Iran invincible, general says

TEHRAN, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- The Islamic republic is an invincible force in the Middle East able to withstand any hostile action by foreign countries, an Iranian commander said.

Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami, a commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, described the Islamic republic as a leader in the region able to withstand any foe, the semiofficial Fars News Agency reports.

"Iran is a great power in the Middle East and no problem can be solved in its absence," he said.

He described Iran in the post-election climate as a powerful country with the leadership needed to handle regional issues.

"Despite imaginations of many enemies, Iran is strong, strenuous and invincible," he said.

The clerical conservative regime in Tehran was tested in the wake of a disputed victory for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June elections. Demonstrators protesting his re-election chanted anti-clerical slogans, which were once unheard of in Iran.

Iran frequently touts its defense capabilities, unveiling a series of breakthroughs in missile and strategic defense during a weeklong military event meant to commemorate the start of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

The commander's comments come amid tense discussions between Iran and Western powers over the nature of its controversial nuclear program.