President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the police should be the most powerful, reliable, popular and pious force in the country.
Addressing police commanders in Tehran on Sunday, the president said police forces are of prime importance in the society, IRNA reported.
“The prominent task of police is to restore security to the society,“ he said.
Ahmadinejad said all successes and scientific, political, industrial and agricultural developments arise from national security.
Praising the invaluable services of police to the public, he said, “The police also play a vital role in dealing with enemy’s cultural inroads.“
He said that the world is on the threshold of a turnaround, and capitalism and colonialism are at the end of their ropes.
Referring to Iran’s successes in various fields, particularly in the nuclear sector, Ahmadinejad said the Iranian nation are determined to make progress, irrespective of obstacles, threats and pressures.

Iran has vowed to follow up the Malaysian Defense Ministry’s move in cutting short Iran’s presence in Malaysia’s Defense Exhibition.
An Iranian official said the Malaysian Defense Ministry’s move came despite the fact that the country had officially invited Iran to take part in the exhibition, Presstv reported.
Iran’s pavilion in the Malaysian defense show was closed for exhibiting missile equipment in violation of UN rules, an official said on Thursday.
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak told reporters, “Unfortunately, when we came around to inspecting their stand, they displayed equipment that clearly contravened the UN resolution--equipment such as missiles and missile systems and others.“
Faramarz Abd-Doust, in charge of Iran’s pavilion at the exhibition, added that Malaysian Defense Ministry officials had confirmed Iran’s participation in this year’s exhibition in August 2007.
He noted that the Malaysian ministry’s move was politically motivated and influenced by US pressure.
“Such moves will not prevent Iran from advancing in defense industries and exporting its military hardware,“ Abd-Doust added.

The Foreign Ministry summoned the Azeri ambassador in Tehran to explain the confiscation of Iran’s cargo.
Alaeddin Borujerdi, the head of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, also told IRNA on Sunday that the Islamic Republic has expressed its protest over the seizure of a nuclear cargo dispatched from Russia to Iran.
He also noted that Russia is responsible for the shipment of all parts dispatched for completing the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and Moscow should follow up the reason for the Azeri action.
“Russians are negotiating with Azeri officials to address misunderstandings over the cargo,“ he said.
Boroujerdi pointed out that Iran underlines the necessity of observing the principle of good neighborly relations between Iran and the Azerbaijan Republic as well as refraining from such acts in the future.

Police in Tehran have seized more than 1,300 kilograms of opium in a search operation on April 20, Tehran Police ChiefAlireza Akbarshahi said at a press conference.
He added that the drugs were found after the police stopped an oil-tanker at a checkpoint, IRNA reported.
According to the police commander, the drugs were stashed away in the tanker.
“Dealers had planned to distribute the drugs in Tehran and its suburban areas,“ he said.
One man was detained in connection with the trafficking and police forces are hunting down the remaining suspects.
“Since the beginning of the Iranian New Year, more than two tons of narcotics had been confiscated and 51 drug dealers were taken into custody,“ he said.
More than 3,300 Iranian police die in fight against drug dealers.
Akbarshahi said anti-drug police officers have launched a major operation in the capital city.

As we approach the US presidential elections slated for November 2008, candidates are showing a greater inclination toward foreign policy and security issues.
In this context, both the Republicans and Democrats, who made baseless allegations against the Islamic Republic during their campaigns, have recently stepped up their criticisms and war of words against Tehran.
Although presidential elections in the United States often center on economic and social issues at home, circumstances after the 9/11 has placed foreign policy and security concerns on top of the agenda of candidates and voters. In fact, the warmongering policies of the Bush administration during the past five years, especially the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, have affected the attitude of Americans.
On the one hand, few politicians can be found to support the invasion or the saber-rattling on Iraq. On the other, the issue of “maintaining security“ has caused politicians to underline the need for maintaining the US “authoritative profile“ on the international scene, albeit not for all.
Such double standards can be seen in Senator Hillary Clinton’s attitude toward Iran. She describes herself as the serious critic of the Iraq war. However, she has forgotten her vote in favor of the Bush-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, which led to one of the most destructive and expensive wars in decades.
Nonetheless, Clinton is hoping to adopt an Iran stance different from Bush’s take on the Iranian nuclear issue, so that she can attract the war critics in both the parties.
She, however, went overboard and also threatened to ’obliterate’ Iran, should it ever pose any threat to the Zionist regime. Her statement was rejected by many, including British Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
Clinton’s comments on Iran cannot be disentangled from her efforts to garner the support of the Zionist lobby and even the neocons. She played down the stance of rival Barack Obama who has talked of holding negotiations with countries hostile to the US.
All said and done, exaggerating security and military threats can turn into a liability for White House hopefuls because taxpayers in America do not wish to witness another destructive war and see their money spent on bullets and weapons that kill thousands of innocent people.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini strongly condemned the assassination attempt on the life of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
“The act of terrorists on the anniversary of the victory of the Muslim people of Afghanistan is undoubtedly in line with the wishes of the enemies of Afghan peace and stability,“ Hosseini said in a statement issued on Sunday, IRNA reported.
Karzai escaped unharmed on Sunday after militants attacked a high-profile military parade with rockets and gunfire, killing three people, including an MP and wounding a dozen.
The extremist Taliban movement claimed responsibility for the daring attack, denying however that it was an assassination attempt on Karzai.
Bullets struck into the back of a stage where the president, Afghan dignitaries and senior international representatives were seated to review the country’s most important annual military parade.
“There were also several large explosions, with one--likely from a rocket-propelled grenade--landing just in front of the platform,“ Health Minister Mohammad Amin Fatimie said.
Bodyguards sprang to protect the president and then whisked him away as others on the stage fell to the floor, said Fatimie, who was just meters away from Karzai.

