Roundup: Rouhani says Iran's military power deterrent, not threat to region

Iran's "big military power" is for deterrence purposes, as it is not a threat to its neighbors and to the Middle East region, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said here on Saturday in a ceremony marking Iran's Army Day.

On the contrary, the mission of Iran's army is to help establish "peace and security" to the war-hit region, Rouhani said.

The doctrine of Iran's armed forces is based on deterrence strategies which is believed to help the interests of regional states and people, he said.

The Iranian president added that the presence of Iran's navy in the high seas should not frighten any country, since it is for the security of the littoral countries, shipping lines and international waterways.

Aggression against the defenseless people of Yemen is not an honor for the army of the aggressors, Rouhani said, alluding to the Saudi-led recent air raids against the targets of Shiite militant groups in the country.

Airstrikes against the children, women and the old people will only sow the hatred at the heart of people, he said, adding that the aggressors are better to extend hands of friendship and reconciliation to the nations in the region.

Iran's army have not threatened any country and will not do so, but it will protect the oppressed people, he stressed.

In the ceremony to mark Army Day, the army's units held parades and Iran's defense capabilities were showcased. Also, military attaches of some foreign countries in Iran attended the ceremony.

During the parade, the domestically-manufactured Bavar-373 missile defense system, Rasoul (Messenger) communication system and Fakour (Thoughtful) commanding and smart control system were displayed as Iran's new defense achievements.

The Bavar-373 long-range missile defense system, which is similar to the Russian S-300, has been manufactured by Iranian defense experts and is capable of hitting air targets at a high altitude, according to Press TV.

The Fakour commanding and smart control system has the ability to collect information from all sources relevant to air defense, including passive and active military radars, signal surveillance, missile systems and commanding and control systems.

It can guide and control air-based and ground-based air defense systems in a completely tactical and independent way, the report said.

The Rasoul advanced communication system is capable of encoding information, connecting the country's infrastructure and transferring radar information from the battle scene to commanding centers.

On the sidelines of the ceremony on Saturday, a senior Iranian military official denied recent Saudi Arabia's allegation that Tehran is sending weapons to the Yemen Shiite Houthi militant group, Press TV reported.

"This claim is ridiculous because everyone knows that it is Saudi Arabia which has procured different weapons through the United States and is using them against the oppressed Yemeni nation today," Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi was quoted as saying.

If the United States and Saudi Arabia make such allegations against Iran, it is a "blame game," he said.

Iran supports the Yemeni people in their strife for civil rights, national sovereignty and independence, Firouzabadi said, propping up Tehran's inclination for an "independent Yemen and a democratic Yemeni nation."

Also, Commander of Iran's Army Ground Force Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan on Saturday firmly rejected allegations about the presence of Iranian military forces in Yemen and Iraq, according to Tasnim news agency.

Speaking on the sidelines of military parades in Tehran, Pourdastan said that "Given our international commitments, we cannot give military assistance to Yemen", but Iran is ready to provide Yemen with medical assistance.

The UN Security Council passed a resolution on Tuesday imposing an arms embargo on Shiite Houthis in Yemen. It also called on the Houthis to withdraw from areas they have seized, including the capital Sanaa. Endit