Saturday, June 9, 2007
Iran Threatens Regional War
Iran is planning to unleash a missile attack against its Gulf neighbors, triggering a Middle East war — if the U.S. attacks its nuclear facilities, according to a report in Sunday’s Times of London.
An Iranian official reportedly familiar with the plan said it would be launched within an hour of any U.S. attack.
"The U.S. will be as surprised with Iranian military capabilities as the Israelis were with Hezbollah in last summer’s war in Lebanon,” he said.
Admiral Ali Shamkhani, head of Iran’s Center for Strategic Studies, a think tank made up of former Foreign, Defense and Interior ministers that advises the supreme leader, told the U.S.-based "Defense News” that the barrage of missiles would be launched not only at U.S. military bases in the region but also at strategic targets such as oil refineries and power stations.
The senior defense adviser to leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei further warned that Gulf states cooperating with the U.S. would be targeted first.
According to the Times report, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman all host key U.S. bases, and British forces are also stationed in all three countries. Furthermore, any Iranian offensive would most likely involve other Gulf Cooperation Council states — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.
Shamkhani accused the Gulf states of "helping the U.S. establish legitimacy for its anticipated aggression against Iran,” the Times reported.
The attacks on Arab states would be in addition to airstrikes on Israel, an old threat which was repeated.
An Iranian foreign ministry official said, "The objective would be to overwhelm U.S. missile defense systems with dozens and maybe hundreds of missiles fired simultaneously at specific targets.”
Meanwhile, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said recently it was too late to stop Iran’s nuclear program, warning the U.S. "not to play with the lion’s tail.”
Iran is planning to unleash a missile attack against its Gulf neighbors, triggering a Middle East war — if the U.S. attacks its nuclear facilities, according to a report in Sunday’s Times of London.
An Iranian official reportedly familiar with the plan said it would be launched within an hour of any U.S. attack.
"The U.S. will be as surprised with Iranian military capabilities as the Israelis were with Hezbollah in last summer’s war in Lebanon,” he said.
Admiral Ali Shamkhani, head of Iran’s Center for Strategic Studies, a think tank made up of former Foreign, Defense and Interior ministers that advises the supreme leader, told the U.S.-based "Defense News” that the barrage of missiles would be launched not only at U.S. military bases in the region but also at strategic targets such as oil refineries and power stations.
The senior defense adviser to leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei further warned that Gulf states cooperating with the U.S. would be targeted first.
According to the Times report, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman all host key U.S. bases, and British forces are also stationed in all three countries. Furthermore, any Iranian offensive would most likely involve other Gulf Cooperation Council states — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.
Shamkhani accused the Gulf states of "helping the U.S. establish legitimacy for its anticipated aggression against Iran,” the Times reported.
The attacks on Arab states would be in addition to airstrikes on Israel, an old threat which was repeated.
An Iranian foreign ministry official said, "The objective would be to overwhelm U.S. missile defense systems with dozens and maybe hundreds of missiles fired simultaneously at specific targets.”
Meanwhile, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said recently it was too late to stop Iran’s nuclear program, warning the U.S. "not to play with the lion’s tail.”
