Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki (l) speaks during a joint press conference with his Bahraini counterpart Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa in Manama, Dec. 26.

MANAMA, Bahrain, Dec. 26--Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met Bahraini Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa on Wednesday.
Mottaki, who is in Bahrain to attend a joint cooperation commission session, hoped trade ties with Bahrain would exceed $1 billion in 2008, IRNA reported.
“The recent visit by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has opened a new chapter in ties between the two Persian Gulf states,“ he said.
Sheikh Khalifa said expansion of bilateral cooperation will help establish security and stability in the region, stressing on continuation of talks on cooperation in the gas sector.
“Expansion of Iran’s relations with its southern neighboring countries will serve to reduce the impacts of foreign interventions,“ he said.
Underlining the importance of relations between Iran and Bahrain, he said negotiations on implementation of a joint gas project will benefit the two sides.
Mottaki also held talks with Bahraini Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa on issues of mutual interest.
Speaking in a joint press conference with his Bahraini counterpart Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, Mottaki said Iran expects its nuclear case would be solved within one or two months.
He said Iran has fully cooperated with IAEA which resulted in the UN nuclear watchdog admitting in a report that Iran has not deviated from its peaceful program.
Commenting on the latest report issued by the US intelligence community, he said two significant developments have taken place in recent months, with both proving the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.
“We are expecting a rational and logical approach with respect to our nuclear case,“ he said.
Reports issued by IAEA and the US intelligence community has provided a suitable opportunity, mainly for the US, to courageously confess to the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear case and let it return to IAEA.

While international relations experts express optimism about negotiations between Iran and the United States over issues other than Iraq, Iranian officials say such talks are possible only if the US drops its hostile policies.
Hamid Reza Haji-Babaei, a member of Majlis Presiding Board, told Iran Daily’s Azam Mohebbi conditions are not ripe for Iran-US talks.
“As long as the US pursues its sanctions policy against Iran, grounds will not be prepared,“ he said.
He noted that the United States is still leveling allegations against Iran, accusing the country of underwriting terrorists in Iraq.
Referring to recent comments by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who expressed readiness for talks with her Iranian counterpart, Haji-Babaei said, “We have conditions to start negotiations with the US and we will not include any condition that is against our national interests“.
Rice had earlier said she will enter into talks with Iran if it stops uranium enrichment.
After the release of a report by the US National Intelligence Estimate on Iran’s nuclear activities, Republicans have changed their tone and call for conditional talks with Iran. They want Iran to stop enrichment and come to the negotiating table.
However, Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Americans should build confidence and walk the talk.

TEHRAN, Dec. 26--Majlis Speaker Gholamali Haddad Adel said Tehran will boost its ties with Cairo on the basis of Islamic solidarity.
Talking to reporters on Wednesday, Haddad said his upcoming visit to Egypt is aimed at attending the biennial meeting of Asian Parliaments, IRNA reported.
“The secretariat of Asian Parliamentary Union is in Tehran and the Iranian Parliament, as a founder of the union, follows up its activities,“ he said.
He noted that discussions on issues of mutual interest with Egyptian officials are on the agenda.
“The Iranian delegation will also visit cultural and historical sites in Cairo,“ he said.
The speaker called on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to present the next year’s budget bill to the parliament, urging him to introduce his nominee for the post of education minister as soon as possible.
Former Education Minister Mahmoud Farshidi submitted his resignation to president on December 2.
Alireza Ali-Ahmadi, chancellor of Payam-e Nour University, was appointed caretaker of Education Ministry by Ahmadinejad after Farshidi’s resignation.
Haddad then outlined efforts made by the Majlis to control inflation.

