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Defiant Iran warns West
23/09/2007 16:56 - (SA)
Tehran - Iran bluntly warned the West on Sunday against launching an attack after a defiant display of its military prowess, including a new longer-range missile that could reach Israel.
The comments at the start of an annual defence week came amid warnings of military action over Iran's controversial nuclear programme, an option the Islamic republic's arch foes the United States and Israel have never ruled out.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his first such intervention since French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner warned the world to brace for war, said any attack on Iran would not be a simple "hit and run".
"Military aggression against Iran is no longer a case of 'you hit and you run'," said Khamenei, in comments broadcast on state television late on Saturday.
"Anyone who launches an aggression will seriously suffer the consequences of this aggression." Will send region 'up in flames'
Deputy Parliament speaker Mohammad Reza Bahonar added on Sunday: "Any military attack against Iran will send the region up in flames."
At the annual military parade on Saturday to commemorate the start of the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, Iran showed off its military strength and taunted its arch enemy Israel with slogans calling for the destruction of the Jewish state.
A longer-range missile labelled Ghadr-1 (Power) was shown at the parade for the first time in public.
The official announcer at the parade told reporters that the weapon had a range of 1 800km, sufficient to put US bases in the Middle East within reach as well as Israel.
The parade came amid growing tensions over Iran's nuclear programme, which the United States alleges is cover for a nuclear weapons drive but which Tehran insists is aimed solely at producing electricity. Boycott
Khamenei, however, brushed off Western warnings of conflict, saying "they talk like an illiterate person who is showing their biceps and fists against a learned person".
Saturday's parade was marked by a litany of slogans calling for "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." Western military attaches, apparently warned of this in advance, boycotted the rally for the second year running.
- AFP
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