KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- An Iranian Revolutionary Guards general and eight other Iranians have been arrested by Afghan forces and handed over to U.S. authorities, an Afghan politician said Saturday. ... more

The entourage of former king of Afghanistan Mohammed Zahir Shah denied that he had criticised the US-led war in his country, despite being quoted as doing so by an Italian newspaper. ... more

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan interim leader Hamid Karzai said on Sunday elderly ex-king Zahir Shah would return home in a few days and had an "important role" in the country. "He is most welcome. He has an important role to play in Afghanistan and he will be here in a few days time," Karzai, a staunch supporter of the king ... ... more

It is almost the end of the year in Iran and people are getting ready to welcome their new year on March 21 with colourful Norouz that will last for 13 days. The Norouz, the most eminent traditional celebration in Iran falling on the first day of spring, brings joy and colouful life to all parts of the country ... ... more

Tehran, March 10, IRNA -- The US intends to create an atmosphere of terror in the world and achieve its goals by causing trouble for world governments under various pretexts, former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said here Sunday. ... more

Mashhad, Khorasan province 9 March. Spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Mohammad Nuri said on Saturday [9 March] some 3000 Iranian refugees living now in Iraq would return to Iran early next Iranian year. ... more

TEHRAN 9 Mar. (IPS) "Think that I'm dead. Don't try anything to save me", veteran Iranian journalist Siamak Poorzand reportedly told his family during their last meeting, according to one of his daughters, Leyla, expressing deep concern for the fate of his father, Mr. Siamak Poorzand. ... more

Beirut, 10 March. Iran's Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammad Ali Sobhani said here Saturday [9 March] that Hezbollah is originally a noble Lebanese phenomenon that plans its activities based on the interests of its motherland. ... more

After the Taliban were driven out of power in Afghanistan, the Bush administration put out the word that it was time to go global with "Phase 2." In the next phase of the campaign against terror, American forces and their allies would pursue the remnants of Al Qaeda around the world. ... more

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The Bush administration is being urged to target the Islamic regime in Iran as part of an effort to halt Teheran's long-range missile and weapons of mass destruction programs. ... more

ABU DHABI [MENL] -- Kuwait has decided to bolster security ties with Iran amid U.S. plans to attack neighboring Iraq. Gulf defense sources said Iran and Kuwait have decided to increase measures to protect their borders from Iraqi-backed insurgents sent by the regime of President Saddam Hussein. ... more

The minister of transport of the interim Afghan government has visited the (?Doghorun) customs checkpoint on the [Iran]-Afghan border in (?Taiban) District [Iran]. After visiting the Doghorun customs checkpoint on Friday [8 March], Soltan Hamed also had a meeting and talks with the head of Taiban [District]. ... more

Los Angeles -- An FBI investigation of the Mujahedin e Khalq (MEK), a terrorist group attacking Iran's government, led to indictments last year involving a large- scale, Los Angeles-based charity fraud ring accused of laundering more than $1 million for militants overseas. ... more

TEHRAN (AP)--No Iranian has been detained in Afghanistan, a government spokesman said Sunday, denying reports that a group of Iranians had been arrested and handed over to U.S. forces in Afghanistan. ... more

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran has set aside 31 trillion rials, or dlrs 3.8 billion, to subsidize essential goods in the event of price rises after this month's reform of exchange rates, Commerce Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari said in a report broadcast Sunday. ... more

Tehran, 9 March. Visiting Bosnian Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija and his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi here Saturday [9 March] signed a memorandum of understanding, in which the two sides called for promotion of bilateral relations in various areas. ... more

Three challenges, of universal and enduring import, were posed by 11 September. The first was the challenge of reinforcing the security dimension of globalisation. Globalisation cannot be seen only in terms of trade, investment, travel and communications: it requires a security dimension, the responsibility above all of states, and one that is both effective and under legal, and democratic, control. ... more

WASHINGTON, March 9 — Outlining a broad overhaul of American nuclear policy, a secret Pentagon report calls for developing new nuclear weapons that would be better suited for striking targets in Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Libya. ... more

America has drafted secret plans to wage nuclear war against seven countries as well as building an arsenal of smaller nuclear devices for use in battlefield situations. A classified Pentagon report has warned that the US must be ready to use nuclear weapons against China, Russia, Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Libya and Syria and also in an Arab-Israeli conflict. ... more

The Saturday Jerusalem blast just down the street from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's official residence followed hard on the heels of a Palestinian shooting attack that killed two people, including a nine-month-old baby, in the Israeli city of Netanya. ... more

Where is Osama bin Laden?
If still alive, Osama bin Laden is most likely to be in the mountains that line the Afghan-Pakistan frontier. It may be that at some stage he has crossed into Pakistan - in the more remote areas this would not be difficult - but he is unlikely to have travelled further than a few miles from the border. It would be very difficult for him to slip across Pakistan and then either into Iran across the Baluchistan desert or out into the Arabian Sea and thence to the Gulf. ... more

Today the US Vice-President, Dick Cheney, arrives in London at the beginning of 11-nation tour taking in Europe and the Middle East, on a mission to bolster support for America's 'war on terror'. As the wheels of the vice-presidential Boeing 757 touch down - and before he is whisked to Downing Street for his meeting with Tony Blair by helicopter and a heavily guarded convoy of limousines - the veteran of two Bush administrations will have a few moments for reflection. ... more

RIYADH AIR BASE, Saudi Arabia — On an expanse of desert whipped by fine red sand, Capt. Lisa Bartel stands watch over the Patriot missile battery she commands inside this vast Saudi military complex. Her unit is responsible for protecting the base, the surrounding oil installations and a nearby American military housing complex from attack. ... more