U.S. is enemy of Iran, Rafsanjani says

TEHRAN, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- The United States is making a concerted effort to hurt Iran and is therefore the primary enemy of the Islamic Republic, a leading lawmaker said Tuesday.

Former President Akbar Hashimi Rafsanjani, chairman of the Iranian Assembly of Experts, a deliberative body charged with electing and supervising the Supreme Leader, said U.S. activity in Iraq and Afghanistan pointed to a greater strategy against Iran.

His remarks opened the first seminar on the 30-year Parliament and legislation, which was attended by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hojatoleslam Hassan Khomeini, grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Rafsanjani said Iran maintained independence and freedom from foreign interference for the past 30 years and called for solidarity of the Iranian people to move forward in the face of economic sanctions and acrimonious U.S. relations, the official Islamic Republic News Agency said.

His comments come as Iranian naval commander Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari announced naval war games in the Strait of Hormuz had commenced Tuesday.

"All the movements of the enemy in Oman Sea, Persian Gulf and Hormuz Strait are under control, and the enemy will never dare to enter Iran's waters," he said in comments published by the Iranian Fars News Agency.