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/ 15 April 2008

Iran would ‘eliminate Israel’ if attacked

Iran would "eliminate Israel from the global arena" if it was attacked by the Jewish state, the deputy commander of the army warned on Tuesday, amid an intensifying war of words. "We are not worried by Israeli manoeuvres, but if Israel takes such action against the Islamic Republic of Iran, we will eliminate it from the global arena," Mohammad Reza Ashtiani said.

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/ 26 March 2007

Iran grills UK soldiers despite push for release

Iran said on Monday it was interrogating 15 British sailors it seized last week, claiming they had entered its waters illegally and defying intense international pressure for their release. As the diplomatic row deepened, Britain ambassador Geoffrey Adams held more talks at the Foreign Ministry in Tehran and was assured that the group was "fit and well".

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/ 6 July 2006

Iran rebuffs hopes of nuclear-crisis breakthrough

Iran rebuffed Western hopes of a breakthrough in the Iran nuclear crisis on Thursday, saying it has no plans to respond in talks in Brussels to an international offer to curb its atomic plans. A senior Iranian official made the comment hours before Tehran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, was due to have dinner with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

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/ 6 June 2006

Iran gives cautious reception to offer

Iran on Tuesday gave a cautious reception to an international proposal aimed at resolving the crisis over its disputed nuclear drive, saying the offer contains "positive steps" but also "ambiguities". The package, presented by European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, offers a variety of incentives and fresh multilateral talks if Tehran agrees to suspend uranium-enrichment work.

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/ 25 April 2006

Iran threatens to hide nuclear programme

Iran warned on Tuesday it will sever relations with the United Nations atomic watchdog if sanctions are imposed over its nuclear drive and vowed a military attack would merely send its activities underground. Despite the tough rhetoric, diplomats in Vienna said a high-level Iranian delegation was to hold last-minute talks on Wednesday with the UN atomic agency.

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/ 12 April 2006

Iran says nuclear drive is unstoppable

A defiant Iran vowed on Wednesday that nothing could halt its controversial nuclear programme, in a direct challenge to the United Nations Security Council that could risk international sanctions. With the country basking in national pride after scientists successfully enriched uranium to make nuclear fuel, officials pledged to move rapidly to industrial-scale work.

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/ 24 January 2006

Eight killed in double bomb attack in Iran

Eight people were killed in a double bomb attack on Tuesday in the restive southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz, where a scheduled visit by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been cancelled at the last minute. The media said a first bomb in Ahvaz exploded in front of a privately-run bank and a second in front of a government office for natural resources.