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Iran's Defense Minister Gen. Mostafa Mohammad Najjar (right) speaking to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (center), during a parade in Tehran in 2007. (AP)
Last update - 22:16 09/06/2008
Iran blasts Mofaz remark, warns of 'painful' response if Israel attacks
By The Associated Press
Tags: Iran, Shaul Mofaz, Israel 

Iran's defense minister has warned of a "painful response" if Israel attacks it and lambasted Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz's threat of such a strike, the Islamic Republic's official news agency reported Monday.

"If somebody wants to do such a foolish job, the response will be very painful," IRNA quoted Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar as saying.

Najjar was responding to Mofaz's recent statement that an Israeli attack on Iran appeared "unavoidable" if Tehran doesn't abandon its nuclear program.
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There has been a new flurry of speculation about possible plans being crafted in secret by Israel and the United States to strike Iran's nuclear program. Both states accuse Iran of covertly seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran insists that its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has distanced himself from Mofaz's suggestion that Israel will attack Iran. Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev on Sunday said the prime minister stated Israel's policy clearly last week during a trip to Washington.

Mofaz said in a newspaper interview on Friday that "if Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective. Attacking Iran, in order to stop its nuclear plans, will be unavoidable."



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      1.   Iran and Israel must adhere to proliferation Treaty 20:34  |  Ray 09/06/08
      2.   Iran and its proxies should cause death and .. 20:42  |  Dutch Dirk 09/06/08
      3.   They MIGHT attack us, So we WILL attack them.... ok?? 20:54  |  Warmongers Anon 09/06/08
      4.   Dutch Dirk #2 about mathematics 21:02  |  S 09/06/08
      5.   Ahmadinejad`s game 21:04  |  Sam C 09/06/08
      6.   Remember the mother of all battles thereat 21:08  |  Mustafa 09/06/08
      7.   Israel reaction 21:09  |  Pedro 09/06/08
      8.   What about the environment? 21:13  |  Rob 09/06/08
      9.   Israel pushes America to attack Iran.. 21:20  |  Silvienne 09/06/08
      10.   To no 1 21:30  |  Antonio da Silva 09/06/08
      11.   An Attack by Israel is welcomed 21:33  |  Concerned individual 09/06/08
      12.   ...and Anti-Semitism lives on 21:33  |  Tamir 09/06/08
      13.   2 and 3 21:34  |  mike 09/06/08
      14.   Iranian warmongering 21:42  |  Gregor 09/06/08
      15.   Ray 21:42  |  Ehud 09/06/08
      16.   The Problem With the "Painful Response" Approach 21:46  |  JP 09/06/08
      17.   This is an Iranian Civil War.... Israel please stay out 22:02  |  Iranian-American 09/06/08
      18.   You are short on facts, #1 Ray 22:08  |  Dr. L. Brnd 09/06/08
      19.   Israel is afraid to win wars. 22:13  |  Ken Jurist 09/06/08
      20.   The Israeli Threat to Regional Peace Must be Addressed 22:15  |  Johan Odin 09/06/08
      21.   Ray the NPT export 22:21  |  Joshua 09/06/08
      22.   #2 and #3 The world needs peace not war mongering 22:25  |  Ray 09/06/08
      23.   Interesting little advert above Talkback here 22:28  |  Clickfool 09/06/08
      24.   #1 22:30  |  MR 09/06/08
      25.   #4, Dr L Brand... 22:37  |  Silvienne 09/06/08
      26.   But 22:40  |  Ellie 09/06/08
      27.   The Man With a Vowel Problem Speaks # 4 22:42  |  Clickfool 09/06/08
      28.   ISRAEL GET RID OF 150 NUKES: DROP THEM ON IRAN... 22:52  |  Moti Zukker 09/06/08
      29.   Response To Clickfool # 9 22:55  |  Eli 09/06/08
      30.   "Iran blasts Mofaz remarks" 22:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/06/08
      31.   #9, fool, stop contradicting yourself 23:03  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/06/08
      32.   Be prepared to a dismal future 23:07  |  spyguy 09/06/08
      33.   IRAN SHOULD PREEMTIVELY STRIKE ISRAEL BEFORETOO LATE! 23:09  |  Tayfun_Turkey 09/06/08
      34.   Iran nukes 23:25  |  sfg 09/06/08
      35.   Clickfool #9 - evidence of a weaponized program 23:32  |  Jacob 09/06/08
      36.   Goodbye......... 23:32  |  William 09/06/08
      37.   Israel bashers invited to Iran now 23:44  |  Israel forever 09/06/08
      38.   Thanks to Mofaz, Iran`s making money with oil selling at record p 00:02  |  Aounist 10/06/08
      39.   Why are they excited about Mofaz? 00:04  |  peter 10/06/08
      40.   #4 Dr L Brnd 00:05  |  Chris Linthwaite 10/06/08
      41.   # 4 very short on facts 00:08  |  Axel 10/06/08
      42.   Painful response by Iran - they`ll hate us even more :)) 00:15  |  17 10/06/08
      43.   #9, Clickfool... 00:17  |  Silvienne 10/06/08
      44.   L. Brnd 00:19  |  The Gentile 10/06/08
      45.   Mofaz ....in a tough spot..either way.. 00:33  |  ali 10/06/08
      46.   Israel`s Threat to Iran - Reply to #4 Dr.Brnd 00:45  |  Jim Brooks 10/06/08
      47.   Even Olmert bashing Mofaz knows that Israel 01:09  |  Jew- and Bookburner 10/06/08
      48.   Jim Brooks 01:31  |  rich 10/06/08
      49.   israel`s arrogance 02:21  |  gearoid 10/06/08
      50.   Mofaz to Iran , as Iran to Mofaz painful Iranians 02:59  |  Sal 10/06/08
      51.   It is INFINITELY riskier to wait till Iran functional nuclear 03:06  |  Chaim 10/06/08
      52.   #27 Tayfun 03:12  |  Zolman ben Moshe 10/06/08
      53.   Israel seems to think... 05:03  |  Silvienne 10/06/08
      54.   Painful response if Israel attacks 05:14  |  Noella 10/06/08
      55.   #15 Yes Joshua of Canada 05:18  |  ballistic 10/06/08
      56.   #30 William 05:29  |  ballistic 10/06/08
      57.   Chaim on "doing the job with Syria" 06:36  |  BBSNews 10/06/08
      58.   NOELLA #52 09:04  |  mike 10/06/08
      59.   fair for both side 12:12  |  has 10/06/08
      60.   I suspect that I ain`t the only person thinking this... 13:53  |  Johnboy 10/06/08
      61.   Remember Buenos Aires 15:51  |  Murray the Mongoose 10/06/08
      62.   Olmert need`s a brain from the Wizard of Oz 17:35  |  anonymous 10/06/08
      63.   #56, ballistic... 17:43  |  Silvienne 10/06/08
      64.   #51, Chaim... 17:48  |  Silvienne 10/06/08
      65.   Silvienne the Simpleton 18:07  |  Murray the Mongoose 10/06/08
      66.   54 hey lady I`m a travel agent and I got the best place for you 21:18  |  Ben Menachem 10/06/08
      67.   Go ahead, make my day ! 22:37  |  Darius 10/06/08
      68.   #65, Murray of Montreal... 23:09  |  Silvienne 10/06/08
      69.   No more wars please 01:37  |  ahmed from bahrain 11/06/08
      70.   #65, Murray... 04:46  |  Silvienne 11/06/08
      71.   Painful response if Israel attacks 05:39  |  Noella 11/06/08
      72.