Iran attack would see Israel’s ‘eradication’ – Ahmadinejad

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday during a visit to the Gulf state of Qatar that any attack on the Islamic republic will result in the destruction of Israel.

“Any act against Iran will lead to the eradication of the Zionist entity,” he told a news conference in Doha.

Israel, the region’s sole if undeclared nuclear power, has not ruled out a military strike to prevent Iran acquiring an atomic weapons capability, an ambition Teheran strongly denies.

“The Zionist entity and the US government would hit any country in the region whenever they are able to do so, and they will not wait to get permission. But (at the moment) they cannot,” he said.

“Iran has the ability to retaliate, strong and hard,” Mr Ahmadinejad added.

Iran’s hardline President said the talk of war against Iran was aimed at putting psychological pressure on Teheran. “There will be no war against Iran. What could take place is a psychological war,” he said.