Tehran

Iranian President Hasan Rouhani arrived in Ankara early June 9 for crucials talks on a number of key issues in his first official trip to Turkey since he took over the presidency last year.

Iran's chief negotiator said June 8 that direct talks agreed between Tehran and Washington are essential, as discussions on his country's disputed nuclear programme are entering a "serious phase."

Turkey and Iran will sign at least six new agreements when Iranian President Hasan Rouhani conducts his first visit to Turkey on June 9 with the goal of enhancing political, economic and cultural relations between the two neighbors.

Iran seeks another Turkish lender to take part in its oil transactions along with the state-owned Halkbank, a Turkish Cabinet minister has announced Iran seeks another Turkish lender to take part in its oil transactions along with the state-owned Halkbank, a Turkish Cabinet minister has announced.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is expected to visit Turkey on Monday, for the first time since he was elected last year, a Turkish official said.
      
The Iranian leader is expected to meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara for talks on bilateral ties and the broader Middle East, the official told AFP on Thursday.
      

Iranian authorities warned Tuesday that a second sandstorm could hit Tehran, a day after freak weather killed five people in the capital.
      
Monday's huge sandstorm and record winds plunged Tehran into darkness for 15 minutes during rush hour and forced thousands to run for cover.
      

Turkey’s gold exports and imports dipped in April, adding to questions over unexplained sharp moves in trading after recording a surprising leap in exports to Switzerland in March.

“The IEA did not suggest that Albania broke sanctions on Iran and any report that says otherwise needs to run a correction,” Magdalena Sanocka, a spokesperson for the IEA, said.

Sanocka said its report only mentioned Albania as a temporary destination for an Iranian oil tanker, which eventually unloaded its cargo elsewhere.

A severe oil price hike was triggered in Iran by President Rouhani's decision to cut petrol subsisides, in a desperate attempt to address long-standing economic issues.

Subsidized fuel (available to each driver in limited quantities) thus rose from USD 0.16 to USD 0.28 per liter, according to Al Jazeera English.

Iran could be a "reliable, secure and long-term" gas supplier to Europe, the country's Industry Minister Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh said in an Interview.

Nematzadeh asserted that Iran did not "want to compete with Russia," but knew that Europe's demand for gas was increasing and "would like a share of this".