TEHRAN -- A senior Iranian cleric said Friday that Iran has never agreed to suspend uranium enrichment and will not do so, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Seyed Ahmad Khatami, Tehran's interim Friday prayer leader, made the remarks during prayers in the capital. He called halting enrichment an "impossible issue" raised by "some American negotiators" and said Iran would never accept such a "humiliation." (Iran-US-Tension)
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JERUSALEM -- The U.S. State Department has authorized the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and their families from Israel due to safety concerns, the U.S. Embassy in Israel said Friday.
The embassy said in a statement that individuals should consider departing while commercial flights are still operating. (Israel-US-Personnel Departure)
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BAGHDAD -- Iraq's former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Friday stressed the need to respect Iraq's sovereignty during a meeting with U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, as the country's government formation remains deadlocked by political infighting and external pressure months after parliamentary elections.
According to a statement from al-Maliki's office, the discussion centered on Iraq's political landscape and national priorities, with Al-Maliki emphasizing support for the democratic process and political stability. (Iraq-US-Gov't Deadlock)
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RIYADH -- Large numbers of Americans have left Iraq via Baghdad International Airport over the past 24 hours, Saudi-based Al Hadath reported on Friday.
The report also said the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad had conducted an emergency evacuation drill. There has been no official confirmation from Iraqi or U.S. authorities regarding the reported departures. (Iraq-US-Evacuation) ■
