Pact
Iran and Syria heightened tension across the Middle East and directly confronted the Bush administration yesterday by declaring they had formed a mutual self-defence pact to confront the "threats" now facing them.

Iran Row Clouds Defence Summit
US and Europe fail to agree 'war on terror' tactics.

A nuclear Iran is not the problem
Peter Preston: Whatever happened to the theory of mutually assured destruction?

Iran Vows Retaliation If Attacked
Iran will retaliate if the United States or Israel attacks its nuclear facilities and will accelerate its drive to master the technology, reports said today.

Iran and Syria Hit Back at Bush
President's vow to target Tehran and Damascus in push for peace and democracy causes anger and fear in region.

Bush Warns Syria and Iran Over Terror
President George Bush last night issued clear warnings to Syria and Iran that they were next in his sights in his declared mission to spread democracy around the world.

Bush Defuses Iran Strike Fears
President emphasises need for negotiation.

US Jets 'flying Over Iran to Spot Potential Targets'
The US is increasing the pressure on Iran by sending military planes into its airspace to test the country's defences and spot potential targets, according to an intelligence source in Washington.

Now Us Ponders Attack on Iran
Hardliners in Pentagon ready to neutralise 'nuclear threat' posed by mullahs.

Iranian Hardliners Aim to Ban West's Advertising Icons
The Iranian parliament has taken the first steps towards banning advertisements for imported goods as part of a campaign against foreign cultural influence, newspapers in Tehran said yesterday.

Dam is Threat to Iran's Heritage
Unesco appeals for help as ancient sites face being flooded. More than 100 of Iran's potentially most important but least examined archaeological sites, including fringes of Pasargadae, the city built by King Cyrus the Great, will be...

Iran Agrees to Uranium Freeze
Iran yielded to western pressure yesterday to freeze its uranium enrichment programme, but only after several days of confrontation with the EU.

Iran Freezes Uranium Activities
Iran yesterday moved to avoid a showdown with the west over its contested nuclear activities by freezing all operations connected with the enrichment of uranium into nuclear fuel.

Downing St Welcomes Iran Nuclear Move
Downing Street today gave a cautious welcome to Iran's announcement that it has suspended its uranium enrichment programme.

Watchdog Welcomes Iran Nuclear Move
The head of the world nuclear watchdog today welcomed Iran's promise to suspend uranium enrichment in the hope of allaying fears that it wants to make a nuclear bomb.

Pentagon Turns Heat Up on Iran
Washington and European Union on collision course over how to neutralise Tehran's nuclear capabilities.

Fresh Suspicion Over Iran's Nuclear Aims
A breakthrough deal between Iran and the EU aimed at defusing an international crisis over Tehran's alleged nuclear ambitions was thrown into uncertainty last night when diplomats said Iran was rushing to process feed material for the manufacture of bomb-grade uranium.

Iran Bows to Eu Pressure to Freeze Uranium Programme
Iran announced last night that it was freezing all operations connected with uranium enrichment in a diplomatic victory for the European Union and a move that should spare Tehran being sent to the UN security council. In a letter to the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy...

Iran's Hardliners Push Ahead With Uranium Enrichment
Iranian hardliners escalated the war of nerves with the west over nuclear bomb materials yesterday, introducing a fast-track bill that would pledge the regime to push ahead with uranium enrichment. On the eve of crucial talks in Vienna today between Iran and the EU on how to defuse the...

Defiant Iran Starts Uranium Processing
Iran announced yesterday that it had resumed producing a uranium gas for enrichment as a nuclear fuel, three days after the International Atomic Energy Agency told it to freeze all operations connected with uranium enrichment or face possible retaliation. The announcement suggested a...

Iran Begins Uranium Conversion
Iran today defied international calls for it to end fuel manufacture, announcing that it had begun preparing uranium ore for enrichment. Gholamreza Aghazadeh, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, said the country - which maintains it has no military ambitions for its nuclear...

West Sets Deadline for Iran to Freeze Uranium Enrichment
Four western countries set the scene yesterday for a showdown with Iran by demanding that it freeze its uranium enrichment activities immediately. The US, Britain, France and Germany agreed on a form of words at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, which threatened tough...

