WORLD> Middle East
|
WORLD> Middle East
|
|
Iran considers Israeli attack "impossible action"
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-21 21:07 TEHRAN - Iranian government spokesman Gholam- Hossein Elham said on Saturday that an attack by Israel against the Islamic Republic would be an "impossible action," the official IRNA news agency reported.
"Attacking our interests and threatening our country's integrity by the Zionist regime (Israel) is an impossible action," Elham was quoted as saying. He said that "the threats and the claims of Zionist regime" proves Iran's view that Israel "is dangerous and a threat to the global peace and security." Elham's remarks came after a US report that Israel's recent large military exercise was apparently a rehearsal for a potential bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities. The New York Times reported Friday that US military believed the major military exercise by Israel earlier this month was a rehearsal for a potential bombing attack on Iran's nuclear sites. Some American officials said the Israeli exercise appeared to be an effort to develop the military's capacity to carry out long- range strikes and to demonstrate the seriousness with which Israel views Iran's nuclear program. More than 100 Israeli F-16 and F-15 fighters participated in the maneuvers, which were carried out over the eastern Mediterranean and over Greece during the first week of June, US officials said. The exercise also included Israeli helicopters that could be used to rescue downed pilots. The helicopters and refueling tankers flew more than 900 miles (1,450 kilometers), which is about the same distance between Israel and Iran's uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, American officials said. A spokesman for the Israeli military said that Israel's air force "regularly trains for various missions in order to confront and meet the challenges posed by the threats facing Israel," but declining to discuss the details of the exercise. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who visited Washington in early June, said that "the Iranian threat must be stopped by all possible means," indicating that military resort can not be excluded. His remarks about Iran's nuclear threat are believed to be the strongest one the Israeli leader has made on the issue. |
