October 10, 2007 (LPAC)--Iran has inaugurated a new air force base in Birjand, close to its eastern border with Afghanistan. The new Ghaem al Mohammad air base is reportedly equipped with the latest generation radar system and will play host to a squadron of Iranian fighter jets.

According to the Associated Press, the new base is part of a broader military build-up by Tehran, which is concerned about the U.S. military's presence in neighboring Iraq and Afghanistan at a time of heightened tension between the two nations. Inauguration of this airbase was aimed at responding to a possible strike swiftly and strongly if a strike or attack is launched against the country, the head of Iran's air force, General Ahmad Mighani, told state television. United States has at least two air bases in Balochistan bordering Iran.

Mighani said the base, which was inaugurated on Oct.8, was meant to boost the presence of Iran's air force in the eastern part of the country. Most of the country's 12 air force bases are currently situated in the west. The new air base is located in Birjand, some 1,300 kilometers southeast of the capital, Tehran.