Ready to repel attack, parades missiles: Iran

Tehran, Sept 22: Iran today warned Western powers putting pressure on it to halt its nuclear programme not to ''even think about'' attacking it and showed off its missiles in parades marking the anniversary of its war against Iraq.

''We seek peace. But I am telling dominant powers (the West) not to even think about any attack, as we are fully prepared to defend Iran,'' first vice-president Parviz Davoudi said in a speech before the annual parades marking the end of the 1980-88 conflict with its neighbour.

War veterans in wheelchairs, soldiers, elite Revolutionary Guards and scores of the basij volunteer corps took part in the main parade, held beside the south Tehran shrine of the father of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Two trailer-mounted Shahab-3 missiles with a range of 2,000 km, able to hit Israel and the US bases in the Gulf, rolled past the shrine.

''You should always be proud of these home-made missiles,'' the parade announcer said. ''God is Great!'' Washington, which broke ties with Tehran shortly after the revolution, and other western nations have been pressing Iran to rein in its nuclear programme, which they fear is a cover to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charge.

The United States says it wants a diplomatic solution to the dispute, but has not ruled out military action.

Nazeat M6 and Zelzal 1 missiles were also shown at the parade, along with battle tanks towed past on trucks. US and Russian-made warplanes and helicopters flew over the shrine, parachutists landed nearby and army helicopters showered flowers on troops marching to the memorial to music by a brass band.

Young members of the volunteer Basij militia, who see themselves as the guardians of revolutionary values, marched past carrying portraits of the ''martyrs'', who died in the eight-year war with Iraq.

''We are ready to die for our country,'' they chanted.

Many young Iranians have lost interest in the ideals of the Iranian revolution, but most remain proud of their country's determination to press ahead with its nuclear programme and to defy any sanctions imposed by the United Nations.

Iran ignored a UN deadline to halt its nuclear fuel enrichment by August 31, and major powers agreed this week to give EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, representing the six powers, until early October to reach a deal with Tehran.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday said on Thursday that Iran was ready to negotiate a suspension of its uranium enrichment if it received fair guarantees in talks with major powers.

REUTERS