Oil minister: No country dares to attack Iran

TEHRAN, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Oil Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari said Saturday that no country will ever dare to carry out an act of aggression against the Islamic Republic, Iran's satellite Press TV reported.

"Iran's capabilities are such that no country can conceive of attacking it," Nozari said.

"If Israel dares to engage in a military conflict with Iran, it is not clear what would happen to oil prices," Nozari warned, adding that even empty anti-Iran rhetoric "pushes oil prices up by10 to 15 dollars."

The recent escalation of the war of words between Tehran and Tel Aviv has fueled worries about oil security.

"As a great and powerful country, Iran will help ensure the security of the waterway," he said.

He said Iran and regional countries bear the responsibility of ensuring the security of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz oil route.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway in the Persian Gulf, through which roughly 40 percent of the world oil is transported.

The U.S. and Israel have recently stepped up their rhetoric against Iran and are believed to be preparing the public for a war against the oil-rich country.

A recent report published in The New York Times quoted Pentagonofficials as saying that over 100 Israeli F-16s and F-15s staged amaneuver over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece in early June.

According to the report, Israeli jets flew over 900 miles (1,450 km), roughly the distance from their airfields to a nuclear enrichment facility in the central Iranian city of Natanz, thus giving rise to speculation that Israel is making preparations for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.

A senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), however, has indicated that in case the country comes under attack, Iran would consider everything in its power to repel the invaders.

His remarks were seen as a signal that in the event of an attack on the country, Tehran may consider, among other things, closing the Strait of Hormuz.

TEHRAN, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Tehran has responded to the package of incentives proposed by six major countries in a letter to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, Iran's English-language Press TV said on Friday.

The letter was signed by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and was delivered to Solana by Tehran's ambassador to Brussels, Press TV quoted an Iranian source as saying. The report did not elaborate on the content of the response. Full story

TEHRAN, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A senior Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commander warned that Iran's response to any military aggression will make the aggressors to be sorry for their actions, Iran's satellite Press TV reported on Friday.

"Any move against Iran will be interpreted as ushering in war," IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad-Ali Jafari was quoted as saying. Full story

TEHRAN, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili Friday said that Iran will offer response to the letter of EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana and foreign ministers of six major countries on Friday, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has based on an agreement reached with Solana, prepared and offered response to his and the six states' foreign ministers' letter with an approach of concentrating on commonalities and with a constructive and creative attitude," said Jalili in a phone call with Solana.