Iran says it would strike pre-emptively if threatened
{mosads}”We will make use of all our means to protect our
national interests and hit a retaliatory blow at them whenever we feel that
enemies want to endanger our national interests,” Hejazi said.
Israel is said to be contemplating a military strike against
Iran to stop its nuclear program, which the United States, Israel and allies
say is for producing nuclear weapons, but Tehran claims is only for peaceful
purposes.
U.S. officials have downplayed the prospect of an Israeli
attack on Iran as they’ve warned of the negative effects it could have.
Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
said on CNN Sunday that an Israeli strike could be “destabilizing”
in the Middle East.
“I’m confident that they understand our concerns, that a
strike at this time would be destabilizing and wouldn’t achieve their long-term
objectives,” Dempsey said.
In congressional hearings last week, Defense Secretary Leon
Panetta and Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess, director of the Defense Intelligence
Agency, said that Israel had not yet decided whether it would attack.
National Security Adviser Tom Donilon just
concluded a three-day trip to Israel, where he met with Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials.
President Obama and Netanyahu are scheduled to meet next
month when Netanyahu travels to Washington for the annual AIPAC conference.
A congressional delegation also met with Netanyahu and Israeli
officials Tuesday during a trip through the Middle East.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), ranking member of the Armed
Services Committee, issued a statement on the Israel visit Tuesday that said
the two countries “face the threat posed by Iran together,” citing Iran’s
recent alleged targeting of Israeli diplomats abroad, its attempt to assassinate
the Saudi ambassador in Washington and its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
“It is hard to see this as rational behavior,” McCain said
in a statement. “Any regime with an abiding concern for its own security,
self-interest and self-preservation would not engage in such deeply
provocative conduct.”
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