Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says the appointment of special envoys by the president helps advance the Foreign Ministry's objectives.“The Foreign Ministry is completely aware about the dispatch of special presidential envoys… and there is no problem regarding this matter,” Salehi said on Saturday.

While it has endeared itself in the hearts of many Muslims around the world as the Muslim country with a backbone, Iran is failing in the battle of hearts and minds in its own backyard.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi lauded the justice-seeking uprisings of the Tunisian and Egyptian people against the tyranny of their rulers, and said the era of the world arrogance has come to an end.

A top U.S. State Department official says Iran's efforts to exercise "hard power" in Iraq have failed, prompting Tehran to try to influence its western neighbor through the use of "soft power," or more indirect means.

"This year, the Islamic Republic of Iran will be the showcase's special guest and is given a great chance to introduce its culture and publication to the world. Former guests of the book fair were the US, France and Turkey," said [Qatari Culture Minister Mohammad Ibn Abdolaziz] Alkavari.

Iran has barred the mayor of Tehran from traveling to the United States for a ceremony honoring his city's advances in public transport, media reported on Saturday.

Briefly, opening with “I got a hold of your show on the web and I was so impressed with the heart of it,” Jon Stewart began his interview with Kambiz Hosseini and Saman Arbabi, two U.S. Government employees – and U.S. public diplomats – behind “Parazit”, a Voice of America program aimed at Iran.