TEHRAN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Iran's government
spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said on Tuesday that Tehran is ready to hold
talks with other countries, including the United States, Iran's satellite Press
TV reported.
"Iran, as a influential power, is ready to hold talks
with other countries," Elham was quoted as saying, "but this willingness should
not be interpreted as a need or a form of passivity."
He also pointed out that direct talks with Washington
could only take place when the time is right.
The two countries severed diplomatic ties in 1979
when the Islamic revolution took place in Iran.
"The time for unilateral talks and pressure has
ended. You can not talk to a great power like Iran using that kind of language,"
Elham added.
Elham's comments came after recent reports that the
United States is willing to open an interest section in Tehran for issuing visas
and carrying out cultural activities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said
recently in New York that Tehran will consider the plan if the United States
presents the proposal officially.
On Sunday, Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that he was ready to talk with U.S. President George W.
Bush directly.
TEHRAN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Commander of Iran's Army
Air Force, Amir Pilot Ahmad Mighani, announced on Tuesday Iran's army will hold
a great wargame soon in a bid to present the defense and battle power of its Air
Force to practice protective mechanisms.
In the wargame dubbed "the
protectors of Velayat air," "we will demonstrate our strength and will give the
message to our enemies that in case they have the dream of any offense, they
will receive a very crushing blow," he told reporters. Full story
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
adjusts his earphone during a news conference after the Eight Developing
Islamic Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur July 8, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
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TEHRAN, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad said the U.S. claim that Iran poses a threat to the Gulf states is
nothing but "a meaningless lie," Iran's English-language Press TV reported on
Monday.
"Iran's stance toward its neighboring countries is
one of leniency and mutual respect," said Ahmadinejad when addressing a meeting
of the country's envoys to the Gulf countries. Full story
TEHRAN, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Iranian officials vowed on
Sunday that the Islamic Republic would fight back against any attacks on it and
"cut off the hands" of the invaders, amid heightened speculation that Israel and
the United States would attack Iranian targets for Tehran's suspicious nuclear
programs.
"Before the enemies touch the trigger, the Iranian armed
forces will cut off their hands," the official IRNA news agency quoted Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying. Full story¡¡
TEHRAN, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Tehran would target the heart
of Israel and 32 U.S. bases in the Middle East if Iran is under attack, an aide
to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday.
"In case the United States and Israel dare to shoot a
bullet, Iran will target the heart of Israel and 32 U.S. bases in the region
imminently," said Mojtaba Zolnoor, vice representative of Khamenei to Iran's
Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the semi-official Fars News Agency
reported. Full story
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran has successfully
test-fired both medium- and long-range missiles in two consecutive days, in what
many analysts described as a move to trigger grave concerns over stability in
the region.
By testing a long-range missile capable of reaching
targets in Israel as well as U.S. military facilities in the region, Iran has
delivered a signal that it is capable of hitting back in case of an Israeli or
U.S. attack, analysts say. Full story
TEHRAN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran tested more medium and
long-range missiles in the Gulf for a second day early Thursday, Iran's
satellite Press TV reported.
In the third day of its military maneuvers
dubbed Great ProphetIII in the Gulf, The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)
successfully test fired various classes of missiles including shore to sea,
surface to surface and sea to air rockets. Full story
TEHRAN, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution
Guards Corps (IRGC) has successfully test fired new long- and mid-range missiles
in response to threats from the United States and Israel, Iran's satellite
channel Press TV reported Wednesday.
In military exercises dubbed Payambar-e Azam 3 (Great
Prophet 3), the IRGC test fired a Shahab 3 missile, which can hit any target
within a range of 2,000 km, Press TV said. Full story
