Wall Street Journal: The United Nations official responsible for keeping tabs on Iran's nuclear program detailed measures he believes the new U.S. administration should take to halt Tehran's nuclear-weapons program, and described previous U.S. efforts as "a total failure."

AFP: US President Barack Obama prefers diplomacy with Iran but preserves "all his options," the White House said Thursday, refusing to rule out military strikes despite promises of a new rapprochement.

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jan. 29 – Russia has delivered two Mi-171 helicopters to Iran as part of a $45 million contract to upgrade the latter's rescue fleet.

AP: Israeli election front-runner Benjamin Netanyahu told a session of the World Economic Forum on Thursday that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons ranks far above the global economy among the challenges facing leaders of the 21st century.

The Guardian: Officials of Barack Obama's administration have drafted a letter to Iran from the president aimed at unfreezing US-Iranian relations and opening the way for face-to-face talks, the Guardian has learned.

Washington Post: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will run for a second term, his press adviser said Wednesday.

Irish Times: An exiled Iranian opposition group called for its name to be taken off the US terrorist list yesterday following a landmark legal victory in Europe.