
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has branded America 'desperate' after Donald Trump hit his regime with another round of sanctions over attacks on Saudi oil facilities which Washington blames on Tehran.

Rouhani, who is flying to New York today for a UN summit, pointed out that America is sanctioning some Iranian institutions for a second time, showing it is running out of ideas in the face of resistance.

'Americans are sanctioning institutions that have already been blacklisted. This signals America's complete desperation and shows that it's "maximum pressure" has failed...as the great Iranian nation has resisted successfully,' he said on state television.

Rouhani spoke out as Iran announced it will hold joint naval drills with Russia and China 'soon', as anti-American powers seek to present a united front after the US sent additional troops and missiles to Saudi Arabia.

It comes after a drone and missile attack on a Saudi refinery and oil field that America and Saudi both blame on Iran. Tehran has denied any responsibility, saying the attack came from Yemen.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani taunted America as 'desperate' over its latest round of sanctions as he left Tehran for New York on Monday where he will attend a UN summit

Rouhani said he will present an Iranian plan for peace in the Gulf at the summit which does not involve foreign powers, a day after telling western governments to 'stay away' from the Middle East

As Rouhani left for New York, the country's military announced it will hold joint naval drills with Russia and China in the Gulf of Oman 'soon' - following attacks on Saudi oil

On Sunday, Rouhani watched a military parade in Tehran to mark the start of the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s (pictured), where he told western leaders they have only brought 'pain and misery' to the Gulf

Iran has repeatedly insisted it has no intention of starting a war with the US, but says it will not hesitate to defend itself in retaliation for any American or Saudi air strike

Iranian armed forces march during the National Army Day parade in Tehran, which came as America announced it will deploy extra troops to the region

Tensions have been mounting around the Persian Gulf since Donald Trump pulled out of the Iranian nuclear deal signed under Obama and reimposed sanctions, leading Iran to restart its nuclear programme.

General Ghadir Nezami Pour, of Iran's General Staff of the Armed Forces, said: 'The exercises have different goals, including the exchange of tactical and military experiences, and sometimes they seek political goals which show a kind of convergence between participants.'

Iran has not set a date for the joint exercise, which will take place in the Gulf of Oman, near the Hormuz Strait which proved to be a flashpoint over the summer.

Rouhani said he plans to use his time at the US summit to canvass support for Iran in the wake of the attacks, while highlighting what he called America's 'cruel actions' towards the state.

Rouhani said: 'The cruel actions that have been taken against the Iranian nation and also the difficult and complicated issues that our region faces need to be explained to the people of the world.'

He added that he would present an Iranian plan for peace in the Gulf to the UN General Assembly.

Under the plan dubbed the Hormuz Peace Endeavour, or HOPE, he said, 'all the coastal states of the Persian Gulf are invited to join this coalition to provide and maintain regional security'.

Iran released British-flagged oil tanker it seized in Persian Gulf The Stena Impero, a British-flagged tanker seized by Iran two months ago in the Gulf, has been freed by Tehran. Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Monday that the oil tanker could leave more than two months after it was seized in the Gulf. 'The legal process has finished and based on that the conditions for letting the oil tanker go free have been fulfilled and the oil tanker can move,' Rabiei told a news conference. The Stena Impero was detained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the Strait of Hormuz waterway for alleged marine violations, two weeks after Britain seized an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar. That vessel was released in August. Advertisement

In a speech on Sunday, Rouhani denounced the presence of foreign forces in the Gulf - telling western powers to 'stay away' adding: 'Your presence has always brought pain and misery.'

'The farther you keep yourselves from our region and our nations, the more security there will be,' he said.

Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, has said there is a 'very high degree of probability' that the attack on Saudi oil came from Iran and has refused to rule out military action.

While he did not lay out any concrete action against Tehran, he did reveal plans to raise the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe after his previous interventions in the British-Iranian mother's plight were heavily criticised.

'We will be working with our American friends and our European friends to construct a response that tries to deescalate tensions in the Gulf region,' he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said ahead of the summit that the chances of talks between Trump and Rouhani had 'certainly not increased' since the Saudi attacks.

His speech came as he and top military brass saluted row after row of soldiers marching past them in tight unison in front of the shrine of Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran today.

The parade showcased tanks, armoured vehicles, drones and missiles - including the Khorramshahr which is said to have a range of 2,000 kilometres (more than 1,200 miles).

Elsewhere it was reported that the Swedish-owned and British-flagged oil tanker the Stena Impero, which is being held by Iran in the Gulf, is to be released two months after it was seized amid heightened tensions in the region.

