TEHRAN, Feb. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran Saturday launched a productionline of torpedoes in order to promote its defense capability at seaas the United States has recently escalated its threats on Tehran,the official IRNA news agency reported.

    Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani said at the launch ceremony thatthe production marked completion of "the Islamic Republic'sdefensive cycle at sea."

    "Iran's marine units have now achieved an effective weapon witha complicated and modern technology in confronting surface andunder-sea threats," Shamkhani said, adding the torpedoes could bemounted on helicopters, surface vessels and submarines."Some of the important features of this weapon are thepossibility to use it in shallow waters, without being spotted byradars, as well as its extraordinarily high speed, while beingnotably cost-effective," he said.

    Since mid-January, US President George W. Bush, Vice PresidentDick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have made harshcomments against Iran.

    Iran has vowed to defend itself with deterrent power. Enditem