[caption id="attachment_30198" align="alignright" width="240"] Iran hosted a two-day meeting between the representatives of the Syrian government and opposition groups in November 2012[/caption]
Iran news headlines on Wednesday include opening of international Friends of Syria Conference in Tehran; supreme leader advice of presidential candidates; Iranian candidate participation in a televised group debate on May 31; Iran DM calling US resolution on support of possible Israeli attack against Iran as worthless and Salehi remarks over country expansion of ties with Venezuela.
 
Iran hosts international Friends of Syria Conference
Iran is hosting the Friends of Syria Conference in the capital, Tehran, with the participation of representatives from 40 countries. The event, which is held under the banner of “Political Solution, Regional Stability,” seeks to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria.


 
Leader advises candidates to be honest, accurate
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called on all presidential candidates to be sincere and provide accurate information in their campaigns.

“The words of the [presidential] candidates should be real, friendly, [and] based on accurate and true information,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in a meeting with members of Iran’s Majlis on Wednesday.

 
Iran prepares for presidential debates
The eight hopefuls seeking Iran’s highest elected office are to take part in a televised group debate on Friday, with its ailing economy hit by international sanctions topping the agenda. Campaigning for the June 14 poll officially began last week after Iran’s electoral watchdog, the Guardians Council, approved the eight — including several figures close to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – from a field of nearly 700 would-be candidates.

 
US Senate resolution worthless: Iranian defense minister
Iran’s defense minister says a resolution passed by the US Senate to support a possible Israeli attack against Iran is legally invalid and in breach of international regulations.

Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said on Wednesday that the resolution approved by the US Senate was of no value to the Islamic Republic.

 
Iran-Venezuela ties deep-seated: Iran FM
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has hailed the country’s deep-seated relations with Venezuela, expressing hope that the allies will strengthen their ties in all fields.

“Tehran-Caracas bilateral relations are deep-rooted and I hope that under the presidency of Mr. [Nicolas] Maduro we will be able to open a new chapter in these relations,” Salehi said at a meeting with Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister David Velasquez in Tehran on Tuesday.

 

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