Iran

Thousands protested in the streets of Tehran as a senior cleric angrily demanded Saudi Arabia hand over control of the annual pilgrimage to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the world's largest body of Muslim nations.

Such sampling of soil, air or dust from equipment is usually done by the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) own experts. But IAEA chief Yukiya Amano confirmed that Iranians carried out that part of the probe at Parchin, where the agency suspects that explosive triggers for nuclear weapons might have been tested in the past.

Diplomats say Iran insisted on the compromise as a condition for any probe of Parchin.

A disapproval resolution for the agreement fell two votes short of the 60 needed to move forward as Democratic and independent senators banded together against it. Although House Republicans continued to pursue eleventh-hour strategies to derail the international accord, the outcome in the Senate guaranteed that the disapproval legislation would not reach Obama's desk.

Ashkan Dejagah put the home side ahead from the penalty spot after ten minutes, as Asia's top ranked team took a commanding 4-0 lead into half-time at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran.

Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun bagged two goals each, with substitute Mehdi Torabi capping a clinical display with a final goal minutes from the end.

Defeat means the Mateo relinquish top spot in Group D to their next opponents, Oman, who beat Turkmenistan 3-1.

His remarks, read aloud by a state TV anchorman, mark the first official comment on the deal since U.S. President Barack Obama secured enough support to prevent the Republican-led Congress from blocking it.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has yet to express a clear opinion on the deal clinched in July, which would curb Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for relief from crippling sanctions.

Tehran and world powers struck a deal last month on Iran's contested nuclear program, and on Sunday Britain and Iran reopened their respective embassies after a break of several years.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, who met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Monday, said the two countries shared common ground despite a "deep legacy of distrust."

The attacks killed at least 36 people and wounding dozens.

Stepped-up rebel shelling and government airstrikes came just a few hours before Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Damascus, where he discussed a four-point proposal Iran wants to offer to the United Nations as a way out of Syria's grinding conflict.

So why should anyone believe American intelligence officials when they express confidence that they can monitor Iran's compliance with the just-completed nuclear agreement?

The main reason, according to a classified joint intelligence assessment presented to Congress, is that the deal requires Iran to provide an unprecedented volume of information about nearly every aspect of its existing nuclear program, which Iran insists is peaceful. 

The trial that has been condemned by the newspaper and press freedom groups.

Jason Rezaian's lawyer, Leila Ahsan, submitted a 20-page defense brief at the start of Monday's session and provided an oral defense during the hearing, she told The Associated Press. 

Rezaian also spoke in his own defense, she said. She declined to provide details, citing confidentiality rules surrounding the trial.

Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyah made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press that also touched on the controversy surrounding Qatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup and allegations of Doha's links to Islamic militant groups.

Al-Attiyah spoke from a skyscraper office overlooking the rapidly developing Qatari capital, Doha, a day after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council in Qatar.