Saeed Jalili, the head of Supreme National Security Council (r), speaks with Valentin Sobolev, the acting head of RussiaÕs National Security Council, after their joint press conference in Tehran on April 28.

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, said on Monday he discussed Tehran’s proposed package with the visiting senior Russian official.
Acting Secretary of the Russian Security Council Valentin Sobolev arrived in Tehran late Sunday at the head of a high-ranking delegation for a two-day visit, IRNA reported.
Speaking in a joint press conference after the meeting, Jalili said Iran will disclose the proposed package soon and exchange views with “influential states“ about it.
On April 13, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki announced that Iran is preparing a package to help resolve the regional and international problems.
Jalili said Iran’s proposed package could be the topic of Iranian talks with big powers or Group 5+1, which include five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.
Asked if Tehran will discuss its proposed package with Group 5+1, the top nuclear negotiator said, “We can also talk to them on this issue.“

Strategic Partners
Jalili said Iran and Russia are two major powers.
Referring to the two countries’ potentials in different areas, he stressed that Tehran-Moscow bilateral cooperation could strengthen peace, tranquility, stability and security in the region and the entire world.
For his part, Sobolev said his visit is in response to Jalili’s last December trip to Russia.
He said he had positive and constructive talks with Jalili on the basis of mutual respect and understanding.
“Iran and Russia share strategic political and economic issues of mutual interest,“ he said.
Sobolev noted that Russian officials are pursuing the release of a Russian nuclear cargo for Iran halted by Azerbaijan customs official.
The two sides also discussed Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and bilateral technical and military cooperation.
“Energy and North-South corridor were among other topics reviewed by the Russian and Iranian officials,“ he said, adding that talks were held in a friendly and peaceful atmosphere.
During his two-day stay, Sobolev is scheduled to hold talks with Iranian officials on security cooperation as well as the latest regional and international developments.

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad highlighted Iranian friendship with the Arab states.
In an interview with the Qatari daily Al-Watan which appeared in the paper’s Sunday edition, the Syrian president rejected the Israeli propaganda that tried to portray Iran as the enemy of Arab states, IRNA reported.
Referring to the current regional crises, particularly the situation in Iraq, Bashar stressed the need for establishing cordial ties between regional countries.
“Iran plays an effective role in regional peace and security,“ he said.
The Syrian president noted that there are many commonalities between the Iranian and Arab civilizations.
“With a rich and ancient history, Iran’s civilization is close to that of the Arab states while the country is placed at the heart of the region,“ he said.
Bashar noted that all regional countries should acknowledge the fact that Iran, a major regional power, plays a significant role in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez agreed on telephone to meet soon to boost cooperation at several levels, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
“Presidents Ahmadinejad and Chavez agreed to meet as soon as possible to continue boosting their industrial, scientific and technological development plans to benefit the two nations,“ the ministry said in a statement, AFP reported.
The two leaders have often met, the last time was in November in Tehran. They share a profound hatred of the United States and both their countries are members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
In their telephone conversation, Ahmadinejad congratulated Chavez for Venezuela ’s “victory over ExxonMobil, and ratified his solidarity with Venezuela ’s fight to secure its natural resources“, the foreign ministry said.
A London judge in March lifted a freeze on $12 billion in global assets of Venezuela ’s state-run oil company PDVSA ExxonMobil had requested as compensation for a Venezuelan 2006 law forcing foreign oil companies to give PDVSA at least a 60-percent share in their operations at oilfields in the Orinoco basin.

A conference on nanotechnology attended by Iranian and Indian experts began at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Hospital on Sunday.
Secretary of the conference noted that D. Rao, a senior advisor to the Indian prime minister, will also deliver a speech at the event, IRNA reported.
Saeed Sarkar added that about 150 articles have been submitted to the secretariat of the conference, of which 100 were accepted.
“The top four articles will be awarded at the end of the conference,“ he said.
He noted that India is among the top ten countries in the field of nanotechnology and called for bolstering ties with India in the field.
Referring to the two countries’ cultural commonalties, he said, “We are interested in expanding our scientific relations with India rather than with the western countries.“
Sarkar also called for the exchange of students and lecturers between the two countries.
The conference will run for three days from April 27.

Iranian students chant slogans during a protest against an anti-Islamic film made by a Dutch MP, in Tehran on April 5.

