A senior Iranian commander challenged enemies' war rhetoric against Tehran, saying that they do not dare to stage a military attack on Iran.

The enemies, equipped with advanced weaponry, seek an opportunity to carry out an act of aggression, but they even fear the idea of an invasion, Deputy Head of the Operations Department of the Iranian Armed Forces General Ali Shadmani said on Thursday.

"We are waiting for an order by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution to drop thousands of long-range missiles on enemies who have the evil thought of an invasion (of Iran)," Shadmani was quoted by press tv as saying.

Iranian officials and commanders have warned that any enemy move, even the slightest aggressions, against the Islamic Republic would be reciprocated with a destructive response and will endanger enemies' interests all around the world.

Israel and its close ally the United States accuse Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, while they have never presented any corroborative document to substantiate their allegations. Both Washington and Tel Aviv possess advanced weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear warheads.

Iran vehemently denies the charges, insisting that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Tehran stresses that the country has always pursued a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel would eventually run dry.

The Zionist regime has recently intensified its war rhetoric against Tehran, warning that it plans to hit Iranian nuclear facilities.

Iran has, in return, warned that it would target Israel and its worldwide interests in case it comes under attack by the Tel Aviv.

The United States has also always stressed that military action is a main option for the White House to deter Iran's progress in the field of nuclear technology.

In response, Iran has warned it would hit the US, Israel and their worldwide interests and close the strategic Strait of Hormuz if it became the target of a military attack over its nuclear program.

Strait of Hormuz, the entrance to the strategic Persian Gulf waterway, is a major oil shipping route.
irna/281

News ID 184360