Compiled by Davood Baqeri

Iran on Sunday played down the return visit of inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog to Tehran and said that the talks would only be within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
In a press briefing in Tehran, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini rejected statements by IAEA diplomats in Vienna that the aim of the visit of the IAEA delegation headed by chief inspector Olli Heinonen would be to discuss alleged weaponization studies.
“We have already clarified our stance on the allegations, and talks with the IAEA would therefore only be within the framework of the IAEA and NPT,“ he said.
Iran has responded to the six outstanding issues raised by the IAEA and given its assessment of the alleghed studies to the agency.
IAEA Deputy Director General Olli Heinonen was in Tehran earlier this week on a routine visit, but some western press reports claimed that the talks were solely focused on the new allegations.

Azeri More Unacceptable
Hosseini also expressed fury after what it said was the deadly shooting by Azeri border guards of two Iranian men returning to Iran after illegally crossing the border.
“The way the Azeri forces dealt with the two young Iranians is denounced and unacceptable,“ he said.
The spokesman added that the Iranian border authorities were looking into the matter.
The commander of the Iranian border police in Parsabad in Ardebil province, Colonel Mohammad Ali Taheri, said the Azeri border guards shot and killed two Iranian men on Wednesday.
“Mojtaba Kohandel and Keyvan Ebrahimi, both 20, were shot and killed on Wednesday while returning to Iran after illegally crossing the border,“ Taheri was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.
“A judiciary and border police delegation has headed to Azerbaijan to investigate the matter,“ he said. It was not made clear why the men were crossing the border.
Hosseini also demanded that Azerbaijan release a Russian shipment of nuclear equipment that it blocked at its border with Iran almost three weeks ago.
The shipment is intended for the nuclear power plant that the Russians have helped build in the southern Iranian port city of Bushehr.

Ready to Help
Hosseini voiced Iran’s readiness to help Syria and Saudi Arabia resolve their dispute.
“Iran has always tried to help strengthen relations between regional states,“ he said.
As for the Syria-Saudi Arabia dispute related to Lebanese issues, the spokesman said Iran was prepared “to take steps not as a mediator but as a country that is a friend to both (Arab) states“.
Commenting on the possibility of Syria’s talks with the Zionist regime over the Golan Heights, the spokesman said Syria has announced that “indirect talks“ were underway between the two sides.
“The Golan Heights are occupied and must be returned to Syria with no preconditions,“ he said.
Hosseini added that Tehran would be pleased with the liberation of the occupied lands and believes the liberation of Golan Heights from Israeli grip would result from Syria’s resistance.

Russian National Security Adviser Valentin Sobolov, heading a delegation, is scheduled to arrive in Tehran on Sunday for talks with Iranian officials.
Sobolov is expected to meet on Monday with his Iranian counterpart Saeed Jalili and other high-ranking officials, ISNA reported.
The talks are expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program and latest developments concerning the nuclear power plant at Bushehr in southern Iran.
Moscow is cooperating with Tehran on building the light-water reactor.
The two sides are also expected to discuss last month’s blockade of a cargo of Russian heat insulators destined for the Bushehr plant, which has not yet been released from the Republic of Azerbaijan’s Customs Department.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said on Sunday Iran is in constant contact with Azeri officials and the Iranian Embassy in Baku to enable the urgent release of the cargo.
“All international regulations were respected with regard to the cargo dispatch and the Azeris had no reason to halt the cargo,“ he said.

Sri Lankan Ambassador in Tehran, Muhammad Muhammad Zahir, said the upcoming visit to Colombo of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will open a new chapter in cooperation between the two countries.
Talking to IRNA on Sunday, Zahir said the Sri Lankan government and nation attach great importance to Ahmadinejad’s visit.
Ahmadinejad is to start a three-nation regional tour on Monday, which will take him to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India.
While in Colombo, President Ahmadinejad will discuss promotion of bilateral and regional cooperation with Sri Lankan officials.
Several documents are expected to be signed by Iranian and Sri Lankan officials on bilateral cooperation.
The Iranian president is also expected to inspect a number of projects that are being carried out jointly by the experts of the two countries.
On Tehran-Colombo trade and economic relations, Zahir said the two countries enjoy amicable and longstanding economic ties.
Referring to cultural and historical commonalities between the two nations, he said Colombo is eager to boost bilateral ties with all countries, particularly Iran.
“Sri Lanka has been purchasing about 70 percent of crude oil from Iran in the past three decades,“ he said, adding that his country’s annual exports to Iran including leather, tea, ceramics, rubber and agricultural products stood at $75 million.
As to the implementation of several development projects by Iranian companies in Sri Lanka, the envoy said President Ahmadinejad will inaugurate several joint ventures during his visit.