The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Tehran

The head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps warned the U.S. Wednesday against attacking the Islamic Republic, saying if it did, Washington would be "stuck in a quagmire" worse than Iraq or Afghanistan.

Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammad Ali Jafari said his forces were prepared to strike back with a "crushing response" if attacked, according to comments carried by the semiofficial Fars news agency.

"If enemies prove to be naive enough to invade Iran, they will be slapped hard," Fars, which is deemed close to the Guards, quoted Jafari as saying.

"The enemy knows that if it attacks Iran, it will certainly get stuck in a quagmire deeper than Iraq and Afghanistan and will be defeated," he added.

His comments come a day after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shrugged off new U.S. sanctions imposed last week that ban dealings with companies connected to the Guards.

Tensions are high between Iran and the U.S. over allegations that Tehran is secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons and supplying insurgents in Iraq with deadly weapons that kill American troops. Iran denies both claims.

Concerns have been mounting in recent months that the United States might attack to prevent Iran from developing atomic bombs. The U.S. has said it is trying to resolve its disputes with Iran diplomatically but also says it has not ruled out any options.