Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Thursday with China's deputy foreign minister and other top diplomats from the BRICS bloc of developing economies for discussions that included the group's possible expansion to include the major oil-producing nations of Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

Israel recently celebrated its 75th anniversary, and many Jews and Christians see the state’s existence as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy, but a former Israeli general also raised the alarm about the growing threats from Iran and its allies in the East.

Iran and the Taliban exchanged heavy gunfire last week on the Islamic Republic's border with Afghanistan, killing and wounding troops while sharply intensifying rising tensions between the countries.  

Both sides accused each other of shooting first.

Statement by President Ilham Aliyev

During the official visit, we had more opportunities to address important issues on our bilateral agenda. Opening of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Israel this year, of course, will elevate relations on a high level and at the same time, will create more opportunities to have closer interaction.

The Taliban clashed with Iranian border guards over the weekend, and it used American equipment to do it. The fight took place in the Nimroz province of Afghanistan, on its south western border with Iran. At least three people died, and others were wounded in a dispute about water rights in the region.

There are some interesting comments in Russia to Iran’s development of nuclear military capabilities. See this.

Izvestia calmly notes that Iran’s successfully tested Khaibar missile can deliver a 1.5 ton nuclear warhead over 2,000 km and has capabilities against electronic countermeasures. Izvestia then adds, that Iran can have a nuclear warhead “in 2-3 years”.

Last week, deadly clashes broke out between Afghan and Iranian guards at their border raising fears of a new conflict.

Both sides have accused each other of initiating the shooting in which at least two Iranian and one Afghan guard were killed. However, they have issued measured statements aimed at de-escalating the situation.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will approve the complete return of Iran to the oil market, when sanctions against its oil industry are lifted, OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais said in an interview with Iranian agency Shana and the Iran Petroleum magazine.

"Indeed, we welcome the return of Iran’s oil production in the future, when sanctions are lifted. We look forward to that day," he said.

Al Ghais also noted that the oil market and demand for it are growing, adding that Iran is a responsible member of the organization.

A gunfight broke out between Iranian border guards and Taliban fighters along the border between Iran and Afghanistan this weekend. Fighting killed three people in the biggest escalation between the two countries over water. And the Taliban brought out a big gun to help.  

Video posted to social media offered an up-close view of the skirmish, inside an unexpected place: an Humvee kitted out with an M240 machine gun. If that looks familiar it’s because those are some of the pieces of military equipment captured by the Taliban, now put into use for fighting other parties.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen will travel to Central Europe on Sunday in a bid to bolster relations with the allies of the Jewish State in the European Union and seek their support of Israeli policy on Iran.

"The diplomatic visit to Central European countries is strengthening strategic coordination with our friends, allowing Israel to promote our political and economic interests on the continent," Cohen said in a statement.