From Washington,this is VOA News.

Iran's leaders have welcomed a landmark nuclear agreement with world powers, calling it a recognition of Iranian nuclear rights and the beginning of an end to international sanctions.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised address Sunday that the interim deal reached in Geneva earlier in the day recognizes what Iran says is its "right" to enrich uranium.

Iran says its enrichment work is for peaceful purposes. But Israel and Western powers fear Iran could enrich its uranium to the high purity needed to develop nuclear weapons.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry denied Iran's interpretation of the deal reached with Washington and five other world powers. He told reporters in Geneva the document "does not say Iran has a right to enrichment."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the deal, calling it an "historic mistake" and saying it marks the first time the international community has "formally consented" to Iran continuing enrichment.

The White House says President Barack Obama telephoned Mr. Netanyahu Sunday, telling the Israeli prime minister he wants the United States and Israel to start consultations immediately on efforts to negotiate a comprehensive agreement with Iran.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ignored a recommendation by the country's grand assembly, or Loya Jirga, to immediately sign a new bilateral security agreement with the United States.

Mr. Karzai repeated his previous position that he would wait until after the upcoming presidential election in April to sign the deal allowing a continued presence of some U.S. troops in Afghanistan after 2014.

But U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says it is critical that the security agreement is signed in short order so both countries can keep working together for a more secure and prosperous future for Afghanistan.

Kerry says he cannot imagine a more compelling affirmation of the Afghan people's commitment to a U.S. partnership than the Loya Jirga's endorsement.

Election officials in Mali are counting votes after a parliamentary election that meant to be the last step in restoring democracy in Mali, where soldiers toppled the president last year and al-Qaida-linked militants took control of the north.

Abdel Fatau Musah, director for external relations for the Economic Community of West African States, told VOA that while there were some irregularities, observers did not report major incidents. However, he also noted that the election was dampened by what he called an "abysmal" turnout.

"You cannot put a premium on the importance of what is happening today in Mali on the stability of the country and also peace and security as a whole, not to talk about international peace and security. Simply because first we are talking about the psychological effects. This is a country that was rocked by a terrorist attacks and with a coup d'état," explained Musah.

Officials said Tuareg separatists prevented voters from casting ballots in a few places, while armed men stole some ballot boxes near the northern town of Timbuktu.

About 6.5 million Malians were eligible to vote Sunday, with more than 1,000 candidates vying for 147 seats in the new national assembly. Any races that are not decided in the initial round will go to a runoff, to be held December 15.

Anti-government demonstrators in Thailand have seized the Finance Ministry in Bangkok and threatened to storm more government buildings in an escalation of their efforts to topple the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Protesters want Ms. Yingluck to resign amid claims that her exiled brother, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is running the country behind the scenes.

Thousands of pro-government protesters are holding their own rally at a Bangkok stadium and have vowed not to leave until the opposition calls off its demonstration.