UK Sets Iran Deadline to End Nuclear Bomb Work
The British government yesterday set a November ultimatum for Iran to suspend all activities linked to production of a nuclear bomb - a deadline that effectively marks the failure of more than a year of negotiations.

Lawyer to Pursue Iran Jail Killer
A lawyer for the family of a journalist who died in custody in Tehran threatened international legal action yesterday after an Iranian court failed to identify the killer.

Iran Faces Retaliation Over Boats
Britain is considering retaliating against Iran unless it "clarifies" the seizure of eight servicemen last week. A government source said that, if the Iranians did admit forcing them into Iranian waters, "they could expect a reaction". The Foreign Office could call in the Iranian...

Iran Frees Eight British Sailors
Eight British sailors and marines spent last night in the British embassy in Tehran after being released from detention in what appeared to be a victory for Iran's moderates. Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, said the men were in good spirits and being well cared for. "At least now we...

Iran to Free Uk Sailors
The eight British sailors and marines detained in Iran are expected to be freed today, the Foreign Office said after talks on their release were suspended late yesterday. "The Iranians have said the guys are going to be released. It is that given the time there - it is three and a half...

Iran Parades Captured and Blindfolded Sailors on Tv
The government's attempts to resolve a deepening diplomatic row with Iran over the capture of British sailors and marines were poised on a knife edge last night.

Iran to 'prosecute British Sailors'
Eight British sailors held by Iran for crossing into its territorial waters are to face prosecution, I Iranian state-run television reported today. Showing what it said was footage of the detained men after questioning, al-Alam television said they had confessed to being a kilometre...

Iran Seizes Navy Boats
Diplomats in urgent talks to free sailors and marines.

Chalabi Accused of Spy Codes Tip-off to Iran
FBI inquiry focuses on Pentagon officials as Iraqi National Congress leader denies warning Tehran that US was intercepting messages.

Chalabi 'tipped Off Iran About Spy Codes'
The controversial Iraqi politician Ahmad Chalabi, a former favourite of the Pentagon who has recently fallen out with Washington, was today embroiled in allegations that he tipped off Tehran that US agents had cracked the secret codes of its intelligence service. CBS News was the first to...

Iranian Diplomat Murdered in Baghdad
· Tehran sends mediator to al-Sadr
· 3 Japanese hostages freed
· Russia begins evacuation

Welcome to Tirana, Europe's Pollution Capital
Crisis point reached as Albania's environment pays the price of freedom.

Showdown Looms As Iran Bars Nuclear Inspections
International concern about Iran's suspect nuclear projects deepened last night when Tehran barred the International Atomic Energy Agency's nuclear inspectors.

UN Atomic Energy Agency Puts Heat on Iran
Angry Tehran to resume uranium enrichment as Washington wins more allies against 'secret bomb' programme.

Iran's Nuclear Policy Divides Diplomats
European and US diplomats struggled to find a common response to Iran's nuclear policies at the weekend before an important meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. The IAEA's 35-member board will be called into session today to grapple with the latest findings of...

Iran Tries to Remove Itself From Nuclear Agenda
European and US diplomats struggled to find a common response to Iran's nuclear policies at the weekend before an important meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. The IAEA's 35-member board will be called into session today to grapple with the latest findings of...

What They Said About the Iranian Elections
... the Iranian elections. Iran's religious conservatives have regained control of parliament, following Sunday's controversial elections.

Khamenei Calls on Iranians to Vote
Iran's hardline government was harnessing the power of the state media to convince citizens to turn out and vote in national elections today in an effort to drown out calls by the reformist opposition for a boycott of the polls. A landslide win in elections four years ago gave reformists...

Iranian Train Death Toll Rises to 320
Emergency workers continued to remove bodies today from the wreckage of the train carriages that derailed and exploded in Neyshabur, Iran, as the toll from the disaster rose to 320, with 460 injured. Flames from the toxic blast were finally extinguished early today, allowing bulldozers...

Iranian Train Death Toll Rises to 309
Emergency workers were today continuing to remove bodies from the wreckage of the train carriages that yesterday derailed and exploded in Neyshabur, Iran, as the toll from the disaster rose to 309, with 460 injured. Flames from the toxic blast were finally extinguished in the early hours...

