Iran

TEHRAN, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Uzbekistan on Sunday signed 10 cooperation agreements and one joint statement in Iran's capital Tehran, according to the website of the Iranian president's office.

The agreements, including cooperation in transportation, pharmaceutical production, insurance, trade, technology, and agriculture, were signed by the two countries' high-ranking officials in the presence of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his visiting Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

TEHRAN, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's border guards smashed a group of armed terrorists in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Sunday.

The terrorists sought to enter Iran through its southeastern border, but were ambushed by Iranian border guards, Mehr quoted Reza Shojaei, commander of Sistan and Baluchestan's border police, as saying, without detailing their affiliation.

One terrorist was killed and a number of them were injured in the operation that involved an exchange of fire between the two sides, he said.

17 June 2023; MEMO: Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Iran on Saturday amid a rapprochement between the two Middle East arch-foes, Iranian state TV said, Reuters reports.

Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed in March, in a deal brokered by China, to end a diplomatic rift and reestablish relations following years of hostility that had endangered regional stability including in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister arrived in Iran’s capital on Saturday, the latest step in the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two Mideast rivals, Iranian state media reported.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan was officially welcomed by his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iran TV said. He carried a message from the Saudi king to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the two were due to meet later Saturday, Iran TV said.

TEHRAN, Jun 16 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran’s English language newspaper, Tehran Times, slammed the U.S. idea of expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), to the Asia-Pacific region, saying it is doomed to failure, as it lacks regional backing.

The paper on Wednesday published an article entitled “Asian NATO: U.S. paranoia and fragility,” highlighting a widely reported plan by the U.S.-led military alliance, NATO, to expand to the Asia-Pacific region.

TEHRAN, Jun 15 (NNN-IRNA) – During Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Venezuela, the two countries signed 26 documents on cooperation in economy and trade, technology, and science sectors, the state-run IRIB TV quoted Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, as saying yesterday.

Amir-Abdollahian is among a high-level delegation, headed by Raisi, for an ongoing five-day LatAm tour that includes Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba.

TEHRAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud will make a visit to Iran's capital Tehran on Saturday, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported Thursday.

During the visit, the top Saudi diplomat will hold talks with Iranian officials, the report said.

Earlier media reports said Saudi Arabia will likely reopen its embassy in Tehran during the minister's trip to Iran.

14 June 2023; MEMO: Iran and Azerbaijan are reportedly in talks to de-escalate tensions ahead of plans for the reopening of the latter's embassy in Tehran, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.

13 June 2023; MEMO: Iran and Venezuela want to increase bilateral trade to $20 billion, up from $3 billion, Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, said on Monday during a visit to Caracas.

During the visit, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand cooperation in petrochemicals with a view to carrying out joint projects, building on their already-close cooperation in oil, Reuters reports.

14 June 2023; MEMO: The discovery of a Chinese component in an Iranian drone has implicated Beijing in Tehran's production and supply of armed combat drones to Russia, revealing the speed at which the UAVs are built and provided to Moscow during its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.