At an Iranian-sponsored summit on Tehran, Afghanistan
President
Karzai shakes hands with Iran President
Ahmadinejad and Tajikistan
President Emomali Rakhmon, Aug.5.
Kayhan, Islamic Republic of Iran
Iran Regime Threatens
'Unlimited Consequences' of U.S. Attack
Recent comments
by chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, that
America 'has a plan' to attack Iran, resulted in this combative news item from
Iran's government-run Kayhan newspaper. Included are quotes from Iran's
defense minister, foreign minister and Foreign Ministry spokesman, all warning
of the consequences of such an attack.
Iranian officials have said that
the U.S. would suffer a defeat worse than it had in Iraq and Afghanistan, after
remarks by America's top military official that Washington has a plan to attack
Tehran.
On Sunday, Admiral Mike
Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the United States
has drawn up the plan, but was "extremely concerned" about the results
of any such attack.
"In case of an attack
against Iran, their destiny will be worse than their pitiable fate in Iraq and
Afghanistan," Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying by the
Iranian Students' News Agency.
Mottaki said he hopes better
sense prevails in Washington, saying that "they said that they would go to
certain places, and they did … But we've seen what happened to them. We think
there are still rational people in America ... who will not put American
dignity on sale."
Earlier on Tuesday, Foreign
Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast also dismissed Mullen's remarks. "We
have witnessed such inappropriate remarks by these American military
officials," he told reporters at his weekly news conference in Tehran. "We
think the reason stems from consecutive (U.S.) defeats in the region and its
military adventurism, which has resulted in the deaths of innocent citizens and
their own forces."
In a separate statement, Defense
Minister Ahmad Vahidi described Mullen's comments as fascistic. "Such
remarks are in contradiction to the claims of change and that they are after
dialogue and peace," Vahidi was quoted as saying by the state Islamic
Republic News Agency. "Such remarks show that they are unable to stand
against the will of Iran. Having plans to attack an independent nation in the
third millennium is a clear violation of the U.N. Charter."
Speaking on U.S. television
[watch below], Mullen held out hope that a combination of diplomatic efforts
and sanctions would force Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment program. At
the same time, though, he said that "the military options have been on the
table, and remain on the table.” He added that “I hope we don't get to that,
but it's an important option and it's one that's well understood.”
Asked
if the military has a plan to strike Iran, Mullen replied, "We do."
He didn't elaborate.
Iran
insists that its uranium enrichment program is for peaceful purposes only.
Foreign Minister Mottaki said
that the U.S. is well aware that the consequences of a military adventure will
be "unlimited," and that the balance of power in the Middle East has
turned against America. He added, "U.S. officials are accustomed to
threatening others. They should instead single out a specific time when they
haven't used such language."
According to Mottaki, the arrogance
of U.S. officials have led them to assume that they're living in the era of
Hitler or World War and that they're free to initiate new hostilities. Mottaki
said the U.S. has been entangled in Middle East wars for 10 years, which have
driven them to defeat and desperation, and that after attempting to take
captive the region's nations, they are looking for a way out.
He recommended that U.S. intellectuals
reject the grave errors and arrogant approach of consecutive U.S. administrations
toward the international community.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Defense Minister Vahidi stressed
that the Iranian armed forces are prepared to repel any possible military
attack, saying that Tehran has already defined the needed strategies and drawn up
plans to confront any invasion. The armed forces, he said, are always ready and
prepared to guard the great Iranian people and their dear homeland, which will
make the enemies regret their attack.
Vahidi lambasted the United
Nations for remaining silent about these threatening U.S. remarks, saying it
showed the inefficiency of the international body, that it has an unjust
structure, and that it merely serves the illegitimate interests of the global
powers.
