Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that the Iranian Armed Forces remain vigilant and are strengthening their preparedness to defend the country in the face of a possible new Israeli attack.
A week before, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran again if the country attempts to rearm. Some media reports also hyped up developments surrounding the possibility of a renewed Israeli military attack on Iran.
In response, Baghaei said psychological warfare and media propaganda against Iran are part of the opposing side's strategy and are nothing new.
Iranian Armed Forces vigilant, well-prepared to defend country: spokesman
Iranian Armed Forces vigilant, well-prepared to defend country: spokesman
The Global Mayors Dialogue opened in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Tuesday, bringing together mayors and senior city officials from across Europe, Asia, and North America to have in-depth exchanges on practical approaches to developing the ice and snow economy.
Held under the theme "Connecting the World with Ice and Snow, Win-Win Cooperation for a Shared Future", the three-day event gathered mayors, deputy mayors, and mayoral representatives from cities across the globe, including Canada, Finland, Germany, Greece, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Türkiye, focusing on the ice and snow economy, cultural integration, smart city development, heritage preservation, and urban governance.
The event featured a main dialogue and a scenario-based dialogue salon to foster in-depth exchanges and spark new ideas. Guests are invited to visit iconic sites such as the Harbin Ice and Snow World and attend the opening ceremony and trade events of the Harbin Ice and Snow Economy Expo, which are showcasing Harbin's achievements in building an ice and snow economy brand, strengthening international exchanges and cooperation, and inheriting ice and snow culture.
Harbin, called China's "ice city", has turned its long, cold winters into a major tourist attraction. Last winter, it welcomed a record 90.36 million visitors, generating 137.22 billion yuan (about 19.44 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue, a year-on-year increase of 16.6 percent.
International mayors gather in Harbin to explore ice and snow economy
