Irans most-reform minded candidate blocked from running for presidential election

One of Iran's most reform-minded presidential candidates has been barred from contesting next month's presidential election. The conservative Guardian Council barred Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani from contesting election leaving just eight men on the ballot paper, all of whom are considered hardliners. Rafsanjani, 78, served as president between 1989 and 1997, and according to the Guardian Council ...

Saudi Arabia nabs 10 over spying for Iran

Saudi Arabia has arrested 10 people on suspicion of espionage for Iran, the interior ministry announced Tuesday. "Following an initial investigation, the security forces arrested 10 more suspects over involvement in the espionage acts for an Iranian espionage cell, reported Xinhua citing a spokesperson for the ministry. The arrestees, comprising eight Saudis, a Lebanese and a Turk, are linked ...

Iran Bars Candidacies of Rafsanjani Ahmadinejad Aide

IA conservative body in Iran has barred two prominent figures from competing in next month's presidential election: moderate former president Hashemi Rafsanjani and a leading conservative allied to current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The Iranian interior ministry said Tuesday the Guardian Council of clerics and jurists excluded the two politicians from a final list of eight candidates ...

Kerry Mideast Talks on Syria to Include Russian Call for Involving Iran

STATE DEPARTMENT U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in the Middle East this week for talks to promote an international peace conference on Syria. Russia wants Iran to be part of the process. In this fight for control of Syria, Iran is one of the biggest backers of embattled President Bashar al-Assad. So Russia says Iran should be part of the peace process. "Iran has ...

Iran allows eight contenders for presidential election

Iranian legislative body has approved eligibility of eight presidential candidates for the June 14 poll in the country, Xinhua reported Tuesday. The candidates, including the country's nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and former foreign minister Ali-Akbar Velayati -- for the presidential election have been approved by Iran's Guardian Council of Constitution, semi-official Mehr news agency ...