The official Iranian news agency says the Iranian defence minister, Admiral Ali Shamkhani, has postponed a visit to Russia because it would coincide with a visit to Moscow by the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon. A senior Foreign Ministry official in Tehran, Firouz Dowlatabadi said Admiral Shamkhani would not now be going to Moscow on Wednesday as planned but said he hoped the visit would take place soon. According to the news agency, Admiral Shamkhani was due to discuss increasing military cooperation. Last November Russia said it intended to renew arms sales to Iran, breaking an agreement with the United States which banned the delivery of Russian arms to Iran. (BBC)