A banned teenage driver who mowed down and killed a father in front of his nine-year old son has been jailed for five years.

Iran’s foreign minister has refused to confirm that the country conducted a missile test, saying its missile programme is not part of a 2015 nuclear deal between his country and world powers.

President Barack Obama and Iran’s foreign minister shook hands when they ran into one another on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Iran’s top diplomat began a three-nation regional tour yesterday aimed at deepening ties with Arab neighbours following the conclusion of the Islamic Republic’s historic nuclear deal with world powers.

It is hard to picture Iran’s nuclear talks with world powers without the beaming face of foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who, in reaching a deal, has shown the power of what Iranians call ‘smile diplomacy’.

Nuclear negotiations between Tehran and six other world powers were unlikely to finish late last night, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said, with diplomats reporting deadlock over a UN arms embargo and other sticking points.

Negotiators at the Iran nuclear talks plan to announce today that they have reached a historic deal capping nearly a decade of diplomacy that would curb Iran’s atomic programme in return for sanctions relief, two diplomats said yesterday.

Iran nuclear talks passed their second deadline in a week yesterday, casting new questions about the ability of world powers to cut off all Iranian pathways to a bomb through diplomacy. But the parties agreed to continue their talks.

Talks resumed over Iran’s nuclear programme hours after negotiators abandoned a deadline to reach the outline of a deal.

Iran yesterday rejected as “unacceptable” US President Barack Obama’s demand that it freeze sensitive nuclear activities for at least 10 years, but said it would continue talks aimed at securing a deal, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Defying US president Barack Obama, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Washington to warn Congress about the risks of a possible nuclear deal with Iran in a speech that has imperilled ties between the two allies.

World leaders and top dignitaries have begun arriving in Saudi Arabia to give their condolences following the death of King Abdullah, who died yesterday aged 90 after nearly two decades at the helm.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and foreign ministers of other major powers converged today to lend their weight to the Iran nuclear talks after envoys reported progress on key issues blocking an interim agreement to curb the Iranian programme in return for limited sanctions relief.

World powers negotiating with Tehran over its disputed nuclear programme must come up with new proposals before talks in Geneva on Oct 15-16, Iran’s foreign minister said.

Irish super heavyweight Cathal McMonagle advanced to the quarter finals of the European Union Boxing Championships after his opponent Kurban Gunebakan from Turkey was retired by the ref following a cut over his right eye in the fourth round at the National Stadium in Dublin tonight.

THE UN Security Council passed a weakened resolution yesterday giving Iran until August 31 to suspend uranium enrichment or face the threat of economic and diplomatic sanctions.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman today praised Russia and China for their opposition to the US drive to impose UN sanctions on Iran for its nuclear programme.

Iran’s top UN diplomat has criticised a resolution demanding that Tehran halt uranium enrichment or face the threat of further action, charging that it is aimed at provoking confrontation rather than resolving the dispute over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Iran is ready for a conditional return to intrusive inspections of its nuclear programme, but uranium enrichment will continue, a senior official said today.

Iran will not comply with any Security Council resolution aimed at halting its nuclear enrichment programme because its activities are legal, peaceful, and pose no threat to international security, said Iran’s UN ambassador.

THE United States is pressing Iran to hand over al-Qaida suspects believed

The United States is pressing Iran to hand over al-Qaida suspects believed by American intelligence to have been working in Iranian territory, it was reported today.