Iran Plans Production of Long-Range Anti-Missile System

US Patriot and Russian S-300 systems are two of the most advanced anti-missile systems in the world.
The possibility of inspecting Iranian ships in international waters is remote since only one or two countries have called for inspections of Iranian Vessel: Iranian official.

Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi announced plans to start of manufacturing an indigenous long-range anti-missile system during a press conference on Wednesday.

In response to a question on whether Iran is contemplating manufacturing a domestic version of S-300 system, Vahidi said Iran’s decision to manufacture it own system does not contradict its already signed contract with Russia’s delivery of S-300 system to Iran. Moreover, such transaction does not stand in conflict with the newly passed UNSC resolution against Iran.

According to Vahidi, the possibility of inspecting Iranian ships in international waters is remote since only one or two countries have called for inspections of Iranian vessel. He said if any country tries to inspect Iranian ships, the country would retaliate in kind.

There have been numerous rumors in recent days that US and Israelis plan to carryout a military strike against Iranian nuclear installations. Last week, 12 US and Israeli ships traversed through the Suez Canal apparently on their way toward the Persian Gulf. The US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman has joined other warships in the Indian Ocean close to Iran’s southern maritime borders.

US and Israelis Step up Military Presence Close to Iranian Borders

Israeli Air Force is using Saudi Arabian airbase in Tabuk and making preparations for an attack against Iran: report says.

There have been reports of US and Israeli forces racketing up military preparations for an attack against Iran in recent days.

On Wednesday, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that the Israeli Air Force had recently unloaded military related equipment at an airbase in Saudi Arabian town of Tabuk near Jordan. This follows a last week’s report on the passage of 12 US and Israeli warships through the Suez Canal toward the Persian Gulf.

In addition Iran’s Press TV reported US troops presence in Azerbaijan near the Iranian border. Azerbaijani news agency Trend confirmed the presence of US troops in that republic but maintained that they were involved in peacekeeping mission against armed rebels.

Following a UNSC resolution on sanctions against Iran, the United States has increased its bullying postures threatening to begin inspection of cargoes to and from Iran in international waters. Iran warned the United States that harassing of Iranian ships would not go unanswered.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Brigadier General Mehdi Moini said the country’s forces are mobilized and ready to face American and Israeli misadventures near its borders.

United States seeks to stop Iran’s peaceful enrichment activities claiming it possess a danger to world peace while it reserves the right to retain thousands of nuclear warheads and ignores Israel’s illegal possession of such weapons.

(Hamsayeh.Net)

Iran hangs head of Jundallah leader Abdulmalik Rigi

Iran hanged the convicted leader of a Sunni Muslim rebel group on Sunday for his involvement in attacks in the Islamic state, state television reported.

Predominantly Shi'ite Muslim Iran arrested Abdolmalek Rigi in February, four months after his Jundollah (God's soldiers) group claimed a bombing which killed dozens of people, including senior officers of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards.

"Abdolmalek Rigi was hanged at dawn today...he was convicted for many crimes like being behind many deadly attacks...and killing dozens of innocent people," state television said.

Iran grapples with ethnic and religious tension in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan where authorities have responded to attacks by Sunni rebels with a spate of hangings.

Rights groups and the West have condemned the hangings.

A Tehran Revolutionary court sentenced Rigi to death and the Supreme Court upheld the sentence, the semi-official Fars news agency said, adding that Rigi was executed inside Tehran's Evin prison in the presence of "the families of some of the victims."

"Abdolmalek Rigi's charges also included armed robbery, kidnapping, drug trafficking and the formation and leading of the terrorist Jundollah group," Fars reported.

Iran says the Sunni group has links to Sunni Islamist al Qaeda and accuses Pakistan, Britain and the United States of supporting Jundollah to create instability in southeast Iran, where many of the country's Sunni minority live.

The three countries deny the accusations.

Iran is at odds with the West over its nuclear programme, which it insists is aimed at generating power and not building bombs as the U.S., its European allies and Israel suspect.

"Jundollah was linked to members of foreign intelligence services, including members from America and the Zionist regime's (Israel) intelligence services under the cover of NATO," the official IRNA news agency quoted a court statement as saying.

Sistan-Baluchestan is a poor area near Pakistan and Afghanistan. Bombings and clashes between security forces, ethnic Baluch Sunni insurgents and drug traffickers have increased in recent years.

Iranian leaders reject claims by Western human rights groups that the Islamic Republic discriminates against ethnic and religious minorities.

Ethnic Baluch, many with tribal links to their restive kin in neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan, make up an estimated one to three percent of Iran's 70 million population.