Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said his troops are getting more prepared to face "asymmetrical" security, political, cultural and military threats, the official IRNA news agency reported Wednesday.
Addressing a group of IRGC officials on Tuesday, Jafari said enemies of Iran "are not capable of posing any direct threat or taking open action" against the Islamic Republic.
"The U.S. and Israel have become aware of their weakness against our country and due to the same reason they try to put Iran under pressure through different sanctions," he said.
Jafari's remarks came as Iran's army plans to hold a war game soon in a bid to present the defense and battle power of its Air Force to practice protective mechanisms.
Commander of Iranian Air Force Ahmad Mighani announced on Tuesday that in the war game dubbed the Protectors of Velayat Air, Iran will demonstrate its "strength and will give the message to the enemies that in case they have the dream of any offense, they will receive a very crushing blow."
The IRGC has just completed military maneuvers in the Gulf called Payambar-e Azam 3 (Great Prophet 3), in which Iran successfully test fired new long- and medium-range missiles.
The United States and its allies have accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied the U.S. charges and insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
The Bush administration said it focused on diplomacy to try to resolve Iran's nuclear issue, but has insisted it will take "no option off the table."
Some observers believe that it is still possible that the United States and Israel would attack Iranian targets for Tehran’s controversial nuclear programs.
(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2008)
