Iran

Ahmadinejad's remarks harmful to better US relations, Obama says

United States President Barack ObamaWashington  - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinjed's remarks against Israel at a UN racism conference were "appalling and objectionable," and damaging to the prospects of better relations with the United States, President Barack Obama said Tuesday.

During a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah, Obama responded to Ahmadinejad's comments a day after the Iranian president called Israel a "racist regime" created "under the pretext of Jewish suffering."

Egypt protests Iranian comments on Hezbollah allegations

EgyptCairo  - The Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned Iran's chief diplomat in Cairo to deliver a formal protest at an Iranian officials' mockery of Egyptian claims to have uncovered a Hezbollah cell in the country.

Zarqani Mohammed, Egypt's assistant foreign minister for Asian affairs, summoned the head of the Iranian interests section in Cairo to deliver a letter conveying Egypt's "strong and total rejection" of Iranian "intervention in Egypt's internal affairs," the Foreign Ministry said in statement released Tuesday.

Saberi to be treated as Iranian, not US national, official says

Saberi to be treated as Iranian, not US national, official says

Iran in disarray as coach resigns after just two weeks

Iran in disarray as coach resigns after just two weeksTehran - Iran's newly-appointed coach Mohammad Mayelikohan resigned Tuesday after only two weeks in a fresh blow to the national team as it struggles to qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals.

ISNA news agency reported that Mayelikohan sent a resignation letter to the Iranian Football Federation (FFI) after quarrelling with a Tehran club coach.

The FFI appointed Mayelikohan two weeks ago as successor to Ali Daei who was dismissed following a 2-1 home defeat against Saudi Arabia in a World Cup qualifier on March 28.

Ahmadinejad deplores "Western intolerance" at UN conference

Ahmadinejad deplores "Western intolerance" at UN conferenceTehran  - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday deplored what he called "intolerance by the West" at the United Nations Durban Review Conference on racism in Geneva.

The conference opened on Monday and quickly descended into controversy as Ahmadinejad launched an impassioned attack on Israel, prompting a European walk-out in retaliation.

US calls for end to Ahmadinejad's "inflammatory rhetoric"

US calls for end to Ahmadinejad's "inflammatory rhetoric" Washington  - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments against Israel at a racism conference Monday were "unacceptable" and only serve to fuel racial hatred, the US State Department said.

"Unfortunately, we've heard all of this before from President Ahmadinejad. The comments that he made, frankly, were unacceptable and, frankly feed racial hatred," spokesman Robert Wood said. "Iran needs to end this type of inflammatory rhetoric. It's not helpful."

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