Iran is to counter the anti-Islam video film Fitna (Discord) made by Dutch legislator Geert Wilders with two documentary films.
The Iranian films are titled ’Reply to Fitna’ and ’Beyond Fitna’, aiming to neutralize the Dutch ’plot’ against Islam.
The two Iranian filmmakers have also declared their readiness to have a debate with Wilders over his film, Fars News Agency reported on Monday.
Tehran has condemned the anti-Islam video film, terming it “insulting and anti-Islam“, terming it symbolic of the “deep antagonism“ of some western states toward Islam and Muslims.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry last month summoned the Dutch ambassador to Tehran to lodge a protest against Wilders’ film.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf (r)shakes hands with Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad upon his arrival in Islamabad on April 28.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf on Monday cleared all hurdles over a gas pipeline to India and agreed to sign a deal soon.
Ahmadinejad discussed the 7.5-billion-dollar project to transport Iranian gas across the subcontinent while making a short stopover in Islamabad on the first leg of a whirlwind tour of South Asia, AFP reported.
“The two leaders expressed satisfaction over the resolution of all issues that had delayed a final agreement,“ Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was quoted as saying by the Associated Press of Pakistan.
Qureshi added that the Iranian and Pakistani presidents had tasked their foreign ministers to agree on a “mutually convenient date for signing the agreement“ after their hour-long talks in Islamabad.
The two leaders held wide-ranging talks and vowed to promote bilateral ties.
Ahmadinejad paid a short visit to Pakistan on the first leg of his tour of South Asia which will also take him to Sri Lanka and India.
Referring to the multibillion Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline, the Iranian president hoped that work on the project will start after the signing of an agreement soon.
“The pipeline will not only pave the way for regional development but will also promote peace and friendship,“ said.
Ahmadinejad also said IPI reflects friendly relations among the three countries, saying that the project is a source of frustration for those who are bent upon creating instability in the region.
He said the three countries would soon ink a formal agreement on IPI, adding that the signing of the agreement would mark the implementation of the long-awaited project. He welcomed the Pakistani proposal to invite China to join the IPI.
The Iranian president described Pakistan’s nuclear program as peaceful and said imperialist forces are on the verge of elimination.
Touching upon ongoing events in Afghanistan, he said Iran wants peace and stability in Afghanistan, saying peace in the war-ravaged country is in the interest of the region.
Ahmadinejad invited President Musharraf to visit Iran, who accepted the invitation.
Iran, meanwhile, agreed to provide 1,100 MW of electricity to Pakistan to help overcome a recent power shortage, particularly in areas adjoining Iran.
He expressed satisfaction over the agreement to get electricity from Iran and called for getting more power from Iran.
Highlighting the importance of IPI, he said Pakistan attaches great importance to the project, adding that the project would promote peace and friendship among the three nations.
Musharraf said the IPI would also pave the way for removing misunderstandings between Pakistan and India, hoping that all matters about IPI would soon be finalized.
On Iran’s nuclear program, President Musharraf said Pakistan supports Iran’s right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
“We support Iran’s quest for using nuclear technology for energy requirements,“ he added.
After his meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, President Ahmadinejad said Tehran would welcome Chinese participation in the multibillion gas pipeline.
“The IPI gas pipeline agreement will soon be finalized and my government will also welcome the inclusion of China in the project,“ he said.
Ahmadinejad said Tehran would extend its cooperation in the food and energy sectors, besides promotion of trade and economic ties.
Congratulating Gilani on assuming office, Ahmadinejad said Iran accords high priority to its relations with Pakistan and would like to further enhance them in all fields, particularly in areas of commerce and trade.
He also extended invitation to the prime minister to visit Iran.
Gilani, for his part, said Pakistan greatly values and is keen to further promote its brotherly relations with Iran as both the countries share religious, historical and cultural commonalities.
“Iran is an important country in the region and we value our cooperation with Iran for promoting peace and stability in the region,“ he said.
He said Pakistan is keen on promoting bilateral relations with Iran in all fields, stressing the need for enhancing cooperation in the field of energy.
The prime minister said Pakistan is presently confronting the issues of food and energy security and said the two countries should work together to meet these challenges.
“The government of Pakistan is also keen on increasing the purchase of electricity from Iran,“ he said.
On the issue of terrorism, Gilani said his government is pursuing a comprehensive policy to address terrorism and extremism.
“The government is in the process of evolving a multi-pronged strategy which includes political dialogue, socioeconomic development and security measures to effectively confront these problems,“ he said.
Ahmadinejad on Monday evening arrived in Colombo for a two-day official visit. He was welcomed at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.

IAEA Meeting Technical

Iran’s representative in the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asghar Soltanieh described Monday’s negotiations with the agency’s delegation in Tehran as “completely technical, non-political and non-legal“.
The talks are aimed at answering the UN nuclear watchdog’s pending questions on the threshold of IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei’s report.
Talking to Mehr News Agency, Soltanieh also said it is likely that such meetings will continue in the coming weeks.
“Since the Board of Governors will hold a meeting on June 2, ElBaradei is duty-bound to present his report regarding various issues on IAEA’s agenda until mid-May. Furthermore, given the fact that the report on Iran’s activities must be finalized, he has spoken about Iran’s cooperation to remove all ambiguities until mid-May,“ he said.
Commenting on IAEA Deputy Head Ollie Heinonen’s last week negotiations in Tehran, he said, “Iran has answered all the agency’s questions within the framework of the modality plan. This has actually been verified in ElBaradei’s reports while Iran is always prepared to cooperate with IAEA like all other member-states.“
The Iranian official noted that it is a norm in the agency to raise questions about the activities of all member-states and it is also a norm that Heinonen visit various capitals to receive answers to questions.
Soltanieh said last week’s negotiations were constructive and held by experts.
The visiting IAEA delegation is headed by Heinonen.

Secretary-General of the World Assembly for Proximity Among Islamic Schools of Thought Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Taskhiri said Iran is to host the 21st International Conference on Islamic Unity during May 4-6.
Talking to reporters on Monday, he added that 850 thinkers and intellectuals from 45 countries, including Oman, Sudan, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Germany, the US, Tunisia, Syria, Saudi Arabia, France, Morocco, India, Algeria, Hong Kong, Qatar, Britain, Denmark, Iraq, Turkey, Gambia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates, are to attend the conference, IRNA reported.
The official said preparing the ground for unity and solidarity of the Muslim world and bringing cultural and scientific views closer are major goals of the conference.
“The participants will also discuss peaceful coexistence and removal of obstacles, including the enemies’ plots and secular thoughts,“ he said.
Over 100 foreign and domestic articles have been sent to the secretariat of the conference, 70 of which have been selected for presentation.
Taskhiri further said the Islamic Unity Charter has been compiled, pointing out that over 2,000 Muslim thinkers and scholars have so far signed the charter.