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Tehran warns US against attacks | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Iran will strike against US interests worldwide if it is attacked, the country's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned. | Iran will strike against US interests worldwide if it is attacked, the country's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned. |
"The enemies know well that any aggression will lead to a reaction from all sides," he said. | "The enemies know well that any aggression will lead to a reaction from all sides," he said. |
Washington accuses Tehran of secretly trying to develop a nuclear weapon, and has not ruled out using military force. | Washington accuses Tehran of secretly trying to develop a nuclear weapon, and has not ruled out using military force. |
The Iranians insist their nuclear programme is purely civilian and aimed at meeting their energy needs. | The Iranians insist their nuclear programme is purely civilian and aimed at meeting their energy needs. |
The BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran says Ayatollah Khamenei was defiant about the prospect of a possible American military strike. | The BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran says Ayatollah Khamenei was defiant about the prospect of a possible American military strike. |
The supreme leader said he hoped nobody would risk attacking Iran because the nation would stand up for itself and only become stronger militarily and economically. | The supreme leader said he hoped nobody would risk attacking Iran because the nation would stand up for itself and only become stronger militarily and economically. |
Iran also denounced remarks by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair that Tehran was determined to stir up maximum trouble in the Middle East. | |
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Hosseini said Mr Blair's comments were "insolent" and "undiplomatic". | |
Mr Hosseini said Britain had played a key role in sabotaging talks on the nuclear issue in the past and had followed the US and Israel in imposing destructive wars on the Middle East. | |
War games | War games |
Another key Iranian figure, ex-President Hashemi Rafsanjani, has also warned against a strike, saying it would carry a heavy cost for those who tried it. | Another key Iranian figure, ex-President Hashemi Rafsanjani, has also warned against a strike, saying it would carry a heavy cost for those who tried it. |
Diplomats were shown the Isfahan nuclear plant at the weekendThe warnings came as Iran's navy and air force conducted war games. | |
Iran said it had successfully test-fired a land-to-sea missile with a range of 350km (220 miles). | |
Tehran said it had also tested a new Russian-made air defence system. | |
Officials have refused to confirm whether the system has been deployed around nuclear sites. | Officials have refused to confirm whether the system has been deployed around nuclear sites. |
At the weekend ambassadors from non-aligned countries were allowed to visit an Iranian nuclear facility, on what was billed as a transparency visit. | At the weekend ambassadors from non-aligned countries were allowed to visit an Iranian nuclear facility, on what was billed as a transparency visit. |
The UN's chief nuclear inspector is to report on Tehran's compliance with the UN Security Council's demands later this month. | The UN's chief nuclear inspector is to report on Tehran's compliance with the UN Security Council's demands later this month. |
In December the UN imposed limited sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment. | In December the UN imposed limited sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment. |