TEHRAN, Jan. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Confronting recent US threats,Iran's senior officials have delivered unprecedented stern verbal refutations, which analysts believe are linked with its June 17 presidential election and the situation in Iraq.

　　US Pr esident George W. Bush said on Monday he would not rule out military actions against Iran in his second term. Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday threatened to referIran's nuclear case to the UN Security Council.Tehran was not surprised by these remarks as they echoed thesame stance Washington has adopted toward Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

　　But in contrast with the past, Tehran's reaction to the verbal hostility was tougher.

　　On Tuesday, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, chairman of Iran'spowerful Expediency Council and former president, said Iran was "not a proper place for adventurism".

　　One day later, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi, in awritten statement, said Iran would "respond strongly to any kind of unwise acts."

　　President Mohammad Khatami, who was then on a tour in Africa,said on Thursday that Iran would stand up to any aggression, amessage reported by the official IRNA news agency as a piece ofurgent news.

　　Analysts reckon that with the presidential polls only six monthsaway, Khatami's government, which has failed to fulfill its promises of reforms in the past eight years, was taking the chanceto show to the people that the reformists were also ready to fightwhen the national security was threatened.

　　The conservatives in Iran often criticize the government's weakstance in negotiations with the Western countries.Besides, the upcoming Iraqi elections slated for Jan. 30 is alsoone of Iran's top concerns.

　　Even though Tehran has categorically rejected an allegation of interfering in Iraq's internal affairs, it can not deny that afriendly Iraqi authority would be warmly welcomed.At this critical juncture, Tehran must build a strong and determined image to instill confidence into the minds of the IraqiShiites who are religiously close to Iran, and any sign of weakness might promote an adverse result, said analysts.

　　Iran is also keeping vigilance over the newly-elected hawkish US cabinet.

　　Just days before the new cabinet took office, Bush and Rice'sremarks were viewed as the keynote of the US policy toward Iran inthe next four years.

　　Iran, being challenged, had no choice but to warn the hawks and encourage US doves with its strong reply, said analysts.All in all, the vehement reaction of Tehran was determined bythe current sensitive situations.

　　It is believed the coming months will witness new conflicts between Washington and Tehran with the new cabinets of the United States, Iraq and Iran coming into power. Enditem