Mohammad Reza Baqeri

TEHRAN, Dec. 30--Iran dismissed claims that it is delaying talks with the US on Iraq.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Reza Baqeri told ISNA on Sunday that Iran has no intention of procrastinating over negotiations with the US.
“Tehran stresses that the agenda of talks and topics to be raised will be precisely determined,“ he said.
Baqeri, who handles Arab and African affairs, added that the US should also clarify its views in this respect.
“If the agenda of talks becomes clear to Iran, we will agree to a date,“ he said.
Asked about the political prospect of ties between Iran and Egypt, as two leading countries in the Muslim world and the Middle East, he said the two countries’ officials and nations are interested in promoting relations.
Baqeri recommended that Egyptian authorities remove obstacles to expansion of ties with Iran, pointing out that deputy foreign ministers of the two countries are currently pursuing political negotiations.
“There is a possibility that bilateral talks will be continued at a higher level,“ he said.

ZAHEDAN, Sistan-Baluchestan, Dec. 30--Iran’s border with Pakistan has not been closed following the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, an official said.
Habibollah Dehmardeh, Sistan-Baluchestan’s governor general, also said on Sunday areas bordering Pakistan are normal, Mehr News Agency reported.
The official ruled out the infiltration of bandits and hooligans from Pakistan to Iran, adding that Iranian officials have not yet decided to close the border.
A Pakistani newspaper earlier quoted a Pakistani official as saying that Iran has closed its border with the country following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, which has plunged Pakistan into chaos.
“The Iranian authorities informed Pakistani border officials about the closure of the border for an indefinite period,“ the newspaper wrote.

TEHRAN, Dec. 30--Talks between Iranian and Egyptian officials are continuing in Cairo.
Mohammad Ebrahim Shaker, deputy head of Egypt’s Foreign Relations Council, told IRNA on Sunday Ali Larijani, the leader’s representative in the Supreme National Security Council, will also meet the council’s members.
Larijani is on a visit to Egypt to discuss bilateral ties and issues of mutual interest.
Shaker said Larijani will discuss the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, Non-Proliferation Treaty and issues of bilateral concerns with senior Egyptian officials.
He noted that the council had earlier conferred with Larijani on nuclear issues last year.
Meanwhile, a top Arab official praised Iran’s policy concerning regional and international issues.
Amr Moussa, secretary-general of Arab League, said in a press conference in Cairo on Thursday that Tehran’s smart foreign policy in the Middle East has highlighted its role in regional and international developments.
He said the interests of Arab states in the region are closely tied to the interests of Iran.
“Any difference of opinion should be resolved [between Iran and Arabs],“ he said.
Moussa added that exchanging views with Iran on different issues, particularly tension in Iraq and Lebanon, is of paramount importance.

Major General Ataollah Salehi

TEHRAN, Dec. 30--Iran’s air, naval and ground forces are fully prepared to respond to any threats and defend the country.
Declaring the above, Army Commander Major General Ataollah Salehi said on Sunday that in the last 28 years, threats have not varied, but Iran has gained more power, IRNA reported.
Salehi stressed that the army is prepared to produce and use conventional and modern weaponry in proportion to the threats.
“The army’s air defense is so strong that it can target any kind of enemy fighter jets easily,“ he said.

MADRID, Spain, Dec. 30--Iran’s Ambassador to Uruguay Morteza Tafreshi discussed promotion of Tehran-Montevideo relations on Saturday with Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez.
The meeting was held in the Uruguayan capital where Tafreshi submitted his credentials to President Vazquez, IRNA reported.
The ambassador voiced Iran’s readiness to boost cooperation with Uruguay in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, oil and gas.
Tafreshi further voiced Tehran’s willingness to bolster bilateral ties with Latin American states, particularly those having “progressive governments“.
The Uruguayan president, for his part, said Montevideo welcomes promotion of all-out ties with Tehran.

ARAK, Markazi, Dec. 30--The Scientific-Expert Seminar on Creativity in Public Relations was held by the Coordination Council of public relations of Markazi province’s industries and Arak Governor’s Office in Arak.
Professor Hesameddin Bayan, head of Board of Directors of Iran’s Industrial Education Bureau, said in the one-day conference on Thursday that public relations offices are the mainstay of management and help achieve systematic development in organizations.
Bayan added that these offices bear heavy responsibilities in reinforcing internal and external communications between organizations.
“Public relations offices should be equipped with science and technology,“ he said.
Referring to the fact that countries are divided into fast and slow developing states, he noted that the slow developing countries should acquire knowledge and technology to fill the gap with fast developing states.
The seminar aimed at disseminating and promoting the science of public relations, developing a scientific attitude toward public relations and helping institutionalize a pragmatic culture with respect to public relations.
Public relations experts and managers of manufacturing and industrial centers, as well as executive bodies of the Markazi province attended the seminar, which also honored Professor Bayan for his scientific accomplishments.