Iran 'will defend nuclear sites'

[WritersBlock]

Wednesday, 22 December, 2004, 15:43 GMT

Iran's military is on standby in case of an attack against its nuclear facilities, the country's top army commander has said. Gen Mohammad Salimi said training had been suspended to concentrate on patrols close to potential targets.

Iran suspects that Israel may attack its nuclear sites because of fears that Tehran is developing nuclear weapons. Iran says it held at least 10 people for allegedly spying on atomic sites for Israel and the US in the past year.

"The air force has been ordered to protect the nuclear sites, using all its power," Gen Salimi told a government newspaper. "All our forces including land forces, anti-aircraft radar tactics are protecting the nuclear sites and an attack on them will not be simple," he added.

Gen Salimi's comments came amid claims that US military planners have run simulations of a complex attack on Iran's nuclear sites. The US magazine Atlantic Monthly reported that the Pentagon had simulated a three-stage attack on Iran, beginning with operations against suspected nuclear bases.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/middle_east/4118545.stm

[okieinpain]

1. Israel, and the us, better get use to it. bush screwed up attacking

Iraq. it might have helped him get reelected, but we have now lost all creditability on who has weapons.

[karl meltdown]

2. unless it's student led counter-revolution...

then the military will stand down as it did in 79?