IRAN:Deputy foreign minister says Iran does not 'take seriously' the threat of Israeli air strikes, writes Mary Fitzgerald
IRAN DOES not "take seriously" speculation that Israel may launch a strike against its nuclear facilities, the country's deputy foreign minister has said, but he warned that if such an attack were to happen, Iran would retaliate with the "appropriate response".
During a visit to Dublin Dr Mehdi Safari shrugged off reports interpreting recent Israeli military manoeuvres as a practice run for a strike on Iran. "We don't take [talk of an attack] seriously. This is rumour and gossip," he told The Irish Times.
Earlier this month an Israeli cabinet minister said Israel would have no choice but to attack Iran if it did not halt uranium enrichment. Tehran denies it intends to develop a nuclear arsenal and insists its enrichment programme is for civilian purposes only.
Amid rising speculation about a possible strike, UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei warned last weekend that an attack could turn the Middle East into a "ball of fire."
Asked how Iran would react if it were hit, Dr Safari said: "We would show the appropriate response . . . It is natural, if someone hits you, you should hit him back. I'm sure that such a thing is not going to happen because everyone knows what the result of such an act would be."
The deputy foreign minister argued that comments by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad concerning Israel had been misinterpreted as direct threats against the country. Most recently, Mr Ahmadinejad proclaimed that Israel "is about to die and will soon be erased from the geographical scene".
"My president did not mention that we would attack militarily or even launch somebody over there to do some acts," said Dr Safari. "He mentioned that what Israel is doing with the Palestinian people, killing innocent people and striking their homes, the result is going to be devastation in its own country and [Israel] is going to be wiped off the map . . . Look at South Africa or the Soviet Union . . . they collapsed."
Dr Safari said the Iranian government was "surprised" by the EU's decision earlier this week to impose fresh sanctions against Tehran over its uranium enrichment programme, notably freezing the assets of Iran's largest bank.
Earlier this month EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana presented an incentives package to Iran on behalf of the six countries negotiating with Tehran on the issue - the US, Britain, China, Russia, France and Germany.
The deal offers Iran economic and technological incentives but it must suspend its uranium enrichment programme before negotiations can begin. Dr Safari said Tehran was still examining the offer, but had found some common ground between the two negotiating parties.
"We are ready to start negotiations on these common subjects," he said.
Despite some Iranian officials denouncing the EU sanctions as "illegal" and "provocative", Dr Safari said: "Let's not try to heat up the situation but wait and see what our answer to this package will be." He did, however, repeat threats that Iran will withdraw assets from the EU in response.
"The Europeans should ask themselves what will be the effect of these sanctions on their countries. Six years ago our main [trading partners] were the European countries, but last year we made more than $85 billion (€54 billion) with the Asian countries and European €20 billion . . . Who is losing, I wonder?"
Mr Safari would not comment when asked if Iran favoured the candidacy of US presidential hopeful Barack Obama, who has said he would hold direct talks with Tehran. "It is not our business to seek to interfere in the election. It depends on the people of the United States and we respect their vote. It is not our business to comment on who is better for us."
During his two-day visit, Dr Safari met Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin and members of two Oireachtas committees. During the latter meeting, Iran's human rights record was raised, in particular the use of capital punishment for homosexuals.
"We stopped the public executions two years ago," said Dr Safari "But there are some laws in our holy Koran which we cannot reject . . . we have to follow it."
He said Tehran planned to develop stronger bilateral relations and economic co-operation with Ireland, noting that several Irish construction firms have been approached to carry out housing projects in Iran.