Scores Dead in Iranian Train Blast
Many people were killed when train carriages carrying industrial chemicals derailed and exploded in Iran today, causing widespread devastation in five villages, according to reports. There was some confusion about the number of fatalities, which included senior officials from the...

Scores Dead in Iran Train Blast
Many people were killed today when train carriages carrying industrial chemicals derailed and exploded in Iran, causing widespread devastation in five villages. There was some confusion about the numbers of fatalities, with reports ranging from 60 to more than 200. State television put...

'200 Die' in Train Explosion in Iran
More than 200 people were feared killed today when train carriages carrying industrial chemicals derailed and exploded in Iran, reportedly "destroying" five villages. Around 50 carriages carrying petrol, fertiliser and sulphur products were waiting at a train station in the city of...

200 Die in Iran Train Explosion
More than 200 people were killed when gasoline wagons on a train in north-east Iran exploded today, according to reports from the state-run Islamic Republic news agency. Around 300 people were also believed to have been injured when runaway rail wagons loaded with sulphur, petrol,...

Europe's Nuclear Deal With Iran Faces Collapse
A European agreement with Tehran aimed at settling the Iranian nuclear crisis and hailed as a breakthrough last year is now deadlocked and in danger of collapse. Senior officials from Britain, Germany and France went to Vienna last week to negotiate with the Iranians and with Mohamed...

Iran Will Dump Democracy
Washington looks ready to strike a bargain with the rump republic. The tattered double act that has been Iranian politics in recent years is finally shuffling off the stage, and nobody knows what will follow.

Halliburton Faces Iran Inquiry
Halliburton, the company formerly run by Dick Cheney, the US vice-president, was last night facing another investigation, this time over possible business dealings with Iran. The oil services company said it had received a letter from the US treasury department, informing it that an...

Iranian Plane Crash Kills 43
An Iranian airliner crashed in the United Arab Emirates today, killing 43 of the 46 people on board. The Kish Airline plane, a 50-seater Fokker-50, went down in flames as it flew into Sharjah airport from the Iranian island of Kish. Ghanem al-Hajiri, the director general of...

Britart Goes to Iran
Bare bones will be the only exposed human body parts on show when the first exhibition of contemporary British art opens in Iran next month. Although the exhibition takes British art in the 20th century - from Henry Moore to Damien Hirst - as its theme, the British Council has selected...

Iranian Mps Resign En Masse
Many Iranian cabinet ministers and other senior officials have tendered their resignations over hardliners' disqualification of parliamentary candidates, the Iranian vice-president said today, warning that the country's entire reformist government was ready to quit over the affair. "A...

Iran Mps Hold Sit-in Over Election Ban
Iran was on course last night for what could be the final showdown between its conservative Islamic leaders and the forces of reform. Around 70 members of the pro-reform groups, who have a majority in parliament, were holding an all-night sit-in in the building after a committee...

Iran and Egypt to Resume Ties
Iran and Egypt are set to resume full diplomatic ties after 25 years, Iran's vice-president, Mohammed Ali Abtahi, said yesterday. His remarks came hours after Tehran city council removed one of the last obstacles to normality by changing the name of a street which had honoured the man who...

Small Us Hospital Makes Big Impact on Iran
James Astill reports on the opening of an American field hospital in Bam.

Bush Signals Softer Line on Iran
The United States yesterday signalled a dramatic shift in its attitude towards Iran, a country previously branded by President George Bush as part of an "axis of evil". Mr Bush is willing to open a dialogue with the Islamic republic but would like to see some gesture in return, a senior...

Iran Acepts Nuclear Inspections
Iran ended months of stalling over nuclear transparency yesterday by signing an agreement in Vienna opening its nuclear facilities to instant scrutiny by United Nations inspectors. Western countries hope that Tehran's signature on the accord at the International Atomic Energy Agency in...

Tourists Held for Ransom in Iran
Three European tourists have been kidnapped in a southeastern province of Iran plagued by rampant drug smuggling, western and Iranian officials said yesterday. Two Germans and an Irish citizen were on a cycling trip in the Sistan-Baluchistan province when they were abducted, a western...

