In Tehran, Parliament has approved a bill calling on the Iranian government to continue the country's nuclear-energy program, including uranium enrichment, which is strongly opposed by the United States and the European Union.
Every Parliament deputy attending Sunday's session ( 247 of the 290 members) voted "yes" on an outline version of the nuclear-energy bill, as shouts of "Death to America!" rang through the chamber.
The United States, members of the European Union and other countries are concerned that Iran could use its nuclear-energy program to make atomic weapons. Washington and its allies have asked the U.N. Security Council to consider imposing sanctions if Tehran moves forward with its uranium-enrichment plans.
The enrichment process can produce either fuel for nuclear reactors or weapons-grade uranium, but Iranian officials say the sole aim of their nuclear program is energy production, with no plans for weapons development.
The parliament speaker, Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, says the message of today's bill is that Iran will not give in to foreign pressure, and "is determined to use peaceful nuclear technology."
Some of this information provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.