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Tehran is technically capable of making a nuclear bomb but has yet to decide whether to build it, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei told Al Jazeera's Arabic service on Sunday. Tehran will also directly respond against Israel should its security be targeted, the report says citing the advisor. "In a few days we were able to enrich uranium up to 60% and we can easily produce 90% enriched uranium ... Iran has the technical means to produce a nuclear bomb but there has been no decision by Iran to build one," Kamal Kharrazi said.

Ayatollah Mohammad Bagher Kharrazi said the creation of what he calls an Islamic United States is a central aim of the political party he leads called Hezbollah, or Party of God, and that he hoped to make it a reality if they win the next presidential election. Kharrazi’s comments reveal the thinking of a growing number of hard-liners in Iran, many of whom have become more radical during the postelection political crisis and the international standoff over the country’s nuclear program. Kharrazi, however, is not highly influential in Iran’s clerical hierarchy and his views do not represent those of the...

TEHRAN, Iran — A radical cleric called Saturday for the creation of a “Greater Iran” that would rule over the entire Middle East and Central Asia, in an event that he said would herald the coming of Islam’s expected messiah. Ayatollah Mohammad Bagher Kharrazi said the creation of what he calls an Islamic United States is a central aim of the political party he leads called Hezbollah, or Party of God, and that he hoped to make it a reality if they win the next presidential election. Kharrazi’s comments reveal the thinking of a growing number of hard-liners in Iran,...

Washington ProwlerInnocents Abroad By The Prowler Published 2/2/2005 12:07:29 AM UGLY AMERICAN OF THE WEEKSo much for Sen. Joe Biden's audition as a future Secretary of State. At least if you ask the Iranians. Last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Biden agreed to serve as a host and leading U.S. representative at a dinner with senior Iranian government officials...[snip] Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi was the highest-ranking Iranian official present at the event....[but] for the first hour and half of the dinner others had to lead the discussion, because Joe Biden was a mysterious no-show. Just as...

Bush's comments on Iran election reflect his ignorance: Kharrazi TEHRAN (Agencies) -- Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said here Friday that U.S. President George W. Bush's recent comments on Iran's presidential election is due to his lack of knowledge about Iran, IRNA reported. Kharrazi made the remark after casting his vote. The Iranian foreign minister’s comments followed Bush's criticism of Iran's presidential election which he said would retain power in the hands of an unelected few and are undemocratic. Kharrazi added: "While lecturing us on democracy, Bush totally ignores the presence of grass root democracy in Iran and launches a campaign...

Iran's foreign minister arrived in Baghdad for talks with senior Iraqi officials on Tuesday, marking the highest-level visit by an official from Iran to its Mideast neighbor since Saddam Huseein's fall. Kamal Kharrazi arrived in Iraq two days after Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice paid a surprise visit to support the war-ravaged country's political process. A spokesman for Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Laith Kuba, said the Iranian envoy was scheduled to hold talks with al-Jaafari and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurd.

Iraq's Deputy Foreign Minister Sa'd al-Hayani conferred here Thursday with Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi on expansion of mutual cooperation. Al-Hayani said the two sides enjoy deeply rooted cultural and religious ties. The Iraqi envoy said Iraq is determined to help Iranian people and pilgrims through implementation of mutual accord. Iraqi new government is to broaden ties with Iran, he said and lauded the efforts of the Iranian government for helping development in the war-shattered Iraq. Iraq is to attend the upcoming meeting with its neighbors and is determined to further broaden cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran, he said....

Iran has confirmed that it successfully test-fired what it calls a "strategic missile" during recent military exercises. Defence Minister Ali Shamkhani told Iranian state media that following the test, the missiles had now been delivered to the armed forces. He did not name the missile or give details of its range. The announcement comes amid tensions over Iran's nuclear programme, which it insists is for peaceful purposes. Power and range "This strategic missile was successfully test-fired during... military exercises by the Revolutionary Guards and delivered to the armed forces," Mr Shamkhani said. He was quoted by Iran's student news agency,...

Pakistan Foreign Minister Due in Iran Aug 7, 2004 The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Mr. Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri is due to arrive here today on a visit to Iran on the invitation of his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi. Kasuri's The two-day visit is part of the high-level exchange of views between Iran and Pakistan on matters of common interest. The two Muslim states share a common border, cultural and religious affinities and are committed to peace, stability and security in the region. During his stay in Tehran, Foreign Minister Kasuri will hold discussions with Kharrazi on...