Americans Attack Eu Leniency on Iran
The US staged a bitter attack on leading European nations and the UN's nuclear watchdog yesterday over their reluctance to declare Iran in breach of its international nuclear obligations. At a board meeting of the UN's international atomic energy agency in Vienna, the US ambassador,...

Iran's Nuclear Secrets Split Eu and Us
The US and the European Union were deeply divided last night over how to respond to Iran's record of nuclear concealment.

US and Europe Clash Over Iran
Europe and the US clashed last night when Washington said publicly that it disagreed with the EU's position on the nuclear threat posed by Iran. Colin Powell, the US secretary of state, who joined President George Bush in London last night at the start of the state visit to Britain, had...

Iran's Security Chief Aims to Head Off Nuclear Crisis
Iran's national security chief is expected in Vienna today to try to defuse the crisis over Tehran's suspected nuclear bomb project.

The West Must Keep the Promises Made to Iran
The nuclear threat won't go away until security issues are dealt with. The Iranians were proud of the little reactor they started up in the mid-1960s at their Institute for Nuclear Energy near Tehran.

EU Ministers Put Pressure on Iran
Straw in joint mission with French and German counterparts to secure nuclear agreement with Tehran.

US and Iran in secret peace talks
Secret 'back-door' diplomacy involving some of the Middle East's most influential figures has led to unexpected signals of a rapprochement between America and Iran despite angry public rhetoric on both sides.

Iran Woman Awaits Execution
An Iranian woman is about to be executed for killing a police chief who allegedly tried to rape her, Amnesty International said yesterday. Afsaneh Nouroozi, 32, was reportedly arrested six years ago after killing the head of police intelligence in Kish, southern Iran. At her...

Europeans fail to end Iranian nuclear crisis
Britain, France and Germany have made an unsuccessful attempt to encourage Iran to comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency rules and curb its nuclear ambitions by offering to share their nuclear technology.

US blacklists Russian arms firm selling to Iran
The US has accused Russia of selling an advanced weapon to Iran and imposed sanctions on the state company involved.

Iran says it will stick to nuclear treaty
Iran declared yesterday it was fully committed to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and appeared to rule out breaking off cooperation with UN inspectors.

Gunfire at embassy in Iran
The British embassy in Tehran condemned Iranian officials for failing to provide adequate security after its offices came under gunfire yesterday for the second time in a week.

Britain Rebukes Iran Over Embassy Gunfire
Britain "protested strongly" to Iran today for not protecting its embassy in Tehran, after shots were fired at the building for the second time in a week. Diplomats said three or four shots were fired at the embassy overnight. In a similar incident last Wednesday, the embassy was...

UN Nuclear Chief Hits Out at Iran
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammed ElBaradei, voiced exasperation with Iran yesterday and condemed its attempts to obstruct inspections. He told the agency's board in Vienna that the information given to its inspectors on five recent visits to Iran was piecemeal...

Iran 'has Nuclear Bomb Project'
Atomic energy inspectors' findings stoke suspicion and put Tehran at top of agenda.

Shots Fired at Uk Embassy As Iranian Row Worsens
The British embassy in Tehran came under gunfire yesterday amid mounting anger among Iran's clerical leaders at the arrest of an Iranian diplomat who faces extradition proceedings in a London court. Five bullets fired from the street struck the second-storey windows of the embassy's main...

Iran's Ambassador Quits London
Relations sour over diplomat's arrest and nuclear plans.

Iran Faces Showdown on Nuclear Secrets
In a report due out today that is likely to trigger a showdown over sanctions, the UN's nuclear watchdog has demanded Iran urgently explain evidence that it may have secretly enriched uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirms in its report that it detected highly...

Iran threatens UK over arrest of ex-ambassador
Iran threatened "strong action" and demanded an apology from Britain yesterday over the arrest of a former Iranian ambassador to Argentina who faces possible extradition in connection with a bombing in Buenos Aires.

Eight die in Iranian border riot
Eight people were killed and dozens injured in riots in central Iran on Saturday, which the state media said were caused by a dispute about a proposed new boundary which would put parts of the city of Semirom under the municipal control of a neighbouring city, Shahreza.

