Afghani President Hamid Karzai (R) and Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta (L) attend a meeting with the heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member-nations in Yekaterinburg on June 16, 2009. Iran's under-fire President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad joined an array of world leaders at a regional summit in Russia, defiantly declaring that the age of empires had ended. Getty Images logo Getty Images 4 months ago

Afghani President Hamid Karzai (R) and Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta (L) attend a meeting with the heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member-nations in Yekaterinburg on June 16, 2009. Iran's under-fire President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad joined an array of world leaders at a regional summit in Russia, defiantly declaring that the age of empires had ended.

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  1. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - OCTOBER 28: An Afghan policeman stands guard by a Karzai poster after tensions in city remain high after a suicide bomb attack on an international guest house October 28, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Taliban militants killed six U.N. foreign staff in the early morning assault raising serious issues about security before the Presidential run-off election in less tham two weeks time. Rockets were also fired at a the Serena hotel but no injuries were reported.
  2. A poster of legendary assassinated Afghan mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud is displayed next to one portraying President Hamid Karzai at a Kabul cinema while a worker sets up scaffolding on September 28, 2009. Afghans considered Massoud a national hero who waged battle against Soviets and Talibans while Karzai awaits final result of the poll recounts of the August 20 presidential elections the second such election in the war-torn nation's history and one held amid a vicious Taliban insurgency against the Western-backed government which deterred voters.
  3. Daily wages laborers stand near an election poster of Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai, center, with first vice president Mohammad Qasim Fahim and second vice president Mohammad Karim Khalili, right, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. The U.N. is warning that violence in Afghanistan could increase after the results from the country's disputed presidential election are finally tallied and disclosed. Preliminary results from the Aug. 20 vote show President Hamid Karzai with 54.6 percent.
  4. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - SEPTEMBER 17: President Hamid Karzai arrives to speak to the media for the first time since full preliminary results were announced at the Presidential palace on September 17, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Immediately after the President delivered his election message to the international media, Italian soldiers, who have stationed 2,800 soldiers in the region, suffered their deadliest attack in Afghanistan to date. Six Italian soldiers and ten Afghans were killed, including 55 wounded as the blast hit in a mostly residential area of the city. While Karzai stated today that some government officials were biased toward him in the election, he defended himself and the integrity of the vote against all the allegations of fraud and ballot box stuffing. Presently Karzai has 54.6 percent of the vote, well ahead of his leading challenger, Abdullah Abdullah. The ongoing recounts and fraud investigations by the Election Complaints commission (ECC), however, could drive Karzai's total below the crucial 50 percent, forcing a runoff election.
  5. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - SEPTEMBER 17: President Hamid Karzai speaks to the media for the first time since full preliminary results were announced at the Presidential palace on September 17, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Immediately after the President delivered his election message to the international media, Italian soldiers, who have stationed 2,800 soldiers in the region, suffered their deadliest attack in Afghanistan to date. Six Italian soldiers and ten Afghans were killed, including 55 wounded as the blast hit in a mostly residential area of the city. While Karzai stated today that some government officials were biased toward him in the election, he defended himself and the integrity of the vote against all the allegations of fraud and ballot box stuffing. Presently Karzai has 54.6 percent of the vote, well ahead of his leading challenger, Abdullah Abdullah. The ongoing recounts and fraud investigations by the Election Complaints commission (ECC), however, could drive Karzai's total below the crucial 50 percent, forcing a runoff election.
  6. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - SEPTEMBER 17: President Hamid Karzai speaks to the media for the first time since full preliminary results were announced at the Presidential palace on September 17, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Immediately after the President delivered his election message to the international media, Italian soldiers, who have stationed 2,800 soldiers in the region, suffered their deadliest attack in Afghanistan to date. Six Italian soldiers and ten Afghans were killed, including 55 wounded as the blast hit in a mostly residential area of the city. While Karzai stated today that some government officials were biased toward him in the election, he defended himself and the integrity of the vote against all the allegations of fraud and ballot box stuffing. Presently Karzai has 54.6 percent of the vote, well ahead of his leading challenger, Abdullah Abdullah. The ongoing recounts and fraud investigations by the Election Complaints commission (ECC), however, could drive Karzai's total below the crucial 50 percent, forcing a runoff election.
  7. Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta speaks during an interview with Reuters in Kabul October 13, 2009. Afghan politicians on Tuesday expressed frustration over delays to the outcome of the August presidential election, held up by elaborate efforts to wipe clean the widespread fraud that marred the vote.
  8. Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta speaks during an interview with Reuters in Kabul October 13, 2009. Afghan politicians on Tuesday expressed frustration over delays to the outcome of the August presidential election, held up by elaborate efforts to wipe clean the widespread fraud that marred the vote.
  9. Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta speaks during an interview with Reuters in Kabul October 13, 2009. Afghan politicians on Tuesday expressed frustration over delays to the outcome of the August presidential election, held up by elaborate efforts to wipe clean the widespread fraud that marred the vote.
  10. Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rangin Dadfar Spanta, right, speaks to Kai Eide, UN Special Representative in Afghanistan and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, after a Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan,, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009 at United Nations headquarters.
  11. Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rangin Dadfar Spanta, top left, listens to Kai Eide, bottom, UN Special Representative in Afghanistan and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, speak during a Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009 at United Nations headquarters.
  12. Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rangin Dadfar Spanta listens to speakers during a Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009 at United Nations headquarters.
  13. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is seen during a welcoming ceremony for the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, at the presidential offices in Tehran on November 5, 2009.
  14. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) welcomes the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, in Tehran on November 5, 2009. The Qatari leader is on an official visit to the Islamic republic.
  15. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) shakes hands with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, during a welcoming ceremony for the latter in Tehran on November 5, 2009. The Qatari leader is on an official visit to the Islamic republic.
  16. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (L) welcomes the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, in Tehran on November 5, 2009. The Qatari leader is on an official visit to the Islamic republic.

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