'We received information this morning indicating that the ship Stena Impero is going to be released in a few hours,' Erik Hanell, the chief executive of the Stena Bulk company that owns the ship, told Swedish television SVT.

The ship has been held offshore near Bandar Abbas. Iranian forces seized the British-flagged Stena Impero on July 19 as it was navigating through an international passage in the Strait of Hormuz at the entrance of the Gulf.

Tehran denied the seizure was a tit-for-tat move after British commandos seized an Iranian oil tanker on July 4 as it passed through Gibraltar's waters, under suspicion it was breaking EU sanctions on oil deliveries to Syria.

The military parade today marked the 39th anniversary of the start of the eight-year war with Iraq that began when Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in 1980 and is known as the 'sacred defence'.

Amid the fanfare today, Iran displayed the Khordad-3 air defense system that shot down a U.S. drone in June.

It also showed an Iranian medium-range missile that can travel up to 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) meaning it could be within range of Iran's archenemy Israel and U.S. bases in the region.

Similar parades were held in major cities and towns across the country including the port city of Bandar Abbas near the Strait of Hormuz.

State TV showed scores of Iranian fast attack boats, as well as air defense and other military equipment. It also carried images of Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval forces rappelling down the side of a sailing ship.

Rows and rows of soldiers marched in Tehran, Iran, today to mark the Iraqi invasion in 1980, which led to an eight-year-long war. President Hassan Rouhani denounced the presence of foreign forces in the Gulf during a speech at the event

The annual parade showcased tanks, drones and missiles - including the Khorramshahr which is said to have a range of 2,000 kilometres

As well as denouncing the presence of foreign powers, Rouhani said Iran would present a peace plan to the United Nations within days. Pictured is a missile during the parade in front of the shrine of Ayatollah Khomeini

President Rouhani, pictured today, called on foreign powers to 'stay away' from the Gulf, saying: 'The farther you keep yourselves from our region and our nations, the more security there will be'

Hundreds of soldiers, pictured, took part in the parade today which military bosses and the president watched from a stand

President Rouhani, pictured centre on the stand, looked on as soldiers including the Iranian Turkmen Basij militia members paraded in front of him today

Troops, missiles, tanks and a marching band paraded in front of President Rouhani during the military event today

The U.S. navy has often complained about Guard fast boats and naval forces harassing shipping in the Gulf.

The chief of the powerful Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, threatened the 'destruction of any aggressor' against Iran the day before.

Speaking at the military parade, Rouhani also revealed that Iran would present a peace plan to the United Nations within days.

'In this sensitive and important historical moment, we announce to our neighbours that we extend the hand of friendship and brotherhood to them,' he said.

Tensions between Iran and the US and its allies have threatened to boil over since May last year when President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal and later began reimposing sanctions.

Iran then began reducing its commitments to the nuclear deal and the US said it was sending forces to waters near the Islamic republic in response to 'indications of a credible threat' from its forces.

The US deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the sensitive waterways, before sending B-52 bombers, an amphibious assault ship and Patriot missile battery.

Following the deployments, commercial ships were mysteriously attacked, drones downed and oil tankers seized in Gulf waters.

Trump in June authorised a military strike after Iran shot down a US drone, only to call off the retaliation at the last moment.

The tensions escalated again this month in the wake of September 14 attacks on Saudi energy giant Aramco's Abqaiq processing plant and Khurais oilfield which halved the kingdom's crude output.

Washington and Riyadh have, to varying degrees, blamed these attacks on Tehran.

Following the attacks, which caused global oil prices to spike, Trump initially raised the possibility of a military response, saying the US was 'locked and loaded'.

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels claimed responsibility, but the US says attacks involved cruise missiles from Iran and amounted to 'an act of war'.

Iranian armed forces members march during the ceremony today where president Rouhani delivered a warning to the west

Rouhani, pictured far right watching the military parade today, is expected to travel to New York on Monday before speaking at the UN about the details of the Hormuz Peace Endeavour

Soldiers dressed in crisp white uniforms marched in unison during the parade, which is head annually to mark the 1980-1988 war with Iraq

Iranian Arab Basij militia members, pictured, also joined in the parade today during Sacred Defence Week in Tehran, Iran

Tanks and missiles, pictured, were also driven around the parade to show Iran's power. The parade comes after the United States ordered reinforcements to the region

Saudi Arabia, which has been bogged down in a five-year war in Yemen, has warned of 'appropriate measures' once the source of the strikes is confirmed by a UN investigation.

