The European Union has joined the international tide of condemnation of a Florida-based church, which plans to burn the holy Quran to mark the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday expressed the bloc’s strong condemnation of the blasphemous plan by the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, [...]

Iran’s Association for liberation of the holy al-Quds (Jerusalem) slams Western and US support for Israel, insisting that global resolve to annihilate the Israeli regime has strengthened. “The US and European Union, as staunch allies of the occupying Zionist regime (Israel), and certain Arab and Muslim governments are openly and covertly supporting the illegitimate Israeli [...]

The European Union says it will not take part in the upcoming US-sponsored peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Washington. A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Saturday that she will be in Beijing meeting with Chinese leaders on Thursday, when the negotiations are to start. “For [...]

Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has stressed the importance of establishing a logical foundation for relations with the European Union. “We believe that European countries have reached a realistic view of developments over the recent decades in different parts of the world, particularly in our region,” Mottaki said in a Wednesday meeting with the outgoing [...]

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has threatened to pull out of the planned direct talks with Israel unless it halts illegal settlement construction in the West Bank. “Settlements and peace are two parallels that don’t meet,” acting PA Chief Mahmoud Abbas urged the Middle East Peace Quartet on Sunday, The Jerusalem Post reported. “If Israel continues [...]

The Palestinians have slammed Israel for refusing to halt its illegal settlement activity in the West Bank, saying Tel Aviv has rejected a “serious” peace process. On Monday, Israeli media reported that a forum of seven top cabinet ministers would reject an expected statement from the Middle East Peace Quartet demanding the resumption of direct [...]

A senior Iranian Oil Ministry official has announced plans to attract $85 billion in investments to fund 40 percent of the country’s fifth development plan. “This year permits were issued for $5 billion in participation bonds and $9 billion in foreign currency participation bonds,” SHANA quoted Acting Deputy Oil Minister Masoud Hashemian as saying on [...]

The White House has rejected a call from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for face-to-face talks with his US counterpart Barack Obama. “We have always said that we’d be willing to sit down and discuss Iran’s illicit nuclear program, if Iran is serious about doing that,” AFP quoted White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs as saying on [...]

Brazil has called for reopening of Iran’s nuclear negotiations amid reports suggesting that the European Union (EU) is toying with the idea of including Brazil and Turkey in the talks. Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim expressed optimism over the result of any upcoming negotiation over Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, saying that the new round of [...]

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has fired a verbal salvo against the US and the European Union over sanctions imposed on the country’s ruling party. Noting conspiracies by the Western countries to oust him from office and to impose their own will on the Zimbabwean nation, Mugabe said on Sunday the West refrains from recognizing the [...]

Amid a US-led campaign against Tehran’s nuclear program, an Iranian lawmaker has criticized Western powers for breaching international commitments. “Under the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) and the Statue of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), developing peaceful nuclear technology is a guaranteed right of any [member] state,” lawmaker Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh told IRNA on Saturday. “Consequently, [...]

The Islamic Republic could reconsider its economic ties with the European Union in response to EU’s unilateral sanctions against Iran’s nuclear work, a senior Iranian MP says. “The European Union will receive an appropriate response [from Iran] should it put into practice [new] sanctions against the Iranian nation,” Head of the Majlis National Security and [...]

China has voiced its disapproval of the new unilateral sanctions imposed by the EU against Iran over its nuclear program, urging a negotiated solution through diplomacy. “China does not approve of the European Union’s unilateral sanctions on Iran,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a Friday statement posted on the ministry’s website, Reuters [...]

Australia has announced a fresh round of sanctions against Iran’s energy resources a few days after the European Union approved similar unilateral measures. Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said on Thursday that his country will tighten restrictions on Iranian oil and gas groups and companies for the first time. “In adopting this package, Australia stands [...]

Amid new European Union (EU) sanctions against Iran, a senior Iranian lawmaker has expressed the country’s complete readiness to hold talks based on mutual respect. “The recent EU sanctions will have no impact on future talks between Iran and P5+1 member states – Russia, China, France, Britain and the US, plus Germany,” a member of [...]

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has criticized the European Union for pandering to US foreign policy in its dealings with Iran. “Iran — in an equal position — is eager to expand its ties with Europe and welcomes an independent Europe in its foreign policy,” Mottaki said during a meeting with Ireland’s new ambassador to [...]

A senior Iranian lawmaker has criticized EU sanctions against Iran, saying the Islamic Republic should switch its trade capacities to countries outside the European Union. “These sanctions will in practice deprive European firms of the opportunity to work with Iran. Therefore Europe and European companies will be the first to feel the blow of these [...]

In the wake of new European Union (EU) sanctions against Iran, the Islamic Republic says it is determined to supply the fuel needed for its nuclear research center. Senior Iranian lawmaker Mohammad Karami-Rad on Wednesday downplayed the latest EU sanctions, saying, “Despite the ongoing sanctions during the past years, Iran has had the maximum limit [...]

The US has welcomed the fresh round of sanctions imposed by the European Union and Canada against Iran, targeting the country’s oil and gas sectors. “The United States welcomes the strong steps taken by our European and Canadian partners to implement UNSC (UN Security Council) resolution 1929,” US State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters [...]

A senior Iranian Parliamentarian says prior to any dialogue about Iran’s nuclear program, the West should “discard the thread-bared carrot and stick policy”. “The European Union’s call for the continuation of nuclear talks with Tehran is in direct contradiction to its recently approved package of anti-Iran sanctions,” Head of the National Security and Foreign Policy [...]