Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has marked the 25th anniversary of the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war with a warning that any nation attacking the Islamic Republic will face a "destructive and fiery" response.
Speaking on Thursday at a military parade in Tehran, Mr. Ahmedinejad said Iran is serious about defending its security from its enemies. He did not name any country, but Iran regularly refers to the United States and Israel as its chief adversaries.
The hardline president also insisted that Iran wants peace, stability and justice in international relations.
Thousands of troops and military hardware were on display at the parade, including six of Iran's newest Shahab-3 ballistic missiles.
Analysts say the 1980-1988 war - in which the United States backed Iraq's Saddam Hussein - was fought to a standstill. Up to one million people died in the conflict.
Some information in this report provided by AP and AFP.