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The nuclear reactor in Natanz, Iran (Reuters)
Last update - 18:20 28/06/2008
Iran military chief says Israel can't stop nuclear program
By News Agencies
Tags: Revolutionary Guards, Israel 

The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards warned Israel against launching a military strike on Iran, adding that any such attack would not halt Iran's nuclear program given that Tehran's nuclear capabilities are at an advanced stage.

In comments published on Saturday in the Iranian newspaper Jam-e Jam, the Guards commander-in-chief Mohammad Ali Jafari said that Israel "is completely within the range of the Islamic republic's missiles" and it cannot confront Iran's missile power.

"The enemy possibly wants to delay our nuclear activities by attacking our nuclear sites, but any interruption would be very short since Iranian scientific ability is different from that of Syria and Iraq," he said.
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Jafari suggested Iran's allies in the region, who include Lebanon's Shi'ite militia Hezbollah, could also retaliate. He referred to Iran's ties with those living in Lebanon's Shi'ite heartland of south Lebanon but did not refer to any group.

"Israelis know if they take military action against Iran ... the abilities of the Islamic and Shi'ite world, especially in the region, will deliver fatal blows," Jafari said.

He also hinted that Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that receives Iranian funding and which has sent suicide bombers into Israel, might act. But, again, he did not name the group.

Jafari warned Iran's neighbors in the region not to let their territory be used as a base for others to launch a strike.

"If the attack takes place from the soil of another country ... the country attacked has the right to respond to the enemy's military action from where the operation started," he said.

Kuwait, the launch pad for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, and Iraq itself, where U.S. troops are now stationed, have both said they would not let their land be used for a strike on Iran. The U.S. military has bases in other Gulf states and Afghanistan.

Jafari said U.S. forces were "more vulnerable than Israelis" because of their troops in the area. Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has in the past said Iran would target U.S. interests if attacked.

"Iran can in different ways harm American interests even far away," the Guards commander said.

Ali Jafari added that Iran would impose controls on shipping in the vital Gulf oil transit route if the Islamic Republic came under attack.

Speculation about a possible attack on Iran because of its disputed nuclear ambitions has risen since a report this month said Israel had practiced such a strike.

"Naturally every country under attack by an enemy uses all its capacity and opportunities to confront the enemy. Regarding the main route for exiting energy, Iran will definitely act to impose control on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz," Ali Jafari told Jam-e Jam.

Iranian officials have in the past sent mixed signals about whether it would use oil as a weapon in any confrontation.

Tension between Iran, the world's fourth largest oil producer, and the West and Israel over its nuclear plans has been one factor helping prop up sky-high oil prices.

The Islamic Republic insists its nuclear program is peaceful and aimed at generating electricity. But the West and Israel fear Iran is seeking to build atomic bombs. Israel is believed to be the only Middle East state with nuclear arms.

Washington has said it wants diplomacy to end the nuclear row but has not ruled out military action should that fail.

"If there is a confrontation between us and the enemy from outside the region, definitely the scope (of the confrontation) will reach the oil issue," Jafari said.

"After this action (of Iran imposing controls on the Gulf waterway), the oil price will rise very considerably and this is among the factors deterring the enemies," he said.

He warned countries in the region not to let their territory be used for any attack.

The United States has military stationed in the area, including Iran's neighbors Iraq and Afghanistan. Tehran has often said U.S. troops should withdraw to let regional countries handle their own security.

"If enemies from outside the region use the soil of regional countries against the Islamic Republic of Iran ... the governments of those countries will be responsible and it is our obvious right to act in the same way against their military capabilities and abilities of enemies anywhere," Jafari said.

