Iranian commander warns against attack

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TEHRAN, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A senior Iranian military commander warned Sunday if attacked his country will fire missiles at "Israeli centers."

"Of course, we are always ready and [if we are attacked] we will pound all Israeli centers thanks to the missile power developed by martyr Hassan Tehrani Moqaddam," Maj.Gen. Gholam Ali Rashi told the semi official Fars news agency, referring to the senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander killed in a Nov. 12 blast who was in charge of Iran's missile program.

Rashid dismissed reports suggesting the United States or Israel was involved in the explosion at an Iranian Revolutionary Guard base in which 17 people were killed, saying they were involved in nothing more than "psychological warfare."

"They have in no way the capability to carry out the blast," Rashid was quoted saying. "This is psychological warfare. These remarks aim to exert pressure on the Europeans and other countries which Americans think do not want to accompany the U.S.," the news agency quoted him saying.

Former Revolutionary Guard leader Yahya Rahim Safavi warned against Israel or the United States acting against Iran.

"In case of any security and military action against Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the powerful leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, will decide and arrange the geographical locations of the battlegrounds," he said.

Iran will deal out a "crushing response" to any aggression, Safavi declared.