Iran marks Defense Week by staging military parade

TEHRAN - The Iranian armed forces staged military parades throughout the country on Friday to mark the start of the Week of Defense, commemorating Iranian sacrifices during the eight-year Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s.

The Iranian armed forces remembered the 1980-1988 war between Iraq and Iran by holding a parade in which Iran's most advanced military power and abilities are showcased.

Iran's army, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and the volunteer militia Basij forces participated in the parade.

Iran also displayed advanced missiles, including ballistic missiles of the Shahab-3 and Sejil, which are reported to have a range of 1,300 km-2,000 km.

Today, the Iranian nation, self-reliant and with global vision, intends to defend its human dignity and rights, and to defend justice and basic rights of the nations in the international arena, said Ahmadinejad.

On Thursday, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi downplayed the West's attempts to isolate Iran through sanctions and pressure, stressing that it would never be able to inflict any harm to the Iranian nation, semi-official Fars news agency reported.

He also said that Iran has enhanced its defensive military capabilities to an extent that can "obliterate the Israeli regime, " Press TV reported.

Israel, threatened to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities these days, has always been highly concerned over Iran's nuclear program, which is believed by the West to head for acquiring nuclear weapons under the cover of civilian purposes.

Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes, and warned that it will retaliate if it comes under attack.