Iran's leader admits reforms have stalled
The Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, acknowledged yesterday that his attempts to introduce democratic reform have largely failed, but he said he would keep pushing for change.

Make Iran Next, Says Ayatollah's Grandson
Khomeini calls US freedom the 'best in the world' from base in occupied Baghdad. Sayyid Hussein Khomeini is sitting cross-legged on a sofa inside a garish palm-fringed mansion nestled on the banks of the Tigris.

Iran's hardliners step up arrests of activists
Iran's hardline clergy has begun arresting and interrogating journalists, students and political activists in a new attempt to intimidate opposition before next year's parliamentary elections.

Bush in New Threat to Iran and Syria
President George Bush issued a strident new warning to Iran and Syria yesterday, accusing them of harbouring terrorists and hinting at the consequences.

Journalist murdered, Iran admits
The Iranian vice-president for legal affairs, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, admitted yesterday that a Canadian photojournalist was beaten to death after being arrested last month, contradicting an earlier official statement that she died of a stroke.

Inquiry after journalist dies in Iran
The Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, yesterday ordered an urgent investigation into the death of a Canadian photojournalist who died in custody after being arrested for taking photos of a notorious prison.

President of Iran offers to resign in reform row
Iran's President Mohammad Khatami, facing rising public anger over the pace of democratic reform, said yesterday he was prepared to resign if the people willed it.

Iranian students held after calling off rally
Hundreds of Iranian hardline Islamic vigilantes, police and pro-democracy youths fought three-sided running street battles near Tehran University yesterday on the anniversary of the 1999 student unrest.

Iran acts to stop anniversary student protest
The Iranian government is taking action to pre-empt possible unrest tonight on the eve of the anniversary of a crackdown on student protests by banning rallies and jamming satellite broadcasts from exiles in the US.

US TV stirs up Iran's young rebels
The United States will beam a Farsi-language television news programme into Iran tonight, the latest in the propaganda war to create discontent among an alienated younger generation.

Whoever Can Play the Us Card in Iran Wins the Game
The real question is whether to strike a deal with the Tehran regime. Next week, on the fourth anniversary of student protests in Tehran which ended with many injured and at least one dead, thousands of demonstrators are expected to burst on to the streets of the Iranian capital.

Iranians Detained in Paris Raids
Iranian opposition figures and western diplomats were taken aback yesterday by a huge crackdown in France on a principal pillar of the opposition to the Tehran regime. More than 1,300 police officers raided 13 addresses in the Paris region early yesterday in what the interior ministry...

UN Watchdog Presses Iran on Nuclear Inspections
Even Russia now fears Tehran is on the way to an independent ability to make a bomb.

Iran 'actively Developing Nuclear Bomb' Says Rumsfeld
US piles pressure on Tehran, where students are protesting on the streets and women embracing secular freedoms.

Iranian Hawks Feed on Us Anger
The blossom has fallen from the trees in the parks of northern Tehran. Soon the snow-capped Elborz mountains will be difficult to see through the haze of heat and exhaust that hangs over the seething capital through the torrid summer months. This year Iranians will be feeling the heat in...

Russia invites US to build Iran's nuclear reactor
Russia tried to ease tensions with the US over Iran yesterday, by offering to let America share in the construction of a nuclear reactor.

Britain warns Iran over terror links
Tony Blair yesterday hardened his position on Iran as he openly warned the regime against interfering in Iraq and told it to end its support for terrorist groups.

Pentagon adds to despair of Iran's reformers
The Pentagon's pronouncement that it would seek to "destabilise" Iran's Islamic republic has given the country's clerics ammunition to portray their liberal opponents as traitors. Hardly a day passes without warnings in the official press against reformists accused of sowing divisions.

US halts Iran talks over terror claim
The United States says it has suspended tentative diplomatic discussions with Iran over allegations that Tehran has failed to take action against members of the al-Qaida network based in Iran.

Iranians Enriching Uranium, Us Says
The Bush administration is calling for the UN's nuclear agency to declare Iran in violation of the non-proliferation treaty amid suspicions that it is secretly enriching uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is due to issue a report next month on Iranian compliance...

