Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (archive photo)
Photo: Reuters
Iran says Israel planning attack on neighboring Arab states
Islamic Republic’s chief of staff says ‘suicidal plan formulated by Zionists and American neoconservatives will be implemented next summer to justify extension of US military presence in Iraq’; adds: US national interests victimized for Zionist devils
Iranian Chief of Staff Gen. Hassan Fayrouz Abadi warned leaders of Arab countries that Israel is
planning to launch a war this summer, the Fars news agency reported on Saturday.
"Zionists and the Quds (referring to Jerusalem) occupying regime intend to exercise a suicidal plan next summer, and this suicidal plan of the Zionists and American neoconservatives, the implementation of which would start from the occupied Palestinian lands, will not serve the interests of anyone in the world," the general was quoted by Fars as saying.
Withholding Information
Associated Press
Iran says it is withholding information on nuclear program from outside world for fear of US, Israel attack
"Firstly, I warn the dear leaders and Muslim brothers in the neighboring countries of the occupied territories that this suicidal attack of the Zionists is threatening them," he said.
According to the report, the Iranian military official further stated that the plan intends to “prevent the withdrawal of the US troops from Iraq and the region and that it will pose a danger primarily to Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Jordan and then Saudi Arabia and all other countries in the region.”
Abadi said it was the “Israeli Zionists” who encouraged the Bush administration to send troops to the region, adding, "and now that the US Senate, Congress and people have grown vigilant and realized that the US’s national interests are victimized for the Zionist devils and urge withdrawal of US troops from the region, Zionists and neoconservatives have devised a suicidal operation to justify extension of the mission of the US troops in the region."
'Iran has no option but to protect its security'
The Iranian chief of staff urged Lebanon to reach an agreement over a national coalition government in order to help “resist this plot.”
“I warn the Arab brothers in the region that they should increase their solidarity and unity in defending the Palestinian nation against Israel and that they should adopt their decision, otherwise tomorrow would be too late (to take the said actions)," he was quoted as saying.
In a confidential letter obtained last Friday Iran told the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that "warmongering" by Israel and the US led to the decision to withhold information from the outside worlds on its nuclear program.
“The United States and the Israeli regime ... Are threatening the use of force and attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran and have repeatedly stressed that military action is an option on the table,” said the letter, signed by Ali Ashgar Soltanieh, Iran's chief delegate to the IAEA.
"So long as such threats of military action persist, Iran has no option but (to) protect its security through all means possible, including protection of information which can facilitate openly stated and aggressive military objectives of the war mongers."
