TEHRAN, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) - Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said on Tuesday that the Iranian armed forces are ready to counter any surprise attack by the enemies with a crushing response, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The vigilant Iranian armed forces are now monitoring
all military movements in the region round the clock, Najjar was quoted as
saying.
Iran is a powerful country is the region with high
military might, he said, adding that recent war games conducted by the armed
forces have demonstrated the capabilities of Iranian forces for the world.
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)
completed military maneuvers in the Gulf called Payambar-e Azam 3 (Great Prophet
3) in mid July to improve combat readiness and capability. Iran successfully
test fired new long- and medium-range missiles in the drills.
"The enemies try to conduct a psychological warfare
to intimidate us but to no avail," he said.
Najjar comments follow western media reports about an
armada of U.S. naval battle groups heading toward the Persian Gulf with the aim
of reinforcing U.S. strike forces in the region.
Iranian armed forces are self-sufficient in the
production of defense soft and hardware, Najjar added.
IRGC Commander Brigadier General Mohammad-Ali Jafari
said last Monday Iran has tested a new advanced naval weapon, which is "unique
in the world" and can target the enemy at the range of 300 km.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
looks on as he waits for his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika in
Tehran Aug. 11, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
TEHRAN, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry
spokesman Hassan Qashqavi Tuesday said Iran intends to continue nuclear talks
with the West in a "constructive" atmosphere, the Press TV satellite channel
reported.
Both Iran and the West are interested in continuing their
negotiations, Qashqavi told a press conference in Tehran.
TEHRAN, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran's President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad vowed Monday that Tehran will never give up its nuclear program
despite the risk of fresh sanctions, the state-run TV's website reported.
Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a meeting with his
Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika who are in Tehran for visit, according
to the report. Full story
TEHRAN, Aug. 11
(Xinhua) -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and EU foreign policy
chief Javier Solana agreed in a telephone conversation on Monday to continue
nuclear talks on Iran's disputable nuclear program, state TV reported.
Both sides expressed their satisfaction over the
constructive process of Geneva talks and the following contacts, the report
said. Full story
TEHRAN, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran's government
spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said Sunday that Iran's nuclear stance will not
be changed by sanctions or threats.
"Iran's nuclear stance is strong and transparent and this
stance would not change through any sanction or threat," Elham told reporters
after a cabinet session, adding, "We still believe that the nuclear talks are
progressing." Full story
TEHRAN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of National Security
and Foreign Policy Commission of Iran's parliament, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said
Saturday that imposing new sanctions on the Islamic Republic will harm the West,
the official IRNA news agency reported. Full story
BERLIN, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Germany on Wednesday rejected Iran's response to an
offer of negotiations over its nuclear program, saying the response is
"insufficient."
"The (German) government finds the response sent yesterday
(Tuesday) by Iran to the comprehensive offer ... insufficient," German Foreign
Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement. Full story
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's response to an
incentive package offered by the United States and five other nations is
"disappointing," said Alejandro Wolff, the U.S. deputy ambassador to the United
Nations, on Wednesday.
"This is a nonresponsive, disappointing response," said
Wolff, speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Security Council. Full story
TEHRAN, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Ambassador to Brussels
Ali-Asghar Khaji on Tuesday handed in Tehran's written response to the 5+1
package of incentives to EU officials, the semi-official Fars News Agency
reported.
The report did not give further details about Iran's
reply, which has not yet been verified by Iranian official sources. Full story
