Zawya.com - Iran News

Iran's first nuclear power plant online in summer: Putin

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:39:43 GMT

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Iran's first nuclear power plant, which Russia is building, should come online this summer, Russian news agencies reported.

Iranian bank opens branch in Basra

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:32:15 GMT

An Iranian bank has opened a branch in the southern province of Basra to facilitate money transfer between the two countries, the Iranian consul in the city said.

Iran, Pakistan Sign Gas Pipeline Deal

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:30:19 GMT

Iran and Pakistan signed a deal in Turkey on Tuesday paving the way for a much-delayed natural-gas pipeline connecting the two nations in a move that has been opposed by Washington as undermining sanctions efforts against Tehran.

US talks to Gulf states over tighter Iran boycott

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:18:29 GMT

Stuart Levey, the US Treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, visited the region this week to reinforce his country's push for a new round of sanctions against Iran.

US considering presenting own Mideast plan: report

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:05:44 GMT

In the face of a diplomatic spat with Israel, the White House is weighing proposing a US plan to form the basis of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

Britain, France, Germany seek action against Iranian censorship

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:36:43 GMT

Britain, France and Germany asked the European Union on Wednesday to take measures to curb Iran's ability to censor domestic opposition and to jam foreign satellite broadcasts.

Agro Deal Signed With JICA

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:42:09 GMT

Iran Agricultural Jihad Ministry and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed an agreement to implement two new projects in Iran.

Cement Industry Picking Up in Iran

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:41:38 GMT

The most important development in the national cement industry in 2009-2010 was fulfillment of the project for exports.

Iran ready for one-shot nuclear fuel exchange inside country

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:32:19 GMT

Iran is ready to deliver 1,200 kilogrammes of low-enriched uranium in one shot in return for fuel for a Tehran reactor but the exchange must be inside the country, the hardline Jawan newspaper quoted nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi as saying on Wednesday.

Iran-Pakistan gas deal operational by Friday

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:12:51 GMT

Tehran and Islamabad will sign the operating contract of gas export from Iran to Pakistan by Friday, the Iranian deputy oil minister said here on Tuesday.

Iran-Egypt cooperation will benefit Islamic world: Larijani

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:12:21 GMT

Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani says that Islamic countries will derive considerable benefit from Iran-Egypt cooperation.

Al Ghurair Investment looks for new pipeline projects

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:35:18 GMT

Al Ghurair Investment's plan to build a pipeline for the Iran-Pakistan-India gas network is no longer on the table, but a top company official said that the Dubai-based family-run firm is still looking for other pipeline project opportunities and is holding initial talks with a Canadian company.

Syria, Iran interests diverge in Iraq: US

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:01:45 GMT

The nominee for US ambassador to Damascus hinted Tuesday at a chance to drive a wedge between Syria and ally Iran, telling US lawmakers the two regional powers have different goals in Iraq.

Iran police out in force for fire festival: witnesses

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:29:52 GMT

Iran deployed hundreds of policemen across Tehran on Tuesday to quell any possible opposition protests as the nation began celebrating the annual Persian fire festival, witnesses told AFP.

UAE Oil Exports To Skip Hormuz, Iran Threat

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:23:56 GMT

Contractors are working flat out in the United Arab Emirates to build a giant oil pipeline that will divert up to 1.8 million barrels a day of crude exports away from the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping channel watched over by Iran.

BMI: Iran Autos Report (Mar-10)

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:00:00 GMT

The Iranian automotive sector has experienced a sharp fall in sales over the past two years, due to the

impact of the economic crisis. However, exports have increased and Iranian carmakers are expanding

their presence abroad. The Iranian government plans for the automobile industry to achieve first rank in

the immediate region, fifth in Asia and 11th in the world by 2025, as reported just-auto.com in January

2010. Iran's committee of auto industry development strategy has further endorsed policies and

development objectives for the automotive industry, which include producing 2mn units of light vehicles

per annum for domestic market and 1mn units for export. However, the Iranian automotive industry has<

Free jailed Iranians for new year: Iran urges US

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:43:11 GMT

Iran welcomed on Tuesday a resolution by the US House of Representatives sending its citizens greetings on the Persian New Year but urged Washington to "stop plotting" and to free nationals it is holding.

Iran renews demand for France to free businessman

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:34:31 GMT

Iran renewed its demand on Tuesday for France to release an Iranian businessman who is accused by the United States of having purchased sensitive electronic components and exported them to Tehran.

Iran inaugurates major highways

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:11:40 GMT

Iran's first double-decker highway and the Qazvin-Rasht freeway were officially inaugurated on Monday.

Tehran, Tokyo sign agriculture deal

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:10:28 GMT

Iran Agricultural Jihad Ministry and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed an agreement to implement two new projects in Iran.

Iran MPs give final nod to hiked $368-billion budget

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:59:12 GMT

Iran's parliament gave its final approval to a 368-billion-dollar budget for the year to March 2011, a week after it had cut the outlay by 20 billion dollars, state media reported.

Iran's pistachio exports up by 30%

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:58:16 GMT

Iran's pistachio exports have increased by 30 percent compared to the first ten months of last year (ended on March 20). Announcing this, director general of Agriculture Jihad Ministry's Office for Fruit Affairs, Reza Fotouhi said that the rise in export was due to the quality and taste of the Iranian crop.

