Russia has consistently supported Iran's right to civilian nuclear energy under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and is building a nuclear power plant for the Islamic nation in Bushehr.
Reading the text of his oath, the President promised to use all within his power to serve the country, nation and the Islamic establishment of Iran.
Human rights groups have rallied against Iran's election to the UN Commission on the Status of Women on the grounds that the Islamic Republic is oppressive when it comes to women's rights.
At a time when the nuclear deal was being negotiated, the United States had tried to pressurise India over its ties with Iran and even objected to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Delhi, saying it would give 'platform for an enemy of the US', according to Wikileaks documents. The cables sent by the then US ambassador David Mulford to the State Department make it clear that India did not want America to tell it "what to do, especially in public".
State television quoted Khamenei directing the Guardian Council to look into charges by Ahmadinejad's rival and pro-reform candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.
India and Iran should come together to fill up the "power vacuum" in the region and there is "no limit" for promoting ties between the two countries at bilateral, regional and global levels, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said. "Iran and India, should bolster mutual ties, making themselves prepared for major developments worldwide and filling up the power vacuum in the region," Ahmadinejad said during a meeting with the National Security Advisor M K Narayanan
Analysts suggest that with the Indo-US nuclear deal in limbo, New Delhi could be balancing foreign policy with an eye to the polls. They say that India's sharp response to the US State Department's 'advice' on Iran was one such move. While some felt the response was a case of dangerous over-reaction, others said it was merely an act of diplomacy where relations with other countries, particularly the US, are balanced to suit India's interests.
A CPI-M member in the Lok Sabha,on Wednesday asked the government to condemn a United States State Department statement that India tell Iran to 'meet the requirements of the UN Security Council' on its nuclear programme during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejads upcoming visit.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will undertake his first-ever visit to India next week on his way to Sri Lanka. Ahmadinejad's visit comes at a time when Iran is facing United Nations sanctions and isolation from several countries. NSA M K Narayanan pitched for better treatment of Iran internationally, saying it was an ancient civilisation, and a major country with tremendous influence.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday hours after President George Bush spoke at the same forum, he predicted the defeat of American and NATO alliance in Afghanistan and advised the next rulers of the United States to keep "their interference" in their own borders. The people of Afghanistan, he said, are victims of efforts by NATO member states to "dominate the regions surrounding India, China and South Asia."
Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation gathered for their 5th summit in Shanghai
Embattled Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and his United States counterpart George W Bush are among the world's least trusted leaders along with Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a new survey in 20 countries, including India, shows.Musharraf has the poorest ratings around the world. Only in China, 37 per cent of the people feel that he inspires confidence as a leader, outweighing negative views (30 per cent), the poll conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org Just two countrie
Ahmadinejad said he is willing to talk with the Europeans and the Americans. "We have announced as much, that we are going to negotiate. But again, based on justice and mutual respect. Well, after everything is said and done--well, planning needs to be made, and some timetables need to be set. We believe in talking, in negotiating, based on sincerity and respect and justice," he said in his interview through a translator.
Ahmadinejad, who is the first Iranian Head of State to undertake a visit New Delhi in five years, was received warmly by Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Ahmadinejad, who arrived in New Delhi from Sri Lanka, will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a wide range of issues during his five-hour visit.
In remarks bound to rankle the Left parties in India, the Bush administration hoped that New Delhi would also ask Iran to comply with the United Nations Security Council's other requirements regarding its nuclear programme. Washington would also encourage New Delhi to ask Iran to "become a more responsible actor on the world stage by ending its rather unhelpful activities" regarding Iraq and support for terrorism, State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said.
The launch of the satellite named 'Omid' was announced by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who said it had been put in the orbit. It was launched with the help of Safir-2 rockets.
UNSC condemns Ahmadinejad's anti-Israeli statement
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may have used a mix of charm and roguish coercion to let India know that he expected the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline proposal to become a reality in 45 days. But India is in no hurry to take a decision, a top Cabinet minister in the United Progressive Alliance government said. The volatile political environment in Iran and Pakistan has as much weightage now and the UPA government is becoming more reluctant.
Iran may put the $22 billion deal to sell liquefied natural gas to India on the backburner as New Delhi refuses to re-open the contract sealed two years ago, according to an assessment by the petroleum ministry.
Central Asia with Iran as a major gas supplier is the arena where the new 'great-game' is being played out and China, India and Japan are all seeking to protect their respective energy interests for the medium term -- and pipeline politics is the new instrumentality
"We need to make sure that the Iran pipleline project is economically viable. This project has a life of 40 years," Menon tol the media in Delhi. Menon confirmed that India was trying to re-negotiate the Liquefied Natural Gas project with Iran. The deal was first made in 2005, but India feels there could be renegotiation.
"This nuclear fuel is definitely for the development of Iran and expansion of peace in the world," Ahmadinejad said.
He denied suggestions that he sought conflict with the US, saying Iran was 'trying to find ways to love people.'
Iranian president said that Tehran has repeatedly made it clear that its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes.
The state department granted visa to the newly-elected President, overruling concerns by the department of homeland security, which suspects that Ahmadinejad participated in the hostage taking at the US embassy in Iran in 1979.
He was also opposed to displacement of communities as a whole and their replacement by others and sought to differentiate between Zionism and Jews.
Hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad steamrolled over one of Iran's best known statesman to win the presidency on Saturday in a landslide election victory that cements conservative control over nation's politicial leadership.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's scheduled visit to New York next week has triggered a controversy.
The spokesman was non-committal in the kind of response of the United States.
"India has immense credibility in the whole world because it is the largest and is a true democracy and I believe India can play a very important diplomatic role in bringing both sides together to resolve the misunderstandings they have," S P Hinduja, chairman of The Hinduja Group, said. "No one should suspect India because it is the best democracy in the world," he added.
Wishful thinking often masquerades as assessment. Iran should not be different. Driven by short term gains, India is rolling out red carpet welcome to Ahmadinejad.
Iran blamed America for the cancellation saying they had delayed the issuance of visas to the crew of the special plane that would have carried Ahmedinejad to New York for the meeting.
"We think that the US is following another policy trying to hide its defeats and failures and that is why it is pointing its fingers to others," he said.
The Guardian profiles the man who leads Iraq at its most troubled time.
The Iran issue is expected to figure prominently in the discussions at the NAM summit.
India will make another attempt to salvage the $22-billion deal to import LNG from Iran when Petroleum Minister Murli Deora meets the Islamic country's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran on Thursday.