Iran furious at ceasefire deal with terror group
Iran expressed outrage yesterday at a US ceasefire agreement with an Iranian resistance group based in Iraq that has been named by Washington as a terrorist organisation.

Iranian MP to face court over prison claims
A reformist MP faced the threat of arrest yesterday after judicial authorities accused him of undermining Iran's national interests by informing UN human rights monitors about alleged abuses of political prisoners.

US Accuses Iran of Stirring Up Protests
The US demonstrated its unease at the level of anti-American protests in Iraq yesterday when it accused Iran of fomenting trouble among the country's majority Shia Muslims. Jay Garner, the retired general appointed by George Bush to run Iraq in the interim, admitted that the level of...

Iran attacks US and braces for nuclear dispute
The Iranian president Mohammad Khatami yesterday lashed out at America for its aggressive stance, stating that Tehran would not recognise a US-installed administration in Iraq and warning Iran would support Syria were it attacked.

Iran lays claim to find of 200 bodies
An Iranian general says the remains of about 200 people found by British troops at the weekend near the southern Iraqi city of Basra are those of Iranian soldiers killed during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq conflict and should be repatriated immediately, a Tehran newspaper reported yesterday.

Trucks Smashes Into Uk's Iranian Embassy
A truck crashed into the gates of the British embassy in Tehran tonight, bursting into flames and killing its driver. It was not immediately clear if it was a terrorist attack. Colonel Ali Ahmadi of the Iranian police said the crash, which happened at around 10.15 pm (1945 BST), ...

Russia adds to Iran nuclear row
A British company has denied Russian suggestions that it provided uranium enrichment equipment to Iran. Alexander Rumyantsev, Russia's atomic energy minister, said earlier in the week he was concerned at press reports that the design of centrifuges recently found by UN inspectors in Iran was similar to those made by Urenco, a company based in Britain.

Iran rallies militia for border show of force
Thousands of members of an Iranian militia have held a rally on their country's border with Iraq in what appears to have been a muscle-flexing gesture.

Reformers under pressure in Iranian elections
Reformers allied with the Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, faced a test of their popular strength yesterday in local elections.

UN rights watchdog attacks Iranian jails
Iranians suffer large-scale arbitrary detentions and some prisons operate outside the control of the judicial system, the first UN human rights monitors to visit the country for seven years said yesterday.

More than 300 dead in Iran plane crash
An Iranian military plane carrying more than 300 members of the country's Revolutionary Guards crashed in a southeastern province yesterday, almost certainly killing all those on board, the state news agency reported.

Plane crashes in southern Iran
A plane carrying at least 250 people today crashed in southern Iran, state-run Tehran television reported. The plane was on a domestic route from Zahedan to Kerman, both cities in southern Iran. It crashed about 50 miles from its destination, near the city of Shahdad.

Iran lifts death sentence on students' hero
Iranian authorities yesterday lifted a death sentence on an academic who questioned Islamic clerics' divine right to rule and whose case became a lightning rod for student protests.

Iran Poses Third Nuclear Threat to Us
Tehran uses Washington's preoccupation with Iraq and North Korea to rattle its own sabre.

Freed Iranian cleric refuses to be cowed
Iran's most prominent dissident emerged from five years of house arrest yesterday, showing no sign that he was ready to stay silent or recant his outspoken criticism of the country's conservative clerical leadership.

Curtain Up, Veils Down, As Bard Builds Bridge With Iran
Winter's Tale blazes a trail with Iranians starved of culture.

Irani may have to be dropped, says Hussain
Nasser Hussain admitted yesterday that he shared the growing concern over the form of his county captain Ronnie Irani after England's latest defeat increased anxiety about the state of their World Cup preparation.

Irani's big day is ruined by an old friend
More cricket: Mark Waugh's unbeaten 108 ensured England lost against a Bradman XI. When Steve Waugh was closing in on his Test hundred last week that was to leave all of Australia agog, his brother Mark preferred to steal away from the Sydney Cricket Ground with Ronnie Irani for a trots meeting at Harold Park.

