‘U.S. military build-up an attempt to make up for defeats’

TEHRAN, Nov. 2 (MNA) –Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said on Sunday that the United States planned to increase its military presence in the Persian Gulf out of desperation and confusion in an attempt to compensate for its defeats in Iraq. Vahidi made the remarks in response to U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who said on October 26 that the U.S. will maintain a significant presence in the Middle East even after the pullout of its forces from Iraq.