Iranian foreign minister Kamal Kharrazi rejected claims that his country is undermining security in Iraq. Earlier this month, Iraqi defence minister Hazem al-Shaalan said Iran was Iraq's "first enemy" because it was playing a role in the insurgency. Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi later distanced his government from the remark. Mr Kharrazi rejected Mr al-Shaalan's claim, saying "from the outset Iran has tried to help Iraq overcome its problems. "Iran wants to have good neighbourly relations with Iraq." Iraqi human rights minister Bakhtiyar Amin said on July 12 that his government had 99 foreign fighters in detention, including 26 Syrians,...

Iranian Foreign Minister Says His Country Won't Stop Nuclear Program Morgan Lee/Associated Press Jun 30, 2004 MEXICO CITY (AP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi on Wednesday rejected international pressure to halt his country's work on centrifuges for its nuclear program. Speaking to reporters during an official visit to Mexico, he said the aims of Iran's nuclear program were peaceful and he defended his country's plans to build nuclear energy facilities. "We have no obligation to postpone the construction of the centrifuges," Kharrazi said. The centrifuges are used to make the enriched uranium which can be used as nuclear reactor...

Wednesday, April 14, 2004 TEHRAN, Iran — Iran said Wednesday that its attempt to work with the United States on Iraq had foundered, but that Washington can't resolve the upsurge in violence without consultations with Iraq's neighbors. "Previously, we had dialogue" about Iraq, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi (search) told reporters. "Currently it has stopped because we felt we were going nowhere. The Americans give promises but don't keep their promises. Currently, they [Americans] are taking a wrong path." Kharrazi did not say when the Iran-U.S. talks took place or when they stopped. He said Iran was willing to help improve...

Iranian Terrorist a Guest of US Congress SMCCDI (Public Statement) Feb 2, 2004 On January 29, 2004, Washington Post published an article by Ms. Robin Wright under the title of “Iranian Envoy a Guest of Congress.” Naturally, both the message and the messenger of the aforementioned article outraged, baffled, and disappointed us! We believe, the fundamental and essential obligation of any credible and reputable journalist, especially one parading as an authority on Iran, ought to be: To represent the facts, to be honest and truthful, and, above all, to inform without bias and self-promotion! Ms. Wright is considered to be...

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi has said the Islamic Republic wants to improve relations with the United States, the official IRNA news agency said on Thursday. "Generally, Iran wants to expand its relations with all countries, even with America," IRNA quoted Kharrazi as saying during a one-day visit to Luxembourg on Wednesday. Iran's hardline judiciary last year declared illegal any calls for restoring relations with the United States. In Luxembourg, Kharrazi was expected to meet Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, President of Parliament Jean Spautz and Foreign Minister Lydie Polfer and discuss bilateral ties and regional and international developments. The Iranian...

TEHRAN, April 24 (AFP) - All the Iranian Jews convicted amid widepread controversy in July 2000 of spying for Israel have been freed from prison, Iran's foreign minister announced Thursday. "Those among our Jewish compatriotes who were in prison in Shiraz are now free," Kharrazi said during a press conference with visiting French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin. "We hope that in the future we will not see such reprehensible activities that lead to imprisonments," he added. Thirteen Iranian Jews and eight Muslims were arrested in the southern city of Shiraz in 1999, accused of working as a spy-ring for...

BRUSSELS -- In a landmark speech in the European Parliament Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi called on Europe to support the Islamic Republic's reform process and its style of religious democracy. "The Islamic Republic of Iran is experiencing a style of democracy based on its religious beliefs and cultural traditions with deep respect for internationally recognized principles. "Our success in this new experience is challenged by some extremist forces in the region who have depicted a violent and horrific picture of Islam," Kharrazi told the Foreign Relations Committee of the EP. "Therefore, it is the common responsibility of all...

Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal arrived in Tehran Saturday for a one-day visit and was welcomed at Mehrabad International Airport by his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi. Speaking to reporters upon arrival, al-Faisal said that his visit is aimed at examining the stances of the two Islamic states on a wide range of issues. He added he was also carrying a written message from Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz for Iranian President Mohammad Khatami. "Ways of expanding the two countries' relations as well as Middle East issues, including those relating to Iraq and Palestine, will be discussed in meetings...