Slamming Western media, Iran denies it threatened Turkey

Iran on Tuesday denied claims that it threatened to hit NATO bases in Turkey, accusing the Western media of trying to spread false information. Last week a columnist for Lebanese daily al-Akhbar, said to be close to Hezbollah, claimed that Iran had threatened Turkey, saying if it were to be used as a platform for NATO action against Syria, Iran would bomb US and NATO bases in Turkey. But Ramin Mehmanparast, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, denied these claims. "There have been reports that NATO will attack Syria from its bases in Turkey and that Iran has threatened Turkey," he told reporters. "These are untrue claims that the Western media is trying to spread." Mehmanparast also stressed that Ankara and Tehran enjoy good relations and that their cooperation has the potential to grow stronger.