Press Roundup provides a selected summary of news from the Iranian press, and excerpts where the source is in English. Click on the link to the story to read it in full. Tehran Bureau has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Please refer to the Media Guide to help put the stories in perspective. You can follow other news stories through our Twitter feed.

US wins first meeting with Iran, stays unbeaten

AP | photos | Sept 1

The United States eased its way to a top seed in the knockout round of the world championship, beating Iran 88-51 Wednesday in the first meeting between the countries with a history of contentious relations.

Hamed Haddadi scored 19 points for Iran (1-3) and Arsalan Kazemi had 14.

The tensions between the nations' governments provided the backdrop off the court, with a group of fans sitting near midcourt before the game holding U.S. and Iran flags and a sign reading "PEACE" in between.

"We are just here to play basketball," star USA player Kevin Durant said Monday. "The political situation is something we cannot control. We have to go and just play the game of basketball."

'Iran awaits West's response for talks'

Press TV | Sept 1

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says Tehran is still waiting for a response from the Vienna Group.

Mehmanparast noted that the group -- which involves the US, Russia, France and the International Atomic Energy Agency -- has yet to pin down an exact date for the resumption of negotiations.

"They have still not officially announced the date and venue for the new round of talks," he told reporters in Tehran on Wednesday.

Tony Blair: West should use force if Iran 'continues to develop nuclear weapons'

Guardian | Sept 1

The west should use force against Iran if it "continues to develop nuclear weapons", Tony Blair said today, aligning himself with US hawks who have called for strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.

Speaking to Andrew Marr in a BBC interview to be broadcast tonight, Blair says: "I am saying that I think it is wholly unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapons capability and I think we have got to be prepared to confront them, if necessary militarily. I think there is no alternative to that if they continue to develop nuclear weapons. They need to get that message loud and clear."

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani subjected to mock execution

Guardian | Sept 1

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning, was told on Saturday that she was to be hanged at dawn on Sunday, but the sentence was not carried out, it emerged tonight.

"Pressure from the international community has so far stopped them from carrying out the sentence but they're killing her every day by any means possible," he said.

The mock execution came days after prison authorities denied family and legal visits to Mohammadi Ashtiani. Her children were told she was unwilling to meet them while she was told, also falsely, that no one had come to visit her.

Mousavi campaign manager released on bail

Kaleme | Sept 1

After spending nine months in prison on charges of "committing crimes against national security," Ghorban Behzadinejad, Mir Hossein Mousavi's presidential campaign manager, was freed on bail Monday.

He is sentenced to 5 years in prison and fined approximately $100 for insulting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

His bail was set at $500,000.

Behzadinejad was the Vice Minister of Health and Medical Education under then President Mohammad Khatami.

He was visited on Tuesday by Mehdi Karroubi at his home.

Persian Gulf Arabs see Iran 'terror cell' threat

UPI | Sept 1

The recent arrest of alleged Shiite terrorist cells in the Persian Gulf's island kingdom of Bahrain has raised fears that Iran has established a terrorist "sleeper" network in the region's Arab states that would be activated if the Islamic Republic is attacked.

Bahrain's security services say the 250 people arrested recently included Kuwaitis and from other gulf nationals, as well as Iranians, Yemeni and Lebanese Shiites supposedly funded by Tehran and organized into 40 to 50 cells financed by religious leaders and Islamic parties.

Some of these suspects, security sources said, had confessed to planning sabotage operations and said that other cells were working in Kuwait, where thousands of U.S. troops are based, and in Saudi Arabia.

Iran Director Banned From Traveling to Venice Fest

ABC | Sept 1

Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who was released from jail earlier this year, said on Wednesday he was not allowed to leave his home country to attend the Venice film festival.

In a written statement to the festival, where his short film "The Accordion" is screening, Panahi said that he had been officially banned from making films in the past five years.

"Despite having been released, I am still not free to travel outside my country to attend film festivals," the award-winning director said.

"When a filmmaker is not allowed to make films, it is as if his mind was still imprisoned. Maybe he is not locked up in a small cell, but he keeps wandering in a much bigger jail."

"In the most desperate moments of my imprisonment, during the hunger strike, I drew courage thinking of myself as a proud member of this community," he said in the statement.

"I think all the support I received came from individual people and organizations who firmly believe in cinema and in filmmakers' freedom of expression. Let's hope one day all governments in the world will come to share this idea."

Cairo Views Iranian FM's Upcoming Visit as Helpful

Fars | Sept 1

The upcoming visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki to Cairo can improve political relations between Iran and Egypt, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday.

Mottaki leaves for Cairo on September 5 to take part in a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Leading a delegation, Mottaki is scheduled to make a two-day visit to Cairo.

Iran loans 200 million euros to Bolivia

Press TV | Sept 1

Iran has extended a credit line of more than 200 million euros to Bolivia to help the industrial development of the South American country.

The agreement included the transfer of technology to Bolivia, Iranian Minister of Industries and Mining Ali Akbar Mehrabian said at a joint press conference with Bolivian President Evo Morales in the capital city of La Paz on Monday, the state-run ABI news agency reported.