Iran's Information Minister Ali Younessi said in Tehran Sunday that threats issued by US officials were part of a psychological war waged on Iran.

"The Americans issued those statements to influence ongoing nuclear talks between Iran and the Europe," Younessi told reporters, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi also said in the capital Sunday that threats recently hurled by US officials against his country are part of a psychological war aimed at exerting pressure on Europe to tow the US line.

"American accusations (against Iran) are not new. Washington wages psychological wars against Iran every now and then. Militarism is the main reason behind those remarks.

"No country listens and even European states and President Bush`s comrades have rejected those remarks and consider them to be declarations of all-out war against the whole world," Asefi said, according to IRNA news agency.

He further said that remarks of this kind are clear examples of a desire to wage religious and cultural wars against supporters of other religions and cultures, adding that they will bear no fruit except hatred at US policies at the regional and international levels as well as isolation for the United States.

Asked to comment on remarks by officials of the Zionist regime that the US was preparing for attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, he said, "Remarks by US and Zionist officials are two sides of a coin and reinforce the Islamic Republic`s view that US policies are actually dictated by Tel Aviv because the Zionist lobby in the United States is very powerful."

"If the United States wants to strengthen its position in global affairs, it has no choice but to get rid of Zionist lobbyists."

"Iran has enough power and defense capability to resist threats," he stressed, adding "The Islamic Republic of Iran will not be threatened or coerced by such threats."

Shifting to the reports of a possible US military attack on Iran, Asefi said, "In politics it does not make sense to make predictions, but actually we see no real possibility of an attack on Iran."

"These remarks and accusations are but attempts to wage a psychological war. A military attack on Iran is improbable unless the one who contemplates such attack desires to commit a strategic mistake."

Referring to the ongoing dialogue with the Europeans on Iran`s nuclear program, the spokesman said that expert committees to work at various levels were set up last week and negotiations are proceeding favorably.

"We achieved our primary goals in the political committee. The economic committee placed Iran`s demands on the European agenda and the nuclear committee held comprehensive discussions toward extracting tangible guarantees from both sides.

"Iran`s proposals for continuing with its nuclear energy programs and for completing a fuel cycle were explained in the meeting."  

© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)