Tehran Halts Travel By Poet Called ‘Lioness Of Iran’ (NPR)
Simin Behbahani, Iran’s most prominent poet, was about to board a flight to Paris when police seized her passport. Behbahani, 82 and nearly blind, has not been charged with any crime. Many fear her treatment may signal a rise in repressive tactics by Iran’s government.
Iran Confident in Syrian Alliance (Institute for War and Peace Reporting)
Tehran leaders see limited western overtures to Damascus as futile. Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, recently feted in Damascus, believes that the West is not prepared to offer Syria serious incentives in order to separate it from Iran.
Iran-Pakistan gas deal operational by Friday (Business Standard India)
Tehran and Islamabad will sign the operating contract of gas export from Iran to Pakistan by Friday, the Iranian deputy oil minister said here.
China envoy urges Iran to compromise, wary on sanctions (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
China has urged Iran to accept a nuclear fuel swap proposal to ease demands for new sanctions on Tehran, a senior Chinese diplomat said, adding that Beijing wants “every avenue” tried before considering sanctions.
China ‘more concerned’ over Iran nuclear crisis – France 24
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (R) exchanges a private word with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband (L) at the foreign ministry in Beijing. China has said it is growing more concerned over the Iran nuclear crisis but again resisted calls …
Iran-Pakistan gas deal operational by Friday (Press Trust of India)
Tehran, March 17 (MNA) Tehran and Islamabad will sign the operating contract of gas export from Iran to Pakistan by Friday, the Iranian deputy oil minister said here.
Iran-Egypt Cooperation Will Benefit Islamic World (Bernama)
TEHRAN, March 17 (Bernama) — Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani says that Islamic countries will derive considerable benefit from Iran-Egypt cooperation, Iran’s Mehr News Agency reports.
Fires greet Iranian festival (UPI)
TEHRAN, March 17 (UPI) — Iranian security forces were dispatched across the country to prevent outbreaks of violence coinciding with the annual Feast of Fire festival.
Fires Greet Iranian Festival (OfficialWire)
Iranian security forces were dispatched across the country to prevent outbreaks of violence coinciding with the annual Feast of Fire festival. Iranian hard-line clergymen following the 1979 Islamic Revolution banned the festival, which dates back to the pagan era for Iran.
Pakistan, Iran sign deal on natural gas pipeline (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Pakistan has signed a deal with Iran paving the way for the construction of a much-delayed pipeline pumping Iranian natural gas to the energy-starved South Asian country, officials said on Wednesday.
