Agency: Iran to hold military maneuvers with surface-to-surface missiles targeting “bases” [View all]
Source: AP
By Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, July 1, 11:05 AM
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards are planning war games this week, including drills with surface-to-surface missiles aimed at models of foreign bases, the official IRNA news agency reported Sunday.
It said the maneuvers would begin Monday in Iran’s central desert and last three days.
The report quoted Gen. Ami Ali Hajizadeh, chief of the airspace unit of the Guards. He said the message of the maneuvers to “adventurist” nations in the region and the West is that “Iran will respond to any possible evil” in a “strong and crushing” way.
He said the maneuvers are also aimed at assessing the accuracy and effectiveness of warheads and systems.
The announcement coincides with the beginning of a European Union oil embargo meant to pressure Iran over its nuclear program. The West suspects Iran wants to build nuclear weapons, and Israel has hinted at an attack if diplomatic efforts and sanctions fail to eliminate the threat.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/report-iran-to-hold-massive-missiles-maneuver/2012/07/01/gJQA7BI0FW_story.html
Iran vows to confront "malicious" embargo
DUBAI, July 1 (Reuters) - Iran pledged to counter the impact of a European Union oil embargo which took full effect on Sunday, saying it had built up $150 billion in foreign reserves to protect itself.
The EU ban on crude imports is part of a push by Western countries aimed at choking Iran's export earnings and forcing it to curb a nuclear programme they fear includes weapons development. Tehran says it has no such plan.
"We are implementing programmes to counter sanctions and we will confront these malicious policies," Mehr news agency quoted central bank governor Mahmoud Bahmani as saying.
He said the effects of the sanctions were tough but that Iran had built up $150 billion in foreign reserves.
more: http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/07/01/iran-sanctions-idINL6E8I12DK20120701
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