Daily look at Iran�s late-breaking news and upcoming events:
 
IPF-2017 kicks off in Tehran
The 13th Iran Petrochemical Forum (IPF-2017) started with participants from 76 foreign oil, gas and petrochemical firms in Tehran on Saturday.

 
Iran bans popular live election debates
Iran�s interior ministry said Thursday there would be no live debates in the run-up to next month�s presidential election.

 
Iran sees no need to negotiate Mideast issues with US: Shamkhani
A senior Iranian official says the Islamic Republic is not willing to negotiate Middle East issues with the United States, stressing that Washington cannot act as �judge, jury and executioner� in the troubled region.

 
Russia vows to oppose US stance against Iran
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov says Moscow is against Washington�s �non-productive� attempts�to�unite in one agenda Iran�s non-nuclear issues�and those�pertaining to the implementation of the country�s�nuclear agreement.

 
30 bombing plots foiled in Iran last year: Intelligence min.
Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said sustainable security prevails in Iran, adding that thirty bombing plots were foiled by Iran�s intelligence and security forces in the past Iranian year, but only four cases were reported to people.

 
Iran equips IRGC Navy with new anti-ship cruise missiles
The Navy of Iran�s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) is now in receipt of a new anti-ship cruise missile, which the country�s defense minister says would take aim at potential aggressors.

 
Iran, Georgia ink 3 MoUs
Iran and Georgia on Saturday sealed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in sports, agriculture, communication and information technology.

 
Iran petchem output capacity 72mt/y by yearend
A senior Iranian petrochemical official said given the launching of new petrochemical projects in Iran, the country�s total annual petrochemical production capacity will reach 72 million tons by the end of the current Iranian calendar year which began on March 20.

 
Greek FM: Iran to attend big world cultures conference
The Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said on Friday that 10 countries, including Iran, are going to attend a conference on the role of big cultures in creating world peace.

 
VP: Iran supports Persian Gulf-Black Sea link project
Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri expressed the country�s readiness to help the establishment of a transit corridor linking the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea, saying the major project will facilitate trade between Iran and Georgia too.