Washington  - US election euphoria, the financial crisis and the Middle East crisis have upstaged the issue of Iran's nuclear activities which are viewed as a growing threat in 2009 to world security.

Concern about the threat prompted a coalition of top think tanks - the Council on Foreign Relations and the Brookings Institution - to warn in December that Iran poses the biggest challenge for president- elect Barack Obama when he takes office January 20.

Tehran - Dozens of Islamist students stormed a British compound in Tehran Tuesday night to protest the Israeli assault in the Gaza Strip, tearing down the British flag before police restored order, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

The students broke into the diplomatic residence in the northern part of the city during demonstrations against Western support for Israel and replaced the Union Jack with a Palestinian flag. The complex houses British diplomats and a school.

London, Dec 25: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a Christmas message to be aired on Britain's Channel 4 has said that the West's `bullying' leaders and their policies would be shunned by Jesus.

Taking a dig at the West in the Christmas message, the Iranian President offered warm greetings to all.

Tehran  - Eight prisoners convic

Washington  - The United States on Tuesday expressed "deep concern" over the continued detention of two AIDS experts, who have now been in prison for six months.

The men, brothers Arash and Kamiar Alaei, were arbitrarily arrested by Iranian security forces in late June and detained in Tehran's Evin prison.

"As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Iran has the obligation to afford due process rights to anyone detained," US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Washington - The United States criticized Iran's regime on Monday for shutting down the office of a human rights group led by Nobel-laureate Shirin Ebadi.

"It's troubling," said White House spokesman Tony Fratto. "We believe that these individuals are incredibly courageous to stand up in a society like Iran for the rights of their fellow citizens."