MOSCOW - Russian and Iranian engineers have begun loading fuel into Iran’s first nuclear power plant.  The plant is located in the southern city of Bushehr and both Russian and Iranian leaders insist Iran’s nuclear program is for peaceful purposes though many in the international community are suspicious.
In an irreversible step, Iran and Russia began […]

WASHINGTON - Engineers in Iran began loading fuel into the country’s first nuclear power plant Saturday. 
The facility is located in the southern city of Bushehr. 
Iranian television has shown video of  Iranian and Russian officials in white lab coats touring the site, during a ceremony marking the start-up of the plant.  Russia helped build the facility and […]

WASHINGTON - The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency, Ali Akbar Salehi, indicated Friday that Iran’s controversial nuclear power plant at Bushehr will go online seven to eight days after Russia delivers its nuclear fuel supply on August 21.  Russia indicated that it would start loading fresh nuclear fuel into the reactor on that date.
Iranian […]

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration on Tuesday announced new sanctions against an array of Iranian-controlled companies, entities and individuals said to be helping Tehran evade nuclear sanctions or promote terrorism.  The State Department said there are signs the Tehran government is feeling the pressure.
Officials here are attributing Iran’s apparent renewed interest in nuclear talks to […]

LONDON - The European Union and Canada have imposed new sanctions against Iran that target the country’s energy, foreign trade and banking sectors.
Their sanctions aim in part to curb investment and trade in Iran’s lucrative oil and gas industries.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the sanctions send a powerful message to Iran that its […]

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed into law legislation approved by Congress to impose tough new unilateral sanctions on Iran’s government for its defiance of international demands to change course on its nuclear program.
The law is designed to place more pressure on Iran’s government by imposing penalties on companies helping the Iranian energy sector, […]

TEHRAN - Iran has dismissed new sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council to try to curb the country’s controversial nuclear activities.
Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. nuclear agency, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, insisted Iran will not stop enriching uranium.
Twelve of the Security Council’s 15 members voted Wednesday in favor of the resolution, while Brazil and Turkey […]

BEIJING - China says it has not changed its mind in backing new sanctions over Iran. A Foreign Ministry official says that Beijing’s vote to punish Tehran over its nuclear program does not mean the door has been closed on negotiations.
Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad heads to China to visit the Iranian pavilion at the Shanghai […]

TEHRAN - Both Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki are criticizing the new U.S. nuclear doctrine presented by President Barack Obama.
Iranian TV showed President Ahmadinejad delivering a speech Wednesday, criticizing President Obama and the new doctrine.
Mr. Ahmadinejad depicted the U.S. as continuing on an aggressive path first  blazed by former U.S. President […]

WASHINGTON - The United States Tuesday said an Iranian offer to trade its low-enriched uranium for more highly-processed fuel for a research reactor is unacceptable. The State Department said U.S. diplomats are aggressively pursuing the idea of additional sanctions against Tehran because of its non-cooperation on the nuclear issue.
The Iranian offer, in a letter to […]

MOSCOW - Russia is delaying delivery of its S-300 air-defense system to Iran and is also calling for Tehran to adhere to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines for enrichment of nuclear fuel.  The moves follow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s two-day visit to Moscow.
The Interfax News Agency quotes the deputy director of Russia’s Federal […]

TEHRAN - Iranian authorities clashed with opposition supporters Thursday as huge crowds rallied in Tehran to mark the 31st anniversary of the founding of the Islamic Republic.
Iranian opposition Web sites say security forces fired tear gas to disperse opposition supporters gathering in central Tehran.
There are reports that leading reformist politicians Mehdi Karroubi and former President […]

WASHINGTON - Iran says it has begun enriching uranium to a higher level, defying international efforts to curb its nuclear activity.
Iranian state television quoted officials who said the process started Tuesday at Iran’s Natanz facility in the presence of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors.
Iran told the IAEA Monday of its plans to enrich uranium to […]

TEHRAN - Iran’s president has ordered his country’s atomic agency to begin producing higher-enriched uranium, a move that casts doubt on the prospects of a nuclear exchange deal with the West.
In comments broadcast Sunday on state-run television, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he has asked the head of the atomic energy agency Ali Akbar Salehi to begin […]

TEHRAN - Iran says it has test fired a new satellite rocket and has made other advances in civilian space technology.  Wednesday’s announcement is likely to further raise concerns in the West about the potential to apply the technology to military use.
Iranian officials announced the launch of a satellite booster rocket, as well as a […]

TEHRAN - Iran is starting 11 days of celebrations to mark the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.   Around the country, Iranians paused at 9:33 in the morning to remember the day that the revolution’s leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, returned from a long exile in France. 
Iranian TV showed images of men ringing bells, trains blowing […]

WASHINGTON - Iran is accusing U.S. President Barack Obama of double standards for supporting the building of nuclear power plants in the United States while threatening Tehran for pursuing a similar goal.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency made the comment in response to Mr. Obama’s State of the Union address to the U.S. Congress on Wednesday.
In […]

TEHRAN - Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is once again calling on government security forces and the judiciary to act decisively against anti-government demonstrators. The call echos similar pleas by other regime officials in recent days.
The pro-government audience shouted out the name of Ayatollah Khamenei in addition to the usual chants of “death to […]

TEHRAN - Eyewitnesses are reporting that crowds clashed with Iranian security forces in parts of Tehran and several provincial cities, Saturday.  Police reportedly swung batons at protesters, smashing car-windows and fired teargas and pepper spray to try and disperse crowds.
Bitter clashes broke out in the Iranian capital Tehran Saturday between thousands of protesters and security […]

WHITE HOUSE - U.S. officials say time is running out for Iran to accept a deal designed to ease concern about its nuclear ambitions, and there are strong signs Tehran may let the end-of-year deadline slip by.  The White House is warning of real consequences if Iran refuses to comply.
Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has, in […]

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration says Iran will face consequences from an increasingly-united global community if it continues to rebuff multilateral efforts to ensure the peaceful application of its nuclear program.
In recent weeks, Iran has rejected a plan to process nuclear material outside the country and tested an upgraded medium range missile believed to be […]

TEHRAN - Iranian media say senior Iranian dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri has died.
The outspoken ayatollah is reported to have died at his home in the holy Shi’ite city of Qom overnight.  Ayatollah Montazeri was 87. 
He was a leader of the Islamic revolution in 1979, and was once expected to succeed Ayatollah Ruhollah […]

TEHRAN - Iran has test-fired an improved version of one of the country’s long-range missiles.
State television showed video of the Sejil 2 missile launch Wednesday, calling the test a success.
The Sejil 2 has a range of about 2,000 kilometers, making it capable of hitting Israel and U.S. bases in southeastern Europe.
Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said […]

TEHRAN - Iran’s supreme leader has accused the pro-reform opposition of trying to undermine the Islamic system and insulting the Islamic Republic’s founder.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday the opposition’s relentless protests were disrespectful.  State television had broadcast footage of what it said were opposition supporters destroying photos of both Ayatollah Khamenei and the Islamic Republic’s […]