Iran seeks 'non-aggression pacts', joint military excercises with neighbors: Iran Defense Minister

After the week-long show of military force, Iran's Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammed Najjar announced that his country is ready to sigh non-agression pacts with it's neighbors.

"Our exercises were welcomed by Muslims of the world, and they dismayed our enemies. Since [the exercises] were a message of peace and friendship, we are ready to sign non-aggression pacts with the regional countries," Najjar said.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran announces once again its readiness to hold a joint military exercise with regional countries," Najjar was quoted as saying in the Iranian media.

The comments came less than a week after military exercises were held to trumpet the Islamic republic's "homegrown" military achievements.

"Our exercises were welcomed by Muslims of the world, and they dismayed our enemies. Since (the exercises) were a message of peace and friendship, we are ready to sign non-aggression pacts with the regional countries," Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said.

"Islamic Republic of Iran announces once again its readiness to hold a joint military exercise with regional countries," he was quoted as saying in Iranian dailies.

From March 31 to April 6, Iran staged major exercises along its strategic southern coast. Tehran also unveiled a wide range of homegrown weaponry including various missiles and torpedoes.

The war games were held in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow neck in the Persian Gulf through which a third of the world's oil exports pass.

The minister's comments also came amid reports in the US media that President George W. Bush was considering possible air strikes against Iran's nuclear sites, AFP added.