Iran

Iran waiting for real US policy change, Ahmadinejad says

Iran waiting for real US policy change, Ahmadinejad says Tehran  - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday welcomed overtures by US President Barack Obama, but said that Tehran is still waiting for real changes in the new US administration's policies.

Obama, in a message last month on the occasion of the Persian New Year, said he wanted better ties with the Islamic republic and offered a new start in relations after decades of mistrust.

Iran appoint Mayelikohan as new head coach

Iran appoint Mayelikohan as new head coachTehran  - Iran has appointed Mohammad Mayelikohan as national football team coach in succession of Ali Daei, Iranian media reported on Tuesday.

The reports said the Iranian Football Federation (FFI) appointed Mayelikohan late Monday. Mayelikohan trained the national team 1995- 1997 and is currently coach of the Saipa Karaj club.

Daei had to leave after a 2-1 home defeat against Saudi Arabia in a World Cup qualifier on March 28 which left Iran with an uphill battle to qualify for the 2010 finals in South Africa.

Former premier Moussavi challenges Ahmadinejad in election

Former premier Moussavi challenges Ahmadinejad in election Tehran - Moderate Iranian presidential hopeful Mir-Hossein Moussavi on Monday accused President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of being a radical, particularly in foreign policy.

In his first news conference in Tehran, the former prime minister accused the hardline president of radical policies that "severely harmed our national interests."

"Extremism brings heavy costs for us, such as chanting harshly worded slogans and at the same time talking about friendship with Israeli nation," he said.

Iran distances itself from North Korean rocket launch

Iran distances itself from North Korean rocket launchTehran  - Tehran Monday distanced itself from Pyongyang's rocket launch, urging countries in that "sensitive region" to stay calm and apply their efforts to securing peace and stability.

North Korea launched a rocket on Sunday, in defiance of warnings from the US and its Asian neighbours, saying it was putting a communications satellite called Kwangmyongsong-2 into orbit.

Japan, South Korea and Washington believe the launch was a screen to test a ballistic missile.

Ahmadinejad, Chavez want to jointly tackle global economic crisis

Ahmadinejad, Chavez want to jointly tackle global economic crisisTehran  - The presidents of Iran and Venezuela after talks Thursday said they had decided to increase cooperation in tackling the global economic crisis, Iran's state television network IRIB reported.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said after his first meeting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez that the Tehran summit would see the drafting of a bilateral
10-year plan for the crisis.

Tehran denies US-Iranian meeting took place at UN Afghan conference

Tehran denies US-Iranian meeting took place at UN Afghan conference Tehran - Tehran on Wednesday categorically denied a meeting between officials of Iran and the United States occurred at a UN conference in the Netherlands, the Mehr news agency reported.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had said the US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, met briefly Tuesday with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Akhunzadeh at the conference on Afghanistan in The Hague.

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