Iran says can destroy US bases ‘minutes after attack’
Israel has hinted it may attack Iran if diplomacy fails to secure a halt to its disputed nuclear energy programme.
The United States also has mooted military action as a last-resort option but has frequently nudged the Israelis to give time for intensified economic sanctions to work against Iran.
"These bases are all in range of our missiles, and the occupied lands (Israel) are also good targets for us," Amir Ali Haji Zadeh, commander of the Revolutionary Guards aerospace division, was quoted by Fars news agency as saying.
Haji Zadeh said 35 US bases were within reach of Iran's ballistic missiles, the most advanced of which commanders have said could hit targets 2,000km away.
"We have thought of measures to set up bases and deploy missiles to destroy all these bases in the early minutes after an attack," he added.
It was not clear where Haji Zadeh got his figures on US bases in the region. US military facilities in the Middle East are located in Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Turkey, and it has around 10 bases further afield in Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Skepticism
Defence analysts are often sceptical about what they describe as exaggerated military assertions by Iran and say the country's military capability would be no match for sophisticated US defence systems.
Iranian media reported that this week's three-day Great Prophet 7 tests involved dozens of missiles and domestically-built drones that successfully destroyed simulated air bases.
Iran has upped its fiery anti-West rhetoric in response to the launch on Sunday of a total European Union embargo on buying Iranian crude oil - the latest calibrated increase in sanctions aimed at pushing Tehran into curbing nuclear activity.
Revolutionary Guards commanders have also threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, through which more than a third of the world's seaborne oil trade passes out of the Gulf, in response to the increasingly harsh sanctions.
Major powers have said they would tolerate no obstruction of commercial traffic through the Strait, and the United States maintains a formidable naval presence in the Gulf region.
Iran accused the West of disrupting global energy supplies and creating regional instability and says its forces can dominate the vital waterway to provide security.
"The policy of the Islamic Republic is based on maintaining security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz for all ships and oil tankers," Iranian English-language state Press TV quoted the chairman of parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, as saying.
The United States and its allies accuse Iran of using its nuclear programme to covertly develop all the components required to produce nuclear weapons, accusations the Iranian officials have repeatedly denied.
The world's No. 5 oil exporter maintains that it is enriching uranium for nuclear fuel only to generate more energy for a rapidly growing population.
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@Mirza So that means you and US sensed that why Iran is chasing it (nuclear tec) ? Its a high time that today someone reminds US to stop atrocities like they did in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and many more on the same dimension and justification used in ww2 by then nation. The simple thing is neither it is proved that Iran built nukes nor uncle Sam has remembered the history it created by bombing japan on the pretext it has used. Today it is once again proved that Principals and not nukes is the true detterence. It is easy to buy prosperity by compromosing pride but really difficult by compromosing rights and principals, here we can see the difference clearly.
@Sky: Although Americans used it against Japan in August 1945, but in fact Japan brought it all upon itself. Japan was the most aggressive, ruthless and cruel super power of the time sharing its traits with German Nazis. They kiled million in East Asia, occupied large territories and enslaved Asian people. Read history for their excesses. They were brought to their senses once Americans fired Atom bombs on them. Nuclear weapons are very important for preventing other powers to usurp your rights. De-nuclearisation will never happen, it is only a slogan with no objectives. I don't see it happening in next 50 years.
The entire world should de nuclearize starting with the only country who used it on humans in WWII
Every nation including Iran has the right to protect itself. If Israel can have it than why not Iran. If Iran is attacked then it has all rights to retaliate and counter attack all American interests in the region. This must be expected by Americans, nothing new. Iran is only reiterating so American public should know it in clear terms. I believe such a confrontation can lead to a greater war where American, Russian and Chinese interests will be at odds with each other.
M. Zubair
In case you didn't know it nukes didn't protect Pakistan, India, Israel, USA, Russia, France, UK, or China from various attacks/wars.
Pakistan Army is the great defender of America and Europe, a fortress of democracies ,and should warn Iran against making these statements
: D
Lmao
@M.Zubair: You are living in the fallacy of Nuclear Deterrence. Nuclear weapons are in a handful of countries but it has made the whole unsafe. The consequences of nuclear weapons are unimaginable. It would be better if there were no nuclear weapons anywhere in the world to ensure the safety and survival of everyone on this planet. GLOBAL ZERO is the only solution.
It's not surprising or as outrageous rhetoric as it seems, though of course exaggerated. Not justifying the military rhetoric escalation, but would do well for the media to stay balanced and not get swept in fear and hype.
He mentions this 'retaliation' not on the basis of sanctions but on the basis if they're attacked, unlike a 'first strike' threat, which Israel and the US constantly threaten in their rhetoric against Iran in daily statements on the basis of Iran's controversial or disputed nuclear program, a program which Israel illegally owns itself and remarkably does not suffer crippling sanctions for it.
This is a very serious statement, hitting USA the main protector of Arab's corporation like countries but having many implication. Word of advice, Pakistan expatriates must consider vacating those countries with US bases to avoid collateral damage.
Who gave Iran weapons of mass destruction? The root cause must be destroyed. Cut the poisonous tree from roots.
Does anyone remember Iraq promising 'Mother of all Battles'?
Agreed, if Americans can have it then everyone else can too!!
iran always makes it self a fool by posting such statements it will be blown in to rubbles if he dares makes bombs!!!
What Pakistan Army is to do with this statement ? Does Iran gave this statement with Pakistan's node. Agreed every nation big or small, western or eastern has the right to develop and posses nuclear arms for its defense and not for offense.
Pakistan Army ought to condem this statement, and warn Iran!
In world of today, every country should have nuclear arsenal...only then the world will be neutral and peacful