RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin faced down Israeli criticism yesterday, saying Russia's planned sale of anti-aircraft missiles to Syria and supply of nuclear components to Iran does not threaten Israel's security.

IRAN yesterday threatened to restart its uranium enrichment programme if talks with France, Britain and Germany fail today.

Russian President Vladimir Putin faced down Israeli criticism today, saying that Russia’s planned sale of anti-aircraft missiles to Syria and supply of nuclear components to Iran does not threaten Israel’s security.

The Palestinian elections provide an opportunity to revive the Mideast peace process, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today, adding that Israel is ready for such a step.

The deadly showdown between US troops and Iraqi militants in Najaf dominated Iraq’s national conference, with tribal and religious leaders deciding to send 60 delegates to the holy city to persuade a radical Shiite cleric to call off his fighters.

Iranian foreign minister Kamal Kharrazi today rejected claims that his country is undermining security in Iraq.

Iran confirmed today it has resumed building nuclear centrifuges, saying it was retaliating for the failure of Britain, France and Germany to get its file closed at the UN nuclear watchdog.

The eight British servicemen seized by Iran last week were “forcibly escorted into Iranian territorial waters” before they were detained, the British Ministry of Defence has said.

Eight British soldiers and marines who were detained after straying into Iranian territorial waters have left the Persian Gulf area for Tehran, state-run Iranian television reported.

Tehran tonight delayed the release of eight British sailors and Royal Marines it captured when they entered Iranian territorial waters.

Eight British servicemen detained for illegally entering Iran’s territorial waters will be released today, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said.

IRAN yesterday rejected criticism from the UN’s atomic watchdog that it has been delaying a probe into suspect nuclear activities.

Iran today rejected criticism from the UN’s atomic watchdog that it has been delaying a probe into suspect nuclear activities.

Iran has ended negotiations with the United States about how to bring calm to Iraq because they were going nowhere, Iran’s foreign minister said tonight, in a rare acknowledgement of official talks with Washington.

Iran today admitted publicly to buying nuclear equipment from an international black market, including dealers on the Indian subcontinent, in a bid to display greater transparency and ease concerns over its controversial nuclear programme.

President George Bush has told Iran that US humanitarian aid to earthquake victims should prove that America is compassionate, even though it lists the country as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Aidan Leahy, the Irish tourist who was held captive in Iran for the past month, has been released from captivity by his kidnappers.

Iran warned Britain today that ties between both countries will suffer if London does not free a former Iranian diplomat from custody.

A pick-up truck crashed into the wall of the British Embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran tonight, immediately exploding in flames, in what one witness said appeared to be a suicide attack.

A summit of Muslim leaders from around the world degenerated into chaos today as an Iraqi official hurled insults at his Kuwaiti counterpart.

THE United States has ordered 60,000 more troops to the Gulf, despite signs that a war on Iraq might be delayed until April, as big powers and ally Turkey persisted yesterday in complicating its military plans.

Iran today called for Iraqi elections supervised by the United Nations as part of a bid to avert war in the neighbouring country.

THE United States and Britain yesterday condemned Baghdad’s attitude to UN arms inspectors, but the international community generally said the experts needed more time to complete their search for banned weapons in Iraq.

IRANIAN security forces have detained one of Osama bin Laden’s sons among several hundred people suspected of links to the al-Qaida terror network, the Financial Times reported on its website on Saturday.

Iraq and Iran today said oil should be used to put pressure on the US to force Israel out of Palestinian areas, but that all Muslim oil-producing countries needed to support the move.

Iran may be just a few years away from developing nuclear weapons, US officials have warned.

Facing a power vacuum in Afghanistan with the Taliban on the run, the United Nations urged Afghan groups to meet ‘‘as early as humanly possible’’ about forming a transitional government backed by an international force.