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Iran confident Israel will not attack nuclear sites
Tehran, Oct 21: Iran today asserted it is unrattled by speculation that Israel could carry out pre-emptive military strikes against its nuclear facilities, saying such an attack would inflict little damage.
Tehran, Oct 21: Iran today asserted it is unrattled by speculation that Israel could carry out pre-emptive military strikes against its nuclear facilities, saying such an attack would inflict little damage.
"I do not believe such threats are serious, since Israel is aware that it is not the facilities and buildings that matter, but the technical know-how and scientific achievements," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.
"Logically speaking, such an attack can be ruled out. But practically, too, Israel knows that Iran's power will not diminish with such an attack, and therefore such bullying is merely part of a political and psychological campaign --unless they decide to act foolishly," he said.
Like the United States, Israel accuses Iran -- which officially calls for the abolition of the Jewish state -- of using a civil atomic energy programme as a cover to develop nuclear weapons.
Germany's Der Spiegel magazine claimed in its October 13 edition that a special unit of Israel's spy agency Mossad received orders two months ago to prepare plans for strikes on half-a-dozen targets in Iran suspected of being used to prepare nuclear weapons.
In 1981 Israel bombed the Osirak nuclear power station near Baghdad, smashing former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's nuclear programme.
Bureau Report
"Logically speaking, such an attack can be ruled out. But practically, too, Israel knows that Iran's power will not diminish with such an attack, and therefore such bullying is merely part of a political and psychological campaign --unless they decide to act foolishly," he said.
Like the United States, Israel accuses Iran -- which officially calls for the abolition of the Jewish state -- of using a civil atomic energy programme as a cover to develop nuclear weapons.
Germany's Der Spiegel magazine claimed in its October 13 edition that a special unit of Israel's spy agency Mossad received orders two months ago to prepare plans for strikes on half-a-dozen targets in Iran suspected of being used to prepare nuclear weapons.
In 1981 Israel bombed the Osirak nuclear power station near Baghdad, smashing former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's nuclear programme.
Bureau Report