United States. 

The Jomhuri e-Islami daily reported on 25 May that Iranian naval patrol vessels recently traded fire with armed Iraqi agents disguised as fishermen in the Persian Gulf. The Iranian gunboats arrived on the scene in response to a call for help from an Iranian fishing vessel.

Meanwhile, Iran said it would continue to develop conventional weapons despite US pressure on other countries to end arms cooperation with Tehran. Iran launched a drive after the end of its devastating 1980-1988 war with Iraq to become self-sufficient in weapons manufacturing. - Adam Geibel