Iran's Reformers Face Divine Wrath, Warns Cleric
A hardline cleric predicted yesterday that Iran's reform-minded President Mohammad Khatami and his supporters will be "demolished" if they press ahead with moves to increase presidential powers. Mr Khatami's efforts to reduce the influence of conservatives would bring "chaos", Mohammad...

Mixed Messages - the West's Treatment of the Iranian and Syrian Presidents
While Syria's despotic president gets his Downing Street photo op, Iran's reformist one gets the cold shoulder. They were talking television in Tehran yesterday. In a hot, occasionally steamy, session in the Iranian parliament, lawmakers fought long and hard over whether sex, pop videos...

Interview: Ronnie Irani
December 9: After the Ashes debacle England have made a miserable start to their one-day campaign. But one of the reinforcements tells Jim White that a change of attitude might yet work wonders.

Return of the Iran-Contra brigade
The selection of Elliot Abrams last week as President George Bush's director of Middle Eastern affairs triggered a cloud of controversy over both the administration's Middle East policy.

Irani supplies chink of brightness for 'hurting' Hussain
Ronnie Irani is better qualified than most to gauge Nasser Hussain's frame of mind and after only three days with the England squad he can tell how much pain his Essex colleague is feeling at the moment.

Iran Unimpressed By Straw the Mediator
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, flew into a storm of protest orchestrated by Islamic hardliners against British attempts to mediate between Iran and the US. The Iranian foreign minister, Kamal Kharrazi, denounced US influence in the region and talked of "the deep hatred of the US...

Peter Beaumont: Us Quietly Turns Up the Heat on Iran
The US sets its sights on world enemy number two: Iran. There is a curious little website called Debkafile, a newsletter that bases most of its material on reporters' contacts in the Israeli intelligence services.

UK appeases Iran with new envoy
Britain will today attempt to draw a line under a damaging diplomatic row with Iran when the Foreign Office announces that Richard Dalton, the outgoing ambassador to Libya, is to be appointed the new British envoy to Tehran.

Pills put Irani in century mode
Cricket: Ronnie Irani made a flying start to England's one-day international winter with a century against Bangladesh.

Irani Release Could Open Door for Cork
Essex all-rounder Ronnie Irani was today released from England's squad for the Test series decider with India at the Oval. Irani only made his return to competitive action on Sunday following an operation on his right knee and claimed yesterday he was fit enough to withstand the Test...

Irani Raring to Lay an Oval Ghost
September 4: Ronnie Irani hopes to relaunch his Test career tomorrow at the Oval, where he made his last Test appearance in 1999 and when England were so awful they were booed from the field.

Cork and Irani Get the Call to Balance England's Battered and Bruised Line-up
September 2: The rule book has been jettisoned through the window. Circumstance dictates England must go for broke in this week's final Test at the Oval.

Crocked Irani in Test Frame
August 29: England will delay finalising their squad for the final Test against India in the hope that Ronnie Irani can rvitalise an injury-torn side barely two weeks after undergoing knee surgery.

Via TV and the net, Iran's youth plot social revolution
Tim Judah reports from Tehran, where rising hemlines and access to technology point to the erosion of the mullahs' power.

Hardliners in Iran want to down US jets
The threat of war in Iraq has widened the gap between conservatives and reformers in Iran. Although they have closed ranks in public to denounce any US-led strikes, in private they could hardly be further apart.

War on Iran is the New Nightmare
After Baghdad, the signs are that Bush will turn his fire on Tehran. Is Iran next after Iraq? Iranians have good reason to wonder as the Bush administration refines bellicose plans for "regime change" in Baghdad.

Iran bans opposition party in crackdown on dissent
Dozens of members of 40-year-old party jailed. A court in Iran has dissolved one of the country's oldest opposition parties, sentencing some members to jail and banning others from political activity for up to 10 years.

Russia defies US with plan to build more nuclear reactors in Iran
Russia put its improving relations with the the US in jeopardy last night by announcing a 10-year plan of cooperation with Iran, including a bid to build several nuclear reactors at the controversial Busherh site.

England Are Powered By Irani
Ronnie Irani produced one of the finest all-round performances in the history of limited-overs internationals claiming a half-century and five wickets for England, writes Mike Selvey.

