By Country / Iran
Iran Threatens 'Lightning' Response To Attacks
September 22, 2006
A scene from Iranian military exercises this August (Fars)
Iranian Vice President Parviz Davudi was speaking at an army parade to mark the anniversary of the outbreak of the eight-year Iran-Iraq war in 1980.
Davoodi also said that nuclear weapons have no place in Iran's defense doctrine and that Iran's Supreme Leader has declared them illegal.
In comments also made on September 22, the commander in chief of Iran's army, Ataollah Salehi, said Iran does not need "unconventional weapons" to defeat any "foreign enemy."
Tehran says its nuclear program is peaceful but the West suspects Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
The United States is pressing for sanctions after Iran ignored an August 31 UN Security Council deadline to suspend uranium enrichment.
U.S. President George W. Bush has said all options are on the table to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
(Fars, AFP)