Khamenei tells Iran's Guards to develop more advanced, modern weapons (updated)

Mitsui E&S

13/10/2019 10:28

(Adds detail)
    DUBAI, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei told Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards on Sunday to
develop more advanced and modern weapons, the semi-official
Tasnim news agency reported, amid rising regional tensions.
    "The Guards should have advanced and modern weapons ... Your
weapons should be modern and updated. It should be developed at
home. You need to develop and produce your weapons," Khamenei
said in a speech at Imam Hussein Military University in Tehran. 
    Tensions in the Gulf have spiked since the United States,
Saudi Arabia, Britain, France and Germany publicly blamed Iran
for Sept. 14 attacks on the world’s biggest crude oil-processing
facility in Saudi Arabia. 
    "Today the Guards have a powerful presence inside and
outside Iran...America's hostile approach has increased the
Guards' greatness," Khamenei said.
    Iran has denied involvement in the Saudi attacks, which were
claimed by Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen.
    The United States plans to deploy about 3,000 troops to
Saudi Arabia, including fighter squadrons, an air expeditionary
wing and air defence personnel, amid heightened tensions with
the Saudis' arch-rival Iran.
    Relations between the United States and Iran have
deteriorated sharply since President Donald Trump pulled out
last year from world powers' 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and
reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil exports.

 (Writing by Parisa Hafezi
Editing by Mark Heinrich)
 ((parisa.hafezi@thomsonreuters.com; +90 532 176 3452; Reuters
Messaging: parisa.hafezi@thomsonreuters.com))