A Huthi plan for a cessation of hostilities announced on Friday has been welcomed by the UN, but Saudi Arabia was sceptical, saying it would 'judge other parties by their deeds'.

On Friday, Defence Secretary Mark Esper said the US was sending reinforcements to Saudi Arabia at 'the kingdom's request', while noting the forces would be 'defensive in nature'.

America has also slapped more sanctions on Iran, penalising the Iranian Central Bank.

Today the United States said the additional troops ordered to be deployed to the Gulf region were for 'deterrence and defense'.

Speaking to Fox News, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added that he was confident that President Trump would take action if such deterrence measures fail and this was well understood by the Iranian leadership.

'Our mission set is to avoid war,' Pompeo said. 'You saw what Secretary Esper announced on Friday, we are putting additional forces in the region for the purpose of deterrence and defense,' he said.

America previously sent troops to Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield in August 1990, while preparing for the Gulf War.

At one time, Prince Sultan Air Base housed as many as 60,000 U.S. troops, supported by an all-American array of creature comforts like fast-food restaurants and swimming pools.

Saudi Arabia is the nexus of Sunni Muslim power in the Middle East, and is unofficially allied with Israel against their mutual rival, the Shiite Muslim powerhouse Iran.

Today's parade comes ahead of Rouhani being expected to travel to New York on Monday, a day before general debate kicks off at the UN gathering.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that Rouhani would announce details of the 'Hormuz Peace Endeavour' at the UN General Assembly.

Saudi Arabia will seek to make a case at a global gathering for a concerted action to punish and deter Iran after the strikes on Saudi oil plants which exposed the kingdom's vulnerability to attack.

However, even Riyadh's main allies the United States and the United Arab Emirates have little appetite for a conventional military confrontation which may spark a war in the Gulf, diplomats say.

Riyadh says Iranian weapons were launched from the north and that it is working to pinpoint the exact location.

Iran has denied any involvement and criticised the accusations as part of a campaign of 'maximum pressure' launched by President Donald Trump.

'This attack is a tipping point. Saudi Arabia will make the case this was a devastating blow and continued threat to the global economy,' a Gulf Arab source told Reuters on Sunday.

'If Saudi Arabia can prove without reasonable doubt that Iran was behind it, then world powers could exercise their clout -- their pressure, their trade tools, pulling Iran back from its brinkmanship policy,' the source said.

Today's parade, troops marching pictured, showed an Iranian medium-range missile that can travel up to 2,000 kilometers putting it in range of Iran's archenemy Israel and U.S. bases in the region

President Rouhani said 'foreign forces can cause problems and insecurity for our people and for our region' during his speech at the military parade today

Tensions in the region have grown this month after attacks on a Saudi processing plant and Khurais oilfield which halved the kingdom's crude output. Pictured is the military parade today in Tehran

President Hassan Rouhani , left, is seen shaking hands with the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, centre, after Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, second left, and before Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Major General Hossein Salami, right

Similar parades were also held in major cities and towns across Iran including the port city of Bandar Abbas near the Strait of Hormuz. Pictured are soldiers holding guns and flags at the event in Tehran today

President Rouhani, pictured watching the parade, is expected to travel to New York on Monday before speaking at the UN about the details of the Hormuz Peace Endeavour

Yesterday the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned any country that attacks on the Islamic republic will see its territory turn into the conflict's 'main battlefield'.

Guards commander Hossein Salami told a news conference in Tehran: 'Whoever wants their land to become the main battlefield, go ahead. We will never allow any war to encroach upon Iran's territory.

'We hope that they don't make a strategic mistake' as they have before, Salami said, before listing past US military 'adventures' against Iran.

Salami was speaking at Tehran's Islamic Revolution and Holy Defence museum during the unveiling of an exhibition of what Iran says are US and other drones captured in its territory.

In Dubai today two flights were diverted from the International Airport due to suspected drone activity, the hub's operator said - at least the second disruption of its kind there this year.

Arrivals were disrupted for about 15 minutes after midday (0800 GMT), said a spokesman for Dubai Airports, which owns and manages the world's busiest airport for international travel.

The Dubai government's media office and the UAE government media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Authorities temporarily grounded flights at Dubai International Airport in February, again due to suspected drones.

In July 2018 the UAE denied reports that Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement had attacked Abu Dhabi airport with a drone, and said operations were unaffected.

In December, major disruption was caused at London's Gatwick airport after drones were spotted near the airfield, raising concerns globally about the vulnerability of airports to unmanned aerial vehicles.