Stewart and Irani Consolidate
The loss of Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe in four balls forced England to play pat-a-cake for a few overs to avoid collapsing in a messy heap. Sri Lanka took advantage of England's caution to whip through a few overs from the leg-spinner Upul Chandana and the captain Sanath Jayasuriya,...

Irani's Game Lands Buttered Side Up
Cricket: Essex captain is relishing today's B&H final, writes David Hopps.

Irani uses county stage to spellbind the selectors
The all-rounder has earned his recall to England's squad, writes Mike Selvey.

Spies in Iranian skies
America does its own thing - again. Unexplained happenings in the skies over Iran raise questions about the opening of a new front in America's "war on terror".

Irani Helps Essex Men Take a Giant Stride Towards Lord's
Ronni Irani made inroads to Worcestershire's batting by taking two early wickets.

European Banks to Handle Iranian Investment
Two European banks have agreed to handle a eurobond issue of up to half a billion euros for the Iranian government, despite US claims that Iran has been one of the world's most active sponsors of terrorism. French group BNP Paribas and Germany's Commerzbank have been appointed to handle...

Iranian Police Confiscate Barbie Dolls
The long, sweet reign of Barbie is over in Iran. The doll that had survived some of the worst excesses of theocratic rule has finally been killed off by the public morality police.

China and Iran Threaten Test Ban Treaty
China and Iran have withdrawn their contribution to monitoring nuclear tests, apparently in protest at Washington's hostility towards the comprehensive test ban treaty, raising the fear that the treaty may collapse before it has come into operation. Both have stopped sending seismic data...

Bush Smear Rouses Iran's Reformers
Hamid Jalaipour points at the masthead of Bonyan, the latest newspaper he has founded. "Issue 26 and we haven't been closed," he says. This is something of an achievement; his last two ventures were shut almost at birth. With a circulation of 150,000, it is already the Tehran...

UN helps Iran plan for flood of refugees
Contingency Tehran starts stockpiling tents and medicine. The United Nations has started moving tens of thousands of tents and blankets to western Iran in readiness for a huge wave of Iraqi refugees who are expected to escape across the border if the US and Britain launch military action to topple the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein.

EU in Talks With Iranian President
Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, meets President Mohammad Khatami of Iran today in a move which highlights divergences with the US over George Bush's "axis of evil" policy. Mr Solana said he hoped dialogue would encourage reformers in Tehran. "We want to get constructively...

Bush Calls on Koizumi to Lean on Iran
President George Bush yesterday asked Japan to serve as a diplomatic conduit to Iran in an attempt to resolve US-Iranian tensions over terrorism by peaceful means, according to US officials. The officials said Mr Bush, who is in Tokyo on the first stop of a three-country Asian tour, urged...

117 Feared Dead in Iranian Plane Crash
An Iranian passenger plane carrying at least 117 people crashed today in the snowy mountains of western Iran near Khorramabad, officials said. No details on the number injured or killed were immediately available, nor was there information on the cause of the crash. Reza...

Iran Says Defence, Us Says Aggression
February 11: Membership of the 'axis of evil' is a matter of perspective, and a US foreign policy based on such a one-eyed viewpoint promises disaster, writes Brian Whitaker

Death to America: Iran Celebrates Revolution
Carrying placards condemning the US and effigies of Uncle Sam, tens of thousands of Iranians today marched to Tehran's Freedom Square to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the Islamic revolution in Iran. The anti-US rally drew support from both hardliners and reformists, following a...

Iranian Ambassador Loses Status in Tit for Tat Move
The status of the Iranian ambassador to Britain has been downgraded in response to the Iranian government's refusal to accept David Reddaway as the new UK ambassador to Tehran. Downing Street announced the move yesterday and insisted that Britain will not back down on its choice...

US and Iran Accused of Bribing Rival Warlords
Claims that the US and Iran are both buying the support of rival Afghan warlords have added fuel to the tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Global aid for Kabul, Iranian arms for Herat
The officer, a veteran of the Afghan army, heard a loud noise - "hummm, like that" - then a big explosion followed by a number of small ones. The official explanation of the blast that killed at least 18 of his men was a mishandled rocket. But that is not what he and his fellow officers believe...