Iran: Able to confront world powers

The navy commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Iran has the capability and is powerful enough to confront regional powers as well as the United States. Adm. Mahmoud Shiyari, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, made the claim Monday. Shiyari told the semi-official Fars news agency Iran today "has reached the level of capability and self-confidence ... to the extent of confrontation with a regime like the United States." On Sunday, Iran's outgoing Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said his country ranks sixth in the world in the production and manufacturing of missiles. Vahidi told Fars, Iran is the first country in the Middle East for missile production but gave no specific details to back his claims. "Indigenizing the technology for building solid fuel missiles, designing and manufacturing surface-to-surface long range Sejill missiles ... increasing precision of medium range missiles with pinpoint capabilities ... designing and manufacturing different marine cruise missiles ... as well as designing and manufacturing various air defense systems are among efforts which have enabled us to reach this point," Vahidi told the news agency.