The Latest from Iran (21 August): All Hail the Supreme Leader
Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 9:53
2214 GMT: Military Watch. An Iranian commander, Mohammad Hosseini, has said that the Islamic Republic has started construction of its largest air defence base.
Hosseini said the base in Fars Province in southern Iran would be built at the cost of $300 million and will have 6,000 personnel.
Rahim Zare', an MP for the area, said, "This air defense site will be the product of the achievements gained in all areas of science in the world."
2206 GMT: Human Rights Watch. Iranian officials have written the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, to call on the UN Human Rights Council to investigate the alleged support of Western states for "terrorists" in Syria.
"It is much clear that certain western countries along with their regional allies intend to change the Syrian government at any price and they don't pay any heed to the bloody and inhumane consequences of this seditious measure whose painful manifestations are already evident," the letter asserted. "We demand your Excellency to compile a report on the role of such countries in equipping and arming the terrorists in Syria, which has had a direct effect in increasing the number of human rights violation cases in the country and committing of crimes against humanity, and inform the world of its results."