Iran Brushes Aside U.S. Threats

30 January 2005 -- Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday said Tehran is not frightened by what he called threats by the United States.
Khamenei said in comments broadcast by state-run Tehran radio that U.S. officials "foolishly think that the Iranian people would surrender under threat."

U.S. President George W. Bush recently said military action had not been ruled out as a response to Iran's alleged nuclear arms program.

Iran has denied allegations of a secret nuclear-weapons program.

Meanwhile, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohammad el-Baradei yesterday said inspectors have made "good strides" in understanding the nature and scope of Iran's nuclear program.

El-Baradei, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, also said the IAEA is receiving "good cooperation" from Iran.

(AP)