Threats and economic sanctions will not stop Iran's technological progress, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned Saturday at a large parade featuring fighter jets and radar-avoiding missiles designed to show off the country's military might.
"Those who assume that decaying methods such as psychological war, political propaganda and the so-called economic sanctions would work and prevent Iran's fast drive toward progress are mistaken," Ahmadinejad said at the parade.
"Iran is an influential power in the region and the world should know that this power has always served peace, stability, brotherhood and justice," the Iranian leader declared.
The military parade outside the capital Tehran marked the 27th anniversary of the Iraqi invasion of Iran that sparked the 1980-88 war. Iran used the parade to display its latest weapons, including radar-avoiding missiles, super-fast torpedoes, unmanned surveillance drones, battle tanks and other domestically produced weapons.
During the event, Iran showed off a new longer-range missile called "Ghadr", saying it had a range of 1,800 kilometres. Some of the trucks carrying Iranian missiles were painted at the back the popular slogans: "Down with the U.S." and "Down with Israel."
According to the AP, the parade also featured flights by two of Iran's new domestically manufactured fighter jets, known as the Saegheh.
"Those who prevented Iran, at the height of the (1980-88 Iran-Iraq) war from getting even barbed wire must see now that all the equipment on display today has been built by the mighty hands and brain of experts at Iran's armed forces," Ahmadinejad said.
"Learn lessons from your past mistakes. Don't repeat your mistakes," he said.
The regional nations do not need presence of foreign forces, he said adding, "Presence of foreign troops is the root cause of all insecurity, disputes and intimidations."
Withdrawal from the region of foreign forces would benefit both themselves and the regional states, the president noted stressing that it would also help establish lasting peace and security. Urging foreign military forces "to make a correct decision, bravely admit their defeats and quit the region", he said accusing others would not solve any of their problems.
