AP

A part of the South Pars gas field facility is seen on the northern coast of Persian Gulf, in Assalouyeh, Iran. Picture: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File

As pressure mounts over Iran’s nuclear programme, a top Iranian general warned on Tuesday that the nation would pre-emptively strike anyone who threatens it.

The statement by General Mohammed Hejazi continues the defiant tone Tehran has taken in its confrontation with Western countries that claim it is developing nuclear weapons.

Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.

“We do not wait for enemies to take action against us,” said Hejazi, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

“We will use all our means to protect our national interests.”

Hejazi heads the military’s logistical wing.

The US and Israel have not ruled out strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Iran also said a visiting UN team did not plan to inspect the country’s nuclear facilities and would only hold talks with officials in Tehran.

The statement cast doubt on how well UN inspectors can gauge whether Iran is moving ahead with its suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons.

The visit by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team, which started on Monday, is the second in less than a month.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said the visiting IAEA team was made up of experts, not inspectors. He told reporters that the IAEA team held discussions on Tuesday in Tehran to prepare for future co-operation between Iran and the UN watchdog. He said this co-operation was at its “best” level.

“The (title) of the members of the visiting delegation is not ‘inspectors’. This is an expert delegation. The purpose of the visit is not inspection,” he said.

“The aim is to negotiate about co-operation between Iran and the agency and to set a framework for a continuation of the talks.”

Visits to Iranian nuclear sites were not part of the IAEA visit three weeks ago.

But on Monday, Iranian state radio said the UN team had asked to visit the Parchin military complex outside Tehran – a known, conventional arms facility that has been suspected of making secret weapons – and to meet Iranian nuclear scientists involved in the country’s controversial programme.

“Iran’s co-operation with the (IAEA) agency continues and is at its best level,” added Mehmanparast.

The visit comes as Iran carries out air defence war games to practise protecting nuclear and other sensitive sites.

The official news agency IRNA said on Monday that the four-day air defence war games – dubbed “Sarallah”, or “God’s Revenge” – were taking place in the south of the country and involve anti-aircraft batteries, radar and war planes.

The drill will be held near the port of Bushehr, the site of Iran’s lone nuclear power plant.

Iran has held multiple air, land and sea manoeuvres in recent months as the tensions increased.

The military manoeuvres are viewed as a message to the West that Iran is prepared to defend itself against hostile measures and to retaliate, including warnings that it could cut the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway off its southern coast with its naval forces.

Tehran is also under heavy economic pressure.

Last month, the EU imposed sanctions on Iran’s fuel exports and froze its central bank assets. An oil embargo is set to begin in July.

Iranian officials said the country should respond by cutting off EU states early, before they can line up alternative buyers.

At the weekend, Tehran announced it was pre-emptively cutting off exports to France and Britain. – Sapa-AP