Iran’s president warns the West to ‘stay away’ and unveils ballistic missiles that could strike US bases

Iran’s president has warned the US and other foreign forces to back away from the region, as Tehran paraded long-range missile capable of reaching American bases.

Iran’s president has warned the West to “stay away” from the tensions in the Persian Gulf as he watched a parade of medium-range missiles.

President Hassan Rouhani slammed a new US-led coalition patrolling the region’s waterways following the Saudi oil plant attack, reports The Sun.

For its part, Iran denies being responsible and has warned any retaliatory attack targeting it will result in an “all-out war.”

That’s as it has begun enriching uranium beyond the terms of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which the US unilaterally withdrew from over a year earlier.

Members of the Iranian military were on show for President Hassan Rouhani (C) and other top military commanders on Sunday. Picture: AFP

Mr Rouhani said Iran was willing to “extend the hand of friendship and brotherhood” to Persian Gulf nations and was “even ready to forgive their past mistakes.”

“Those who want to link the region’s incidents to the Islamic Republic of Iran are lying like their past lies that have been revealed,” the president said.

“If they are truthful and really seek security in the region, they must not send weapons, fighter jets, bombs and dangerous arms to the region.”

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Revolutionary Guard troops attend a military parade marking 39th anniversary of outset of Iran-Iraq war. Picture: AP

US WANTS DIPLOMACY ‘TO SUCCEED’

It comes as the United States said it will make its case against Iran at the United Nations this week, insisting it wants to give diplomacy “every opportunity to succeed” in the wake of a devastating attack on a vital Saudi oil complex.

Setting the stage for President Donald Trump’s address to the annual UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo put aside threats of US military retaliation against Iran for the attack.

“President Trump and I both want to give diplomacy every opportunity to succeed,” Sec. Pompeo said in an interview on US TV.

President Hassan Rouhani warned the US to “stay away” from the region. Picture: AFP

“Our administration’s taking this on in a serious way and we are working diligently to see that this has a diplomatic outcome,” he said.

“But make no mistake about it, if we’re unsuccessful in that and Iran continues to strike out in this way, I am confident that President Trump will make the decisions necessary to achieve our objectives.”

The United States has accused Tehran of carrying out the sneak air attacks that set aflame Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq plant and the Khurais oilfield September 14, knocking out half the kingdom’s oil production.

Donald Trump has left open the possibility of meeting with Iran. Picture: AP

Secretary Mike Pompeo said he and Donald Trump want “diplomacy Iran to succeed”. Picture: AP

Sec. Pompeo called it “one of the largest attacks on the global energy supply in history.”

But despite initial warnings by Mr Trump that US forces were “locked and loaded,” the US president quickly softened his rhetoric, brushing off Republican hawks who warned that the absence of a forceful response would be read as weakness in Tehran.

TRUMP LEAVES DOOR AJAR FOR IRAN MEETING

Meanwhile, Mr Trump once again left open the possibility of an unscheduled meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

“Nothing is ever off the table, completely, but I have no intention of meeting with Iran and that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen,” Mr Trump told reporters at the White House.

“I’m a very flexible person, but we have no intention. It’s not set up.”

Iranian army troops at the missile unveiling parade. Picture: AP

The US diplomatic offensive comes as Iran has sharpened its tone with a warning from a Revolutionary Guard Corps commander that Iran is “ready for any type of scenario.” “Whoever wants their land to become the main battlefield, go ahead,” Major General Hossein Salami told a press conference in Tehran.

In an interview broadcast on US TV, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif denied Iran was behind the September 14 attack, which was claimed by Iranian-back Huthi rebels in Yemen.

“I’m not confident that we can avoid a war,” he said.

“I’m confident that we will not start one but I’m confident that whoever starts one will not be the one who finishes it,” he said.

Sec. Pompeo, meanwhile, defended the US strategy of applying “maximum pressure” on Iran through sanctions against criticism it has resulted in Iran lashing out.

He said the US sanctions campaign was just getting started.

“We hope the United Nations will take a strong position. It was designed exactly for this kind of thing, where one country attacks another country and we hope the United Nations will rally around what it is.”

— with The Sun