TEHRAN, Dec. 26--Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini rejected comments by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband as “baseless rhetoric and contradictory to realities“.
The spokesman was reacting to a newspaper article by Miliband on Wednesday, Mehr News Agency reported.
Hosseini said some extremist elements in the British government have forgotten that they have a commitment toward international organizations.
He said Miliband is making allegations against Iran and weakening international entities such as the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“I invite the British government to observe international rules, adopt a logical stance, stop weakening international organizations and end interference in the affairs of others,“ he said, adding that the IAEA reports indicate the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities.
The spokesman said such an attitude is rooted in imperialist thoughts.
“This is while the British empire has already disappeared,“ he said.
He urged British officials to avoid extremism and stop instigating discord among the Iranians.
Hosseini said the baseless rhetoric of British officials arises from their failure in the Middle East, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“This will bring about further isolation of the UK,“ he said.

TEHRAN, Dec. 26--President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad felicitated Pope Benedict XVI on the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ (PBUH), the messenger of love, friendship, justice and spirituality on the threshold of the New Year.
In a message to the leader of the world Roman Catholics on Wednesday, the Iranian president said the world is in dire need of the guidance of divine prophets more than at any other time, IRNA reported.
He expressed hope that the New Year would witness peace, friendship and respect for the rights of people, as well as the elimination of oppression, violation and discrimination.
President Ahmadinejad also hoped that the new Christian year would bring peace and tranquility to the international community through justice and spirituality.
Also on Wednesday, Majlis Speaker Gholamali Haddad Adel congratulated the Iranian and world Christians on the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ (PBUH) and the eve of the new Christian year.
Addressing an open Majlis session, Haddad expressed hope the New Year would be a year of peace and justice in which people worldwide would benefit from the teachings of Jesus Christ (PBUH).
Haddad wished all followers of divine religions peace and tranquility.

An aerial view of Bam after the catastrophic quake in 2003.

TEHRAN, Dec. 26--The ancient Iranian city of Bam was hit by a mild earthquake almost four years after a catastrophic quake there killed tens of thousands of people.
The suburbs of Bam in southeastern Iran were rocked by the 4.2 magnitude quake at around 8:00 p.m. (1630 GMT) on Tuesday evening, IRNA reported.
The quake that hit Bam in the early hours of December 26, 2003, killed 31,000 people, about a quarter of the city’s population, and destroyed the city’s ancient mud-built citadel.
Iran sits astride several major faults in the earth’s crust and is prone to frequent earthquakes, many of them devastating.
Work is continuing in Bam to rebuild the destroyed infrastructure as well as the Arg-e Bam Citadel, a UNESCO world heritage site thronged by domestic and foreign tourists before the quake.

TEHRAN, Dec. 26--First Vice President Parviz Davoudi, heading a high-ranking delegation, left for Tripoli, Libya, on Wednesday to review issues of mutual interest with senior Libyan officials.
Davoudi was seen off at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport by Government Spokesman Gholamhossein Elham and other officials, IRNA reported.
Davoudi’s two-day visit is taking place at the invitation of Libyan Prime Minister Al-Baghdadi Ali Al-Mahmudi.
The Iranian will later proceed to Djibouti for a one-day visit.
Talking to reporters prior to his departure, Davoudi said the objective of the trips is to expand bilateral cooperation with the two African states, noting that the 12th session of Iran-Libya Commission will be held in Tripoli on Thursday.
He further stressed that promotion of ties with African states is a priority of the government.
Davoudi expressed hope that his visit to Djibouti would pave the way for further expansion of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the area of economy.

TEHRAN, Dec. 26--Head of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said Iran has always supported the Afghan nation.
Boroujerdi told the head of Afghanistan’s Red Crescent Society, Ms. Gilani, on Wednesday that Iran has always supported Afghanistan, especially during the Afghan campaign against Russian troops, after the end of the country’s occupation, return of democracy and in holding free elections, IRNA reported.
“The allocation of a budget by Iran’s Majlis for Afghans demonstrates the continuation of cooperation between the two countries,“ he said.
Gilani said Afghanistan wants Iran’s Red Crescent Society to share its valuable experience and potentials with Afghanistan.
She also briefed Boroujerdi on the activities of Afghanistan’s Red Crescent Society.