TEHRAN -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast has said that Western countries are concerned about Iran’s defensive and military capabilities.

“Western countries are troubled about Iran’s defensive and military capabilities, but (they) have come to the conclusion that it is unwise to take (military) action against Iran,” Mehmanparast stated during a meeting with a number of Air Force commanders and officers in Shiraz, the capital of Fars Province, on Thursday. “Why did the Americans not attack Iran?”
“They did not have the capability to attack Iran, and in their calculations, they arrived at the conclusion that attacking Iran is not a wise thing to do,” he added.
“If the Americans and their Western allies reach the conclusion that taking military action against our country will help them achieve their objectives, they will not hesitate for a moment,” Mehmanparast stated.
---------- Countries should not bow to U.S. pressure
Elsewhere in his remarks, Mehmanparast commented on Russia’s delay in delivering the S-300 missile system to Iran and completing the Bushehr nuclear power plant and advised other countries, particularly Russia, not to succumb to U.S. pressure.
“The Americans feel that they can compel other countries to acquiesce to their demands. And there are a few countries which have not given in to the pressure or have not allowed their policies to be influenced by U.S. pressure so far,” he stated.
The neighboring countries, Russia, and other states should not sacrifice their long-term interests for short-term gains, Mehmanparast added.
----------- Saudi Arabia should set the stage for regional cooperation
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman also criticized Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Bahrain, saying, “We have called on Saudi Arabia to revise its policy and take measures to withdraw its troops from Bahrain” and prepare the ground for regional cooperation.
He also said that negotiations between Iranian and Saudi Arabian officials could be “effective”.
However, the conditions must be met, he added