iran

ran dismissed reports on Friday that a U.S. navy vessel fired at an Iranian patrol boat in the Gulf, the Islamic Republic's Press TV channel said citing an Iranian official. The English-language satellite channel quoted an unnamed official as saying no incident had occurred between the U.S. Navy and the naval forces of the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Persian Gulf.

The nation's top military officer said today that the Pentagon is planning for "potential military courses of action" against Iran, criticizing what he called the Tehran government's "increasingly lethal and malign influence" in Iraq. Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said a conflict with Iran would be "extremely stressing" but not impossible for U.S. forces, pointing specifically to reserve capabilities in the Navy and Air Force. "It would be a mistake to think that we are out of combat capability," he said at a Pentagon news conference.

A series of conflicts with insurgent groups along Iran's borders may be impelling Tehran to back its own allies in Iraq in what it regards as a proxy war with the U.S., according to security experts and officials in the U.S., Iran and Iraq. Dozens of Iranian officials, members of the security forces and insurgents belonging to Kurdish, Arab Iranian and Baluch groups have died in the fighting in recent years. It now appears to be heating up once again after an unusually cold and snowy winter.

Iran's bid to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization depends on whether the Euro-Asian alliance decides to expand, its leader said Tuesday.

Iran calls for a shorter application process in order to become a permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The Untied States said it would use all means to prevent Iran's influence in the region including its membership in Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

March 20 is destined to be another day of infamy. On this date this year, the US officially declared war on Iran. But it's not going to be the kind of war many have been expecting.

Saudi Arabia is reportedly preparing to counter any 'radioactive hazards' which may result from a US strike on Iran's nuclear plants.

In an interview with Radio Farda, Turaj Atabaki, a professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian history at Leiden University in the Netherlands, said that Russia and China would not complicate SCO affairs and the group's status by accepting Iran as a member.

China welcomes Iran's wish to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which groups China, Russia and Central Asian nations, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.