Tehran Times 
 
UN human rights report is politically motivated: Iran
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Marzieh Aham has criticized a UN envoy’s report about the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic, calling it “politically motivated.”

 
Brazil, Germany press UN to restrain U.S. spies
Brazil and Germany have joined forces to press for the adoption of a UN general resolution that promotes the right of privacy on the internet, marking the first major international effort to restrain the National Security Agency’s intrusions into the online communications of foreigners, according to diplomatic sources familiar with the push.

 
Bahraini opposition figure temporarily released, protests continue
A senior Bahraini opposition politician was temporarily freed on Thursday by the court trying him on charges that include inciting terrorism, in a surprise conciliatory ruling in the U.S.-allied Gulf Arab state, Reuters reported.

 
‘$100 million loss per day for delay in development of South Pars’
A h i g h - r a n k i n g Iranian Oil Ministry official has announced that Iran should invest one billion dollars every month for the development of projects in the South Pars gas field, which is part of a huge gas field in the Persian Gulf that Iran shares with Qatar.

 
Mehr housing plan will be canceled: minister
The transport and urban development minister announced on Wednesday that the Mehr housing plan will not continue in the new administration of Hassan Rouhani.

 
30 killed, 100 hurt in Damascusarea bombing
At least 30 people were killed -- including five children -- and more than 100 injured Friday in a car bomb explosion in a Damascus suburb, opposition activists said.

 
Syrian troops kill 40 al-Nusra terrorists near Damascus
Syrian government troops on Friday ambushed terrorists near the capital, Damascus, killing at least 40 fighters, state media reported, according to Associated Press.

 
UK allows restart of N. Sea gas field co-owned by Iran
Britain lifted a production ban on the huge Rhum North Sea gas field, co-owned by BP and the Iranian Oil Company, to prevent any damage to the environment and the field after it shut in 2010 due to EU sanctions on Iranian firms.

 
White House presses Senate to delay new Iran sanctions
The White House hosted a meeting of aides to Senate committee leaders on Thursday seeking to persuade lawmakers to hold off on a package of new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, a senior Senate aide said, Reuters reported on Thursday.

 
Iran will continue nuclear activities within NPT framework, MP tells French senators
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of Iran’s Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, held talks with visiting French senators Joelle Garriaud-Maylam and Jean-Yves Leconte in Tehran on Wednesday.

 
UN nuclear chief to meet top Iran negotiator
The UN atomic agency chief and a senior Iranian nuclear negotiator will meet on Monday before a new round of talks over Tehran’s nuclear activities, the agency said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

 
‘No sanctions easing at front end of Iran talks’
The United States is not looking to ease sanctions on Iran “at the front end” of negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program, a senior White House official said on Thursday.

 
Iran Daily 
 
Foreign ministry blasts UN rights report as biased 
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman has rejected the latest report of the UN special rapporteur on the country’s human rights situation, Ahmed Shaheed, as biased and politically motivated.

 
Iran very successful in human development
Iran has been very successful in human development compared with other developing countries.

 
Advisor to leader backs negotiating team 
The international affairs advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the Iranian nuclear negotiating team is looking to safeguard the country’s rights.

 
US monitored phone calls of 35 world leaders 
The United States monitored the phone conversations of 35 world leaders according to classified documents leaked by fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden, Britain’s Guardian newspaper said on Thursday.

 
Syrian troops kill 40 insurgents near capital
Syrian government troops on Friday ambushed insurgents near the capital, Damascus, killing at least 40 opposition fighters, state media reported. The ambush was part of the military’s offensive against insurgent strongholds.

 
IAEA chief to meet top Iran negotiator 
The UN atomic agency chief and a senior Iranian nuclear negotiator will meet on Monday before a new round of talks over the Islamic Republic’s atomic activities, the agency said on Thursday.

 
Platini orders chanting probe
UEFA president Michel Platini has ordered an immediate internal investigation into the failure to follow proper protocol in dealing with the alleged racist abuse of Yaya Toure by CSKA Moscow fans.

 
European stocks’ strong rally
The biggest European rally in 19 months is leaving virtually no stock behind, pushing up equity prices from Frankfurt to Athens, as investors plow money into the region at the fastest rate since 2002.

 
Nuclear program will continue as per NPT 
Senior lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi said the Islamic Republic will continue its nuclear energy program within the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection.

 
Expert talks with six powers next week 
Nuclear and sanctions experts from Iran and the six world powers are to meet in the Austrian capital, Vienna, next week in the run-up to the upcoming nuclear talks in Geneva, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator said.

 
US scared of Assad’s popularity 
Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani says the US is scared of the candidacy of Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad in 2014 presidential election due to his popularity among Syrians.

 
Malaysia asked not to execute two Iranians 
Tehran has advised Malaysia against executing two Iranian women, who Kuala Lumpur has accused of having smuggled illicit drugs into the Southeast Asian country.