Biggest Parade Marks Iran Army Day

Source: Alalam TV, 18-04-2008
TEHRAN--Iran has marked its National Army Day by holding the biggest-ever parade in the country, showing the world its real military prowess.
On the occasion, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attended the military parade in Tehran Thursday, saying the Islamic Republic is strong enough to respond to any enemy invasion and defend its interests by all means.
He said: "The power of the Iranian nation is at such a level that none of the world's existing powers are able to or have the courage to threaten their interests and security."
The armed forces conducted a major fly-by over the parade ground which included around 200 of its fighter jets and other aircraft in a bid to show the power of its air force.
Among the aircraft on display were US-made F4 and F-5 fighter jets and several Saegheh fighter jets which are entirely home-produced model.
"Enemies of Iran are stuck in the mud in front of the resistance of the Iranian nation," he said in the speech broadcast live on state television.
"Iran is the most powerful and independent nation in the world," he added.
Ahmadinejad also said: "The army, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and the Basij (armed force) will resist with force and coordination and respond strongly to the slightest aggression."
The president's comments came just one day after talks on incentives aimed at persuading Iran to stop its uranium enrichment ended on Wednesday with no clear result - although the chair of the talks insisted diplomatic efforts would continue.
The talks featured the EU and the US, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.
Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and intended only to produce energy and it has refused to suspend uranium enrichment, despite three rounds of Security Council sanctions.
The Islamic Republic has about three-thousand centrifuges operating at its underground nuclear facility in Natanz.
That is the commonly accepted figure for a nuclear enrichment program that is past the experimental stage and can be used as a platform for a full industrial-scale program.
Iran has said it plans to move toward large-scale uranium enrichment that ultimately will involve 54-thousand centrifuges.
Iran has said a report released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in February vindicated Iran's nuclear program and left no justification for any Security Council sanctions.
The 11-page report by IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said all major past issues surrounding Iran's nuclear activities had been fully resolved or were "no longer outstanding at this stage."