Iran to boost uranium enrichment
'Israel's destruction imminent'
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said yesterday the destruction of Iran's arch-foe Israel was "imminent," and called for continued resistance against the Jewish state, state media reported.
"God willing, its destruction will be imminent," the Islamic republic's all-powerful leader said.
"Continued resistance and hope for victory should be taken into consideration."
Meanwhile President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday ordered Iran's atomic chief to begin higher uranium enrichment, raising the stakes in a dispute with the West days after seeming to accept a UN-drafted nuclear deal.
Mr Ahmadinejad's declaration drew immediate fire from Britain, which said it was "clearly a matter of serious concern," while US Defence Secretary Robert Gates called for mounting "international pressure" on the Islamic republic.
In a speech at an exhibition on laser technology broadcast live on state TV, Mr Ahmadinejad blamed world powers for the stalemate over the nuclear fuel deal, but left the door open for possible negotiation over the proposal.
"I had said let us give them (world powers) two to three months and if they don't agree, we would start ourselves," he said.
"Now Dr (Ali Akbar) Salehi, start to make the 20 per cent with the centrifuges," the hardliner told Iran's atomic chief, who was in the audience, referring to high-enriched uranium required as fuel to power a Tehran reactor.
Britain said that if Iran ploughed ahead with higher uranium enrichment, it would be in breach of five UN Security Council resolutions.
Mr Gates, meanwhile, called on the international community to stand united against Iran.
"The international community has offered the Iranian government multiple opportunities to provide reassurance of its intentions. The results have been very disappointing," Mr Gates said after meeting his Italian counterpart Ignazio La Russa in Rome.
"If the international community will stand together and bring pressure on the Iranian government, I believe there is still time for sanctions and pressure to work. But we must all work together."
Analysts called Mr Ahmadinejad's comments an attempt to pressure Washington and drive a wedge between the six world powers, some of whom are still hesitant to back fresh sanctions against Tehran.