Iran news headlines on Monday includestart of Iran-P5+1 nuclear talks in Istanbul;Irans former Minister of Housingannouncementfor running in presidential election;Iran leadergranting clemency to 1,059prisoners ahead of Nowruz; fall ofIndia's Iran oil imports by 27% and reformists calling on former Iranian president for candidacyinpresidentialelection.
Experts meet in Istanbul over Irans nuclear program
Iranian and foreign nuclear experts gathered inIstanbulon Monday to discuss Tehrans controversial atomic programme, aEuropean Unionspokeswoman said.
The meeting is taking place at the expert-level as planned, said Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is leading talks betweenIranand the so-called P5 1 Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany.
Former housing minister puts name up for Irans presidency
Irans former Minister of Housing and Urban Development Mohammad Saeedi Kia has officially announced his candidacy for the countrys upcoming presidential election.
Saeedi Kia has announced Peace, National Unity and Global Cooperation as his electoral slogan, Fars news agency reported on Monday.
Leader grants clemency to Iranian prisoners ahead of Nowruz
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has granted clemency to a number of the countrys prisoners on the occasion of the Iranian New Year, Nowruz, and the Islamic Republic Day.
The Leader on Monday agreed to a request by Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani to pardon 1,059 prisoners or commute their remaining jail terms.
India may cut oil import from Iran by 27%
India may slash import of crude oil from Iran by as much as 27% this fiscal because US and European sanctions have made it difficult to ship oil from the Persian Gulf nation.
India may, in the financial year ending March 31, import just about 13 million tonne of crude oil from Iran, down from 18.1 million tonne shipped in the 2011-12 fiscal, official sources said.
Reformists call on former Iranian president to run again
91 prominent Iranian reformist figures haveissued a letteraddressed to former Iranian president MohammadKhatami, urging him to nominate himself as a candidate in the presidential election.
The letter expresses grave concern regarding the countrys current situation, describing the election as an opportunity for supporters of the Islamic Revolution to establish a government that could provide the country with peace, well-being, progress and international credibility.
The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.