Pakistan, Iran to sign gas line on March 16

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:57:31 GMT

Pakistan and Iran will sign Operational Agreement on the multi-billion gas pipeline in Tehran on March 16, after which work on the project could be initiated, a high level meeting was told on Friday, the Prime Minister's office said.

CI Assigns First Time Ratings to Export Development Bank of Iran

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:54:27 GMT

Capital Intelligence (CI), the international credit rating agency, today announced that it has assigned Export Development Bank of Iran (EDBI) long-term and short-term foreign currency ratings of BB- and B, respectively, a Financial Strength rating of BB+ and a support rating of 3.

Iran underlines expansion of ties with Qatar, Vietnam

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:54:50 GMT

First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi here on Sunday stressed the need to develop commercial and economic ties with Qatar and Vietnam.

Iran's aluminum production sees 15% hike

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:53:48 GMT

Production of aluminum in Iran has increased by 15 percent during the first 11th months of the current Iranian calendar year.

$250m allocated to reinforce school buildings in Iran

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:06:56 GMT

$250 million was earmarked for the State Organization of Schools Renovation, Development and Mobilization to strengthen flimsy school buildings in Iran.

Iran aluminum output up 15%

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:05:36 GMT

Iran's aluminum output in the eleven-month period ended February 19, hit 258,275 tons, up 15 percent compared to the corresponding period last year.

IKCO exports to 39 countries

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:04:33 GMT

Giant Iranian carmaker, Iran Khodro Company (IKCO), exported products to 39 countries in the current calendar year (to end March 21).

Iran gasoline stock nears 1b liters

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:04:01 GMT

Iran has boosted its gasoline inventories by around 944 million liters in the current calendar year (to end March 21) compared to the preceding year.

Majlis resumes examination of Iran's budget bill

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:01:21 GMT

The Iranian parliament has recommenced the examination of the national budget bill for the next Iranian calendar year, which starts on March 21.

Rise in Petrol Reserve in Iran

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:51:42 GMT

Deputy manager of National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIOPDC) said the company has stored 58 percent more than the amount of petrol stored up to March 3, 2009.

Housing Sector Booming in Iran

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:51:26 GMT

Residential construction activities in Tehran have not increased compared to last year, but issuance of construction permits has been on the rise.

National Truck to Be Unveiled in Iran

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:49:27 GMT

Iran's Saipa Diesel Company has declared that it will unveil the country's "national truck" in the next Iranian year which begins on March 21.

Iran says it is ready to help Palestinian reconciliation

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:34:21 GMT

Iran is ready to help the two main rival Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, to reconcile their differences, the official IRNA news agency reported an official as saying on Sunday.

KPMG Is Latest Target For Activists Seeking To Cut Corporate Ties To Iran

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:43:33 GMT

A US-based lobby group that claims responsibility for successfully putting pressure on companies to sever ties with Iran has targeted KPMG, accusing the professional services company of "supporting this brutal regime and its illegal actions".

Khamenei tells Iranians to shun Persian fire festival

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:25:26 GMT

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday urged Iranians to shun next week's Persian fire festival as an un-Islamic event which causes "a lot of harm."

Iran's Technical and engineering exports hit $2.75b

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 07:17:14 GMT

The value of Iranian technical and engineering exports contracts in the 11-month period starting March 21 reached $2.75 billion.

Iran, Switzerland to continue gas talks

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 07:16:35 GMT

Iran and Switzerland will start a new round of gas talks in Tehran in few days.During the meeting the two sides will discuss putting the Save X energy saving project into operation, the Mehr News Agency reported.

Iran-U.S. trade doubles in Jan.

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 07:15:48 GMT

Trade between Iran and the U.S. almost doubled in January 2010 compared to December 2009.ISNA news agency cited the latest U.S. Census Bureau report as stating that trade between the two countries hit $37.3 million in January.

Iran gas exports hit 6.8b cubic meters

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 07:15:17 GMT

Iran exported 6.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the current Iranian calendar year (to end March 19, 2010), the managing director of National Iranian Gas Exports Company said.

Arab Equity Investors Richer By $134 Billion

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:04:09 GMT

Arab equity investors emerged wealthier by nearly $134 billion (Dh492bn) at the end of 2009 to offset part of post-crisis losses, but the general performance of the region's bourses was below other markets, according to an official Arab market watch.

UAE clears doubt on Iran sanctions

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:01:37 GMT

The UAE will respect any sanctions imposed on Iran if the problem between the international community and Tehran over its nuclear ambitions is not resolved diplomatically, said UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

UAE to respect any UN-imposed sanction on Iran

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:05:51 GMT

The United Arab Emirates will respect any sanctions imposed by the United Nations on key trading partner Iran, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan said.

Iran jails top female reformist for three years: report

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:05:16 GMT

An Iranian court has sentenced a top female reformist arrested after last year's election dispute to three years in jail for plotting to harm national security, her lawyer said on Saturday.

Fair Distribution of Budget Urged

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:32:20 GMT

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stressed the fair distribution of allocated budget among urban and rural areas on Friday.

Iran's Oil Fund May Expand

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:31:56 GMT

Iran, holder of the world's second largest oil and gas reserves, will add to its oil stabilization fund if crude prices remain over $65 in the coming 12 months, said the deputy central bank governor.

US 'concerned' at Bahai persecution in Iran: official

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:31:26 GMT

The United States is "increasingly concerned" over the persecution of the Bahai and other religious minorities in Iran, a State Department spokesman said Friday.