Iran's Ahmadinejad defiant as US raises heat; Iranian president tells Egyptian paper Washington is inventing conspiracies to discredit Tehran.
CAIRO - The United States fears Iran's growing military power because it is now able to compete with Israel and the West, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in comments carried by an Egyptian newspaper on Monday.
Responding to a toughening stance from the United States and Israel against Tehran, Ahmadinejad accused Washington of inventing conspiracies to discredit Iran and sowing discord with its near neighbor Saudi Arabia.
"Yes, we have military capabilities that are different from any other country in the region," Egyptian daily al-Akhbar cited Ahmadinejad as saying. "Iran is increasing in capability and advancement and therefore we are able to compete with Israel and the West and especially the United States." "The US fears Iran's capability," he told the paper. "Iran will not permit (anyone from making) a move against it." Iran's Islamic rulers, who say Israel has no right to exist, deny accusations that they are seeking nuclear weapons and have warned they will respond to any attacks by striking at Israel and US interests in the Gulf.
Read more:
http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?ID=244625&R=R1