Source: Press TV

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has called on the newly-appointed Iranian Air Force chief to further enhance the fleet's equipment.

In a Monday decree, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei appointed Brigadier General Hassan Shah-Safi as the new chief commander of Iran's Air Force, replacing Brigadier General Ahmad Miqani.

In response to Western threats of a military air strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, the Leader called for concerted efforts to further upgrade and promote Iran's Air Force military equipment.

Tel Aviv and Washington accuse Tehran, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), of pursuing a military nuclear program, and have threatened to launch air strikes on Iran to bring its nuclear program to a halt.

Israeli lawmaker Ephraim Sneh, in a recent official document to both US presidential candidates said the opportunity to find a non-military solution to halt Iran's nuclear program would cease within 18 to 24 months, announcing that Israel is preparing a contingency plan to attack Iran.

Earlier in August, former commander of Iran's Air Force, Brigadier General Ahmad Miqani, announced that the country had revamped its fighter jet fleet to fly distances of allowing Iranian aircraft to fly 3,000 kilometers without refueling.

Iran has warned that it would not hesitate to target the heart of Israel and 32 US bases in the region should the country come under attack.
 

Surprise attack on Iran, 'impossible'

The Islamic Republic says a surprise attack on Iran is impossible as the country's Armed Forces are fully prepared for all scenarios.

The US and Israel have long threatened to launch military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities should the country continue with its uranium enrichment program.

Iran has warned that the country's Armed Forces have fully monitored the US army's combat methods, its weaknesses and strong points, and are therefore fully capable of countering US tactics.

"We know the strategies the enemy might employ for a surprise attack and we have also readied special tactics of our own to give the enemy a surprise response far greater than they could ever imagine," Deputy Army Commander Brigadier General Abdul-Rahim Mousavi said Saturday.

Brig. Gen. Mousavi added that all the country's military capabilities had not been unveiled yet and said Iran has 'important' defensive equipment, which will significantly impact the course of events in case of an attack.

The commander cautioned that the enemy must learn to differentiate between 'having the power to attack' and 'willing an attack.'

The remarks came after Israeli lawmaker Ephraim Sneh said the opportunity to find a non-military solution to halt Iran's nuclear program would cease within 18 to 24 months, adding that Israel is preparing a contingency plan to attack Iran.

The Islamic Republic, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), says that diplomacy is the only practical approach for clarifying the civilian nature of its nuclear program.

Iran, however, has warned that it would not hesitate to target the heart of Israel and 32 US bases in the region should the country come under attack.
 

... Payvand News - 08/31/08 ... --