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Current Operations

Defense Policy / Programs

• Russia Delivers Four MiG-29K Fighters to India in Dec. RIA Novosti 29 Dec 2012 -- Russian aircraft maker MiG delivered in December a batch of four MiG-29K/KUB shipborne fighters to the Indian Navy under a contract concluded in 2010, the company said.
• Drill's Spokesman: Velayat 91 Drill has message of Peace, friendship IRNA 29 Dec 2012 -- Spokesman of Velayat '91 Naval Drills said here Friday despite enemies' propagations, the message of these drills for our country's neighbors is a message of peace and frinendship.
• Iran's Naval Drill begins, foreign media begin negative propaganda IRNA 29 Dec 2012 -- Simultaneously with beginning of IRI Navy's Naval Drill Velayat '91 on Friday some western, or pro-West media began negative propagation against Iran, aimed at misleading world public opinion.
• Iran naval forces well-prepared, commander IRNA 29 Dec 2012 -- Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Saturday that Iran's naval forces are well-prepared and in full readiness.
• Velayat-91 drills aiming to enhance regional security, minister IRNA 29 Dec 2012 -- Minister of Defense Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said on Saturday that the naval drills dubbed Velayat-91 aimed at testing new tactics and improving regional security.
• Maneuvers aiming to strengthen defense capabilities, IRGC commander IRNA 29 Dec 2012 -- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said on Saturday that holding drills in the country aim at strengthening the defense capabilities of the armed forces against the enemies.
• Iran Denies Blocking Strait of Hormuz RIA Novosti 29 Dec 2012 -- Iran has rejected Western media reports it is planning to close the Strait of Hormuz during six-day naval drills.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Firouzabadi: US, Zionist regime behind Syrian crisis IRNA 29 Dec 2012 -- Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said on Saturday that the US and Zionist regime are behind the Syrian crisis.
• Russia Says Still Chance For Negotiated Syria Settlement RFE/RL 29 Dec 2012 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says there is still a chance for a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Syria.
• Lavrov Denies Russian Arms Supplies to Syria RIA Novosti 29 Dec 2012 -- Russia is not supplying the Syrian authorities with offensive weapons or any kinds of weapons that could be used against civilians, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday.
• Moscow Reiterates Invitation to Syria Opposition Leader RIA Novosti 29 Dec 2012 -- Russian diplomats are ready to meet with the leader of the Syrian opposition in a neutral country for peace talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday.
• Lavrov Meets With UN Arab League Envoy VOA 29 Dec 2012 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there is still time to end the violence in Syria if the opposition agrees to talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government. United Nations Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who has traveled to Russia, said if that does not happen and a deal is not struck, 'hell' and more bloodshed will occur.
• Central African Republic Government, Rebels Agree to Talks VOA 29 Dec 2012 -- The government of the Central African Republic [CAR] and a rebel coalition that has seized one third of the country in the past three weeks have agreed to unconditional talks, even as the two sides continued to skirmish in occupied areas and the rebels advance closer to the capital.

News Reports

• President: No obstacle can stop Iran from progress IRNA 29 Dec 2012 -- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said no obstacle can stop Iranians from progress and Iranians, undoubtedly, will pass current situation.
• Iran's UN envoy: US should sit for talks with constructive, realist attitude IRNA 29 Dec 2012 -- Iran's representative office the in the United Nations reacted to the false allegations and propaganda of the American daily "Wall Street Journal" about Tehran's nuclear program.
• FM spokesman: Any military attacks on regional countries in line with Zionists' goals IRNA 29 Dec 2012 -- Visiting Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast announced in Istanbul on Saturday that any military attack on regional countries would serve the Zionist regime interests.
• US, UK against Pakistan nukes: Pakistan Defence Secretary IRNA 29 Dec 2012 -- The United States and Britain are against Pakistan's nuclear programme and the CIA uses 'foreign agencies' for its operations in Pakistan, a media report quoted Defence Secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Asif Yasin Malik as saying on Saturday.
• Japan's New PM Tours Crippled Fukushima Nuclear Plant VOA 29 Dec 2012 -- As Japan's newly installed prime minister toured the crippled Fukushima power plant Saturday, he made it clear he is set to review the previous government's plan to phase out nuclear power.
• Curiosity Rover Takes Detailed Self-Portrait on Mars RIA Novosti 29 Dec 2012 -- A series of photos taken by NASA's Curiosity and combined into a single composite picture offer a rare, detailed glimpse of the rover patrolling the surface of Mars on a rocky terrain with its target destination—Mount Sharp—in the background.
• Rokot Launch Set for January 15 RIA Novosti 29 Dec 2012 -- The launch of a Rokot carrier rocket, postponed indefinitely in early December over technical issues, is scheduled for January 15, Russian Space Forces spokesman Col. Alexei Zolotukhin said on Saturday.