The Lockerbie bombing was ordered by Iran and carried out by Syrian-based extremists, a former Iranian intelligence officer has admitted.

An Iranian man should be sentenced to having his eyes gouged out after pouring acid over a young girl's face leaving her blind, an Iranian court has ruled.

Iran hopes to use a meeting of Opec oil ministers today as a launch pad for its return as a dominant force in global crude markets after months of sanctions.

New Zealand has welcomed the agreement reached in Geneva yesterday aimed at capping Iran's nuclear programme.

Iran has struck a historic nuclear deal with the US and five other world powers, after more than three decades of estrangement,

Iran nuclear talks entered a delicate phase as negotiators tried to fine-tune a draft agreement that would limit Tehran's atomic program in return for easing some sanctions.

Iran's supreme leader has voiced support for the negotiations over his country's nuclear program, but insisted there are limits to the concessions Iran will make in exchange for an easing of the sanctions choking its economy.

With PowerPoint slides and feel-good phrases, Iranian negotiators presented world powers with what they said was a plan to break a decade of deadlock over Tehran's nuclear program.

Britain and Iran are to take a first step towards re-opening their respective embassies, Foreign Secretary William Hague says, adding that Tehran's new leadership is presenting itself "in a much more positive way than in the recent past."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu played the spoiler to Iran's attempts to ease relations with the West, calling the Iranian leader "a wolf in sheep's clothing".

Despite soothing assurances from Iran's new leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu implored US President Barack Obama to keep punishing sanctions in place against Tehran.

On Sept 18, 1980, two airmen entered Launch Complex 374-7, an underground silo outside Damascus, Arkansas, to service a Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile.

The United States and the other permanent members of the UN Security Council said they were pleased by a new tone and attitude from Iran.

Hassan Rouhani reached out to the West and the Iranian people with a welcome plea for dialogue and moderation as he was sworn in as Iranian President.

The resounding victory by moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani in the Iranian presidential election was a welcome surprise.

The surprise victory of reformist candidate Hassan Rowhani in the Iranian presidential elections triggered a predictably harsh reaction yesterday.

Iran's feared Revolutionary Guards have set up a network of secret prisons after the leadership issued a set of orders to prepare for a security crisis following yesterday's presidential election, according to Western diplomatic sources.

Iran's clerical authorities are taking no chances in this week's election for a successor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

A New Zealander's dramatic account of a daring secret mission to rescue American hostages has emerged after being left out of the Hollywood hit film Argo.

Thousands of taxpayers have been targeted by international scammers as criminal syndicates take advantage of ever-advancing computer technology.