Reuters: Turkmenistan wants to raise the price of gas it sells to Iran but Tehran argues that the two sides agreed not to change it in a contract signed last year, a senior Iranian official was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

Reuters: Iran’s top cleric told rival factions on Wednesday not to “destroy” each other in campaigning for March elections, expected to pit backers of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad against more moderate politicians.

Daily Telegraph: Fears have been raised that Iran could use its huge gas reserves as an economic weapon after it cut off most of its gas supply to Turkey.

AFP: Iran has arrested a man for starting a rumour that Russian President Vladimir Putin risked being assassinated during a landmark visit to Tehran in October, newspapers reported on Wednesday.

AFP: An Iran Air plane carrying 100 passengers skidded off the runway after part of its wing caught fire on take-off from a Tehran airport on Wednesday, an airport official said.

Xinhua: Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Tuesday met with former Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and the two agreed to continue consultations to “deepen mutual understanding” on bilateral, regional and international issues, the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jan. 02 – Pakistan had told Iran not to send envoys to the funeral procession of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto who was killed in a suicide attack by suspected Islamists on Thursday, an Iranian official said.

Washington Times: The widow of a naturalized American citizen won a $466 million federal court judgment Friday against the Iranian government, which she accuses of torturing and executing her husband.