Iran said today it was ready to resume talks about its nuclear programme with the international community within a matter of weeks.

AN Iranian scientist who spent 14 months in the United States in mysterious circumstances denied on his arrival in Tehran yesterday that he had spilled Iran’s nuclear secrets to US agents.

Gardaí are continuing to question four men in connection with public order offences following a protest at an address by the Iranian Foreign Minister in Dublin last night.

DUBAI’S police chief said yesterday the suspects in a Hamas chief’s assassination in the Emirate are now hiding out in Israel to avoid arrest and urged the Jewish state to wage its wars at home.

European powers reacted sceptically today to Iran’s offer to send uranium abroad for enrichment as a way of ending its showdown with the west.

Iran today warned it was "reconsidering" its relationship with Britain.

Iran warned today it will produce nuclear fuel on its own if there is no deal to have the West deliver the fuel in exchange for Tehran’s enriched uranium by the end of January.

BRITAIN’S ambassador in Iran was summoned to the country’s foreign ministry yesterday amid growing tension over the clampdown on protesters in Tehran and other cities.

IRAN said yesterday it would try three Americans jailed since crossing the border from Iraq in July, a step certain to aggravate the US at a time when Tehran is locked in a standoff with the West over its nuclear programme.

Five sailors including an Irish journalist who were detained after apparently straying into Iranian waters have been released, it was reported today.

The disappearance of an Iranian nuclear scientist on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in June is raising questions about whether he defected and gave the West information on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran's new proposal for talks with the West promises wide-ranging negotiations but does not provide details of the country's disputed nuclear programme, according to a copy of the document published by an investigative group.

Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad revealed a new cabinet purged of critics and packed with loyalists and little-known figures today.

IRAN expelled two British diplomats yesterday after bitterly accusing Britain of meddling and spying. The government also dealt a fresh blow to the opposition by making clear it will not hold a new vote despite charges of fraud.

AN EERIE calm settled over the streets of Tehran yesterday as state media reported at least 10 more deaths in post-election unrest and said authorities arrested the daughter and four other relatives of ex-President Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of Iran’s most powerful men.

State media reported today at least 10 more deaths in post-election unrest and said authorities have arrested the daughter and four other relatives of former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of Iran’s most powerful men.

The global recession, Afghanistan, Iran and Middle East peace topped the agenda of talks today between President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy before the leaders commemorated the D-Day invasion that cemented the trans-Atlantic alliance.

Thousands demonstrated against Israel’s attacks on Gaza today across the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Iran’s official news agency said Tehran will not give up uranium enrichment even if the West guarantees a supply of nuclear fuel to the country.

Iran’s foreign minister today dismissed the threat of an attack against his country, saying that the US could not afford another conflict in the Middle East.

Iran said today that it will begin operation of the country’s first nuclear power plant in the summer of next year using half its 1,000 megawatt capacity, the official news agency IRNA reported.

Iran has sent a formal protest note to Washington for “spying” on Iran’s nuclear activities, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said.

Iran seized on America's latest radical reassessment of its nuclear weapons capability today to justify its atomic research programme.

The United States and Iran are to hold ambassador-level talks in Baghdad regarding the deteriorating security situation in Iraq.

The United States is ready to hold new direct talks with Iran on the deteriorating security situation in Iraq, the State Department said today.

IRAN yesterday warned that the United States would be made to “regret” its detention of five Iranian officials in Iraq but said it was still ready to consider continuing talks with its arch foe.

Iran and the United States resumed public diplomacy today for the first time in more than a quarter century.

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has told Iran’s foreign minister that Britain wants Tehran to return the boats and military equipment taken when Iranian naval units seized 15 British sailors and marines in late March.

Two of the 15 captured British sailors pointed to a map of the Persian Gulf and identified where they had been arrested 10 days ago on video clips aired by Iranian state-run television channels.

Australia has told Iran that taking 15 British sailors and marines hostage could become “increasingly serious” if they were not released immediately, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

The European Union has demanded that Iran immediately and unconditionally release 15 British sailors and marines and warned of undefined “appropriate measures” if Tehran does not comply.

An alleged ’confession’ by one of 15 British sailors and Marines held captive in Iran is to be broadcast on an Arabic-language TV channel today.

Iran today rolled back on a pledge to soon free a British woman sailor, delaying her release because of Britain’s threat to freeze relations and refer the issue to the UN Security Council.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has held talks with Iran’s foreign minister over the detention of 15 British sailors and Marines.

Iran’s foreign minister said Britain must admit that its 15 sailors and marines entered Iranian waters in order to resolve a standoff over their capture.

A British servicewoman held captive by Iran may be released later on Wednesday or on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told Turkey’s CNN-Turk television.

Turkish diplomats may be allowed to meet with the 15 British service personnel who were seized by Iran, a Turkish television station reported today.

Iraq’s foreign minister has demanded that Iran release 15 British sailors and marines, saying they had been detained in Iraqi waters and were operating with government consent.

The UN Security Council voted unanimously today to impose moderately tougher sanctions against Iran, hoping to send Tehran a strong message that it will grow more isolated by refusing to suspend nuclear enrichment.

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s trip and planned speech at the United Nations Security Council in New York today has been cancelled, a foreign ministry spokesman said.

IRAN’S foreign minister yesterday accused Israel and the United States of posing the main threats to the security of the Middle East.

Iran’s leadership was today furious over Russia’s refusal to ship fuel for its first nuclear power plant, signalling a possible break in a long-time alliance that has helped protect Tehran from tough UN sanctions.

Iran’s foreign minister today denied the claim of the UN nuclear chief that his country had temporarily slowed its nuclear programme.

Iran said today it is considering whether to participate in a Baghdad-organised conference of Iraq's neighbours, which the United States plans to attend.