Iran's defence minister predict more wars in region

Nov 25, 2009, 12:20 GMT

   Tehran - Iran's defence minister on Wednesday predicted more wars in the volatile Middle East, ISNA news agency reported.

   'We are living in a region which has in the recent years witnessed several wars such as the (1980-88) Iran-Iraq war, the first and second Persian Gulf war, the war in Afghanistan and the latest one in Yemen,' General Ahmad Vahidi told a military conference.

   'It would be quite naive to believe that there would be no more wars,' he said.

   The general said Iran's armed forces should always be fully prepared and especially show their power of deterrence to assure enemies that any attacks would be futile.

   The Revolutionary Guards are currently conducting major air-defence exercises in several parts of the country.

   The main aim of the manoeuvres is to protect the country's nuclear facilities against any possible attack.

   Iran's military exercises have become more frequent since renewed threats by Israel to attack its nuclear installations. The sites are located in the capital Tehran as well as in central and southern Iran.

   President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has often claimed that no country would dare to attack Iran and challenge its military might.

   Tehran says its military strength is for deterrence and self-defence only.

   But the West fears that Iran could attack its archenemy Israel, especially since its Shahab-3 missiles, which are said to have a range of 2,000 kilometres, could reach any part of Israeli territory.

   Tehran has not ruled out using the missiles against Israel, but said it would do so only in the case of Israeli airstrikes against its nuclear sites.