Iranian authorities have postponed the trial of detained Lebanese information technology expert Nizar Zakka, which was supposed to begin Monday, media reports said.

Marwan Abdullah, a nephew of Zakka, told An Nahar newspaper that the latter's health has deteriorated in prison, quoting the detainee's wife who visits him once a week.

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil traveled to Iran on Friday on the same plane as Chairman of Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi.

Boroujerdi had paid a visit on Friday to Lebanon where he held talks with senior officials, including Prime Minister Tammam Salam, Bassil, and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Iran announced Sunday it had successfully tested a new domestically produced long-range missile, which it said was the first that could be guided all the way to targets.

The defense ministry posted pictures of the launch of the missile, named Imad, on its website but no details were given about its maximum range or other capabilities.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened a "fierce" reaction Wednesday if Saudi Arabia does not quickly repatriate victims of last week's hajj stampede.

"Saudi officials are failing to do their duties," Khamenei said in a speech to graduating navy officers, following delays in the return of at least 239 Iranian bodies, accusing some of them of "slyness."

The Saudi-led coalition said on Wednesday it had seized an Iranian fishing boat in the Arabian Sea loaded with weapons destined for Shiite rebels it is fighting in Yemen.

A coalition statement said that the vessel was intercepted on Saturday and that 14 Iranians and weapons including anti-tank shells were found on board.

France has launched an inquiry into Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime for alleged crimes against humanity, saying it was forced to act in the face of "systematic cruelty".

The announcement Wednesday came after world powers sparred at the United Nations over the embattled Syrian leader's fate.

U.S. Republicans said Tuesday they were introducing legislation that would use frozen Iranian assets to pay American victims of Iranian terrorism before billions of dollars are returned to Tehran as part of the nuclear deal.

Congressional Republicans are furious over President Barack Obama's landmark accord with world powers that aims to rein in Iran's nuclear program, in exchange for an easing of sanctions that have crippled the Islamic republic's economy.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry suggested Tuesday that Russia and Iran may persuade Syrian strongman Bashar Assad to stop indiscriminately dropping barrel bombs on his own people.

Moscow and Washington disagree sharply about Assad's longer term role in efforts to end the Syrian war, but have begun cautiously to discuss efforts to defeat his Islamic State jihadist foes.

An ultraconservative Iranian lawmaker hit out Tuesday at reports Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif shook hands with U.S. President Barack Obama at the U.N. General Assembly, branding it as un-revolutionary.

The remarks came after Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency and international media outlets documented the impromptu encounter in New York on Monday.

Kuwait's lower court Tuesday bailed four suspected members of a 26-member cell accused of plotting attacks on the Gulf state in collaboration with Iran and the Shiite group Hezbollah.

A judicial source said that in a new hearing held behind closed doors judge Mohammad al-Duaij ordered the four to pay bail of $1,650 each.