Iran

Ahmadinejad says Obama should have attended UN racism conference

Ahmadinejad says Obama should have attended UN racism conference Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinjed said Wednesday he had expected his US counterpart, Barack Obama, would have attended the UN racism conference in Geneva in order to prove his willingness to change American policy.

"The new US president, who claims to want change, should have come to Geneva and voiced his opposition to any form of racism," Ahmadinejad said in a speech in Varamin, south-east of the capital Tehran.

Iran stresses willingness to resume nuclear talks

 Iran stresses willingness to resume nuclear talksTehran - Iran on Wednesday reiterated its willingness to resume nuclear talks with world powers.

In a statement by the National Security Council, Iran once again declared its readiness to resume a dialogue with the five permanent UN Security Council member states - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - plus Germany.

Iran, however, noted that it would continue its nuclear programmes within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Geneva conference a defeat for Israel, Ahmadinejad says

Geneva conference a defeat for Israel, Ahmadinejad says Tehran  - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday termed the UN anti-racism conference in Geneva a defeat for Israel, Fars news agency reported.

"They [the Israelis] wanted to make a new interpretation of racism but for the first time [at an international conference], the freedom spirit of the nations and governments neutralized the Zionists' [Israel's] evil plans and became victorious," Ahmadinejad said.

Fiancé writes open love letter proclaiming convicted US-Iranian journalist’s innocence

Fiancé writes open love letter proclaiming convicted US-Iranian journalist’s innocenceTehran, Apr. 22 : Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi has written a public love letter to his fiancée Roxana Saberi, the American-Iranian journalist sentenced by Iran on spying charges.

Ghobadi, whose love letter proclaims Saberi’s innocence and denounces her imprisonment, hopes his words can succeed where Barack Obama’s have failed.

In a move that has become the latest standoff between Tehran and Washington, Saberi was given an eight-year jail sentence.

Brazil condemns Ahmadinejad's comments on Israel ahead of visit

Mahmoud AhmadinejadBrasilia - Brazil condemned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's verbal attack on Israel at a UN racism conference as it prepares for a May 6 visit by the Iranian leader.

Ahmadinejad trivialized the meaning of tragic and historically established events like the Holocaust, Brazil's Foreign Relations Ministry said Tuesday in a statement.

Such comments damage the climate for dialogue and the understanding necessary for international efforts to end discrimination, it added.

Iranian Nobel laureate awarded German Dignity Award

Iranian Nobel laureate awarded German Dignity AwardBerlin  - Iranian Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi was awarded one of Germany's top prizes Tuesday for her human rights advocacy work, and vowed that she would continue her efforts despite threats posed by Tehran authorities.

Together with Paris-based organization Reporters without Borders, Ebadi was awarded the Roland Berger Human Dignity Award by German President Horst Koehler. The prize was established in Germany last year to promote peaceful cooperation in the world.

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