DAMASCUS, Syria, Jan. 5--Representative of Iran’s leader, Ali Larijani, and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem discussed latest Mideast developments, particularly Lebanon.
The two officials also reviewed on Friday the settlement process in Palestine and the Arab foreign ministers’ meeting due to be held in Cairo on Sunday, Alalam.ir reported.
Larijani, who represents Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in the Supreme National Security Council, arrived in Damascus on Thursday for a meeting with senior Syrian officials.
The Iranian official expressed “Iran’s support for Syrian efforts to reach a compromise“ in Lebanon that would allow the election of a new president there.
“The key to a solution in Lebanon lies in the hands of Lebanese parties,“ he added.
Referring to the latest attacks of the Zionist Israeli regime on Palestinians, Larijani said, “Measures taken by Israel indicate that the regime is not in favor of peace.“
Clarifying Syria’s stance on Lebanon, Walid Muallem said, “This country’ problems should be solved through negotiation among domestic groups without any foreign interference.“
Lebanon has been without a president since the mandate of Emile Lahoud expired on November 23 amid sharp divisions between the ruling majority and the opposition.
On December 28, a parliamentary session called to elect a president was postponed until January 12--the 11th postponement of a vote since September.
During his four-day visit, Larijani will meet Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Vice President Farouk Al-Shara.
Larijani traveled to Syria on the second leg of his tour from Egypt where he met with Egyptian political and cultural personalities, including Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

In April 2007, the Iranian Armed Forces declared that Iran had successfully designed, produced and tested its first domestically manufactured fighter aircraft, the Azarakhsh.

TEHRAN, Jan. 5--A senior air force official said Iran has mastered the technology to produce new generation fighter jets.
“After designing and building the Azarakhsh and Saeqeh fighters, Iran has now succeeded in designing fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets. The news of their production will be announced in the near future,“ Air Force commander, Brigadier General Ahmad Miqani told reporters in Tehran on Saturday, Mehr News Agency reported.
In April 2007, the Iranian Armed Forces declared that Iran had successfully designed, produced and tested its first domestically manufactured fighter aircraft, the Azarakhsh--meaning Lightning in Persian.
According to official announcements, the single seater fighter jet Saeqeh (Thunderbolt) is another aircraft domestically manufactured by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Air Force and the Iranian Ministry of Defense.
“The third-generation fighters, which have been produced ahead of schedule, will join Iran’s fleet by the end of March,“ said Miqani.
“The design of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters is of Iranian and domestic origin. These planes are known as stealth fighters, which can elude the enemy’s sophisticated radar system,“ he added, noting that the planes would also be equipped with the latest radar technology.
In addition to commenting on the new generation of Iranian-produced radar systems, the commander said that a series of batteries and missiles have also been produced, which are able to target and bring down enemy aircraft.

TEHRAN, Jan. 5--President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a message paid tribute to students who were martyred during the 1980-88 Iraq-imposed war against Iran.
The ceremony was held on Saturday to commemorate the group of student martyrs who had sacrificed their lives in the southern frontier of Hoveizeh in Khuzestan province, IRNA reported.
The message was read by Minister of Science, Research and Technology Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi.
Ahmadinejad noted that the young students played a key role during the Islamic Revolution and the war.
Some one million people have been killed during the war on both the sides.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki (l) talks with Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro in Islamabad, January 4.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Jan. 5--Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki urged Pakistan to confront those who fan the fuel of sectarianism in that country.
Mottaki made the remark in a meeting on Friday with Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister, Mohammedmian Soomro, before ending his daylong visit to the eastern neighbor of Iran, IRNA reported.
“Enemies of Islamic states want to disturb the unity and stability of communities like Pakistan by sowing discord among Muslims. Therefore, the government of Pakistan should strongly confront those who aggravate sectarian disputes in the country,“ he said.
Condemning the assassination of former prime minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, last week, Mottaki called for the immediate arrest and punishment of the perpetrators.
Benazir, the late leader of Pakistan People’s Party, was killed in a suicide attack on December 27, in the city of Rawalpindi after addressing an election rally.
Mottaki called on President Pervez Musharraf on Friday and discussed with him bilateral and regional matters, the state-run television reported.
The Iranian minister expressed shock and grief over Bhutto’s assassination and conveyed condolences on behalf of the Iranian government and people, it said.
Mottaki discussed bilateral and regional matters with Pakistani caretaker Foreign Minister Inam-ul-Haque.
Officials said the two foreign ministers also reviewed progress in talks about the multibillion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.

TEHRAN, Jan. 5--A lawmaker said Washington can restore ties with Tehran only if it changes its stance and accepts realities.
“Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran 28 years ago, the US has refused to accept the realities of Iran and the Islamic Revolution,“ added MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi, Presstv reported.
Boroujerdi, who heads the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, also said that as long as the US does not rectify its policy on Iran and does not accept the country’s realities, the ground for restoring diplomatic ties with Washington will not be prepared.
The Iranian MP also noted that Iran has not been keen to restore ties with the US due to its hostile policies.
Boroujerdi denounced a move by the US to allocate funds for undermining the Islamic Republic.
“The US has sought to deprive the Iranian nation of its legitimate right to acquire peaceful nuclear technology. It is inappropriate of Tehran to restore diplomatic ties with the US with the current administration,“ he said.

Mohammad Salarkia

TEHRAN, Jan. 5--A judicial official said 65 major security cases have been handed over to a special headquarters for prosecuting cases dealing with national security.
Mohammad Salarkia, deputy Tehran prosecutor, also told Mehr News Agency in Tehran on Saturday that after a request by the Police Crime Branch, some important dossiers were transferred to the headquarters for special investigation.
The aim of the headquarters is to prosecute and speed up the prosecution of special cases, he added.
Salarkia noted that Tehran’s prosecutor and the head of Police Crime Branch are among members of the headquarters.

TEHRAN, Jan. 5--An earthquake measuring 3.9 on the Richter scale hit the suburbs of Haftgol in Khuzestan province on Saturday.
The Geophysics Institute of Tehran University registered the quake at 10:39 hours local time (0709 GMT), IRNA reported.
The quake was epicentered in an area located 49.52 degrees longitude and 31.63 degrees latitude, the report added.
No casualty or damage to property has been reported yet.
Iran is often hit by quakes of varying magnitudes, as it sits on some of the world’s most active seismic fault-lines.