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      1.   DECLARATION AS STUPID AS AHMA`S 11:53  |  Robert 28/06/08
      2.   Use of oil issue : will fire back 12:02  |  Jacob 28/06/08
      3.   ISRAEL AT FAULT FOR HIGH OIL PRICES 12:07  |  VIPER 28/06/08
      4.   reasonable response 12:28  |  potobac 28/06/08
      5.   "OIL WEAPON" 12:41  |  David Nigel Braham 28/06/08
      6.   Using such a weapon would have dire consequences to Iran - 12:47  |  Jo 28/06/08
      7.   Who will save Iran when it`s oil runs out?? 12:55  |  J 28/06/08
      8.   Iran will have to do everything possible to defend itself from 13:16  |  lakshmi 28/06/08
      9.   Pure nonsense. The Iranian navy will be destroyed. 13:16  |  Stephen. 28/06/08
      10.   Israel and Iran in close cooperation 13:25  |  Axel 28/06/08
      11.   Oil will beused as a weaponif Iran is attacked 13:26  |  Millicent 28/06/08
      12.   I am as close to you as you are to me 13:43  |  x-ray 28/06/08
      13.   The "day after" scenario 13:47  |  Sadiq M 28/06/08
      14.   Seems Iran doesn`t really have any idea just how strongly they`d 14:09  |  be attacked, IF 28/06/08
      15.   You are wrong, Hammudy 14:27  |  MR 28/06/08
      16.   This is all a diversion away from Israels real problem 14:53  |  Wendy 28/06/08
      17.   2Millicent,there is an old saying:look before you leap! 15:00  |  lakshmi 28/06/08
      18.   # 2 millicent 15:00  |  Axel 28/06/08
      19.   Axel, what about going by bus and by train? 15:04  |  christoph 28/06/08
      20.   The "day after" scenario....No Iran!!!! 15:06  |  Oleg 28/06/08
      21.   What would the world be like without the ME? 15:06  |  Ever wonder? 28/06/08
      22.   sadiq m 15:07  |  Bar Kochba 28/06/08
      23.   The "day after" scenario 15:18  |  Matthew 28/06/08
      24.   Israel would not want to stop nuclear program - if it was peacful 15:22  |  Jo 28/06/08
      25.   Re: The "day after" scenario 15:23  |  Max 28/06/08
      26.   Alternative scenario for sadiq M 15:27  |  US analyst 28/06/08
      27.   The Axis Berlin-Tehran and the consequences 15:29  |  Jonathan S 28/06/08
      28.   Axel 15:33  |  Yosemite 28/06/08
      29.   HE admits Hamas are their puppets."Negotiation" with Hamas means 15:50  |  PETER SM 28/06/08
      30.   THE lunatic forgets that Israel has a few missiles& a 2nd strike 15:55  |  PETER SM 28/06/08
      31.   Iran has sunburn missiles to aegis system 15:55  |  Siad 28/06/08
      32.   Completely wrong Stephen... 15:56  |  BBSNews 28/06/08
      33.   Using fear as a weapon 16:10  |  Anonymous 28/06/08
      34.   LAKSHMI the world has to do Everything to defend from Global Jiha 16:28  |  PETER SM 28/06/08
      35.   the neighborhood is nuclear, why not iran? 16:31  |  bashar 28/06/08
      36.   Sadiq, winner takes all... 16:32  |  Jewboy 28/06/08
      37.   It is called "Hoot" 16:33  |  Persian Hero 28/06/08
      38.   Without lifting a finger 16:38  |  Mark Lincoln 28/06/08
      39.   6 Sadiq M,well said! The grisly scenario is very real! 16:41  |  lakshmi 28/06/08
      40.   Iran 16:43  |  Bruce Rubin 28/06/08
      41.   What about actual actions by Iran 16:47  |  Mark Lincoln 28/06/08
      42.   And of course Israel can`t stop the Iranian program 16:51  |  Mark Lincoln 28/06/08
      43.   to Sadiq M 16:54  |  dovale 28/06/08
      44.   Iran only has the oil weapon, that`s it 16:56  |  dyinglikeflies 28/06/08
      45.   Meanwhile in an undisclosed (by Haaretz) location 16:57  |  Mark Lincoln 28/06/08
      46.   Decadent Shiite sit-in downtown Beirut 16:57  |  Anonymous 28/06/08
      47.   HAHAHA 16:59  |  Spectator 28/06/08
      48.   When the radioactive dust settles on Dimona 16:59  |  Clickfool 28/06/08
      49.   Iran can wait 17:04  |  Rachel Stevens 28/06/08
      50.   # 8 dovale 17:08  |  Axel 28/06/08
      51.   # 7 bruce 17:11  |  Axel 28/06/08
      52.   israel is digging its own grave because of its unexperieced leade 17:15  |  josh 28/06/08
      53.   To my friend Clicky #15 17:21  |  dovale 28/06/08
      54.   Iranian repeated threats a la Saddam proves fear not determinatio 17:23  |  Norman 28/06/08
      55.   BOMBING IRAN IS A SUICIDE 17:24  |  CARL 28/06/08
      56.   #12 17:25  |  Persian Hero 28/06/08
      57.   Iran is more scared their Nuke program is going to be short lived 17:27  |  Dish it Out 28/06/08
      58.   anonymous where is the proof 17:37  |  the truth 28/06/08
      59.   to anonymous 17:39  |  shawn 28/06/08
      60.   #8 Actions by Iran..Lincoln 17:40  |  Jabotinsky 28/06/08
      61.   when the radioisotopes settle in Dimona 17:41  |  Ramius 28/06/08
      62.   to anonymos 17:42  |  zack 28/06/08
      63.   HAARETZ, SECOND TRY 17:43  |  MR 28/06/08
      64.   Israel may not have a choice 17:43  |  Sam C 28/06/08
      65.   to anonymous 17:44  |  robert shafer 28/06/08
      66.   #19 Carl 17:46  |  MR 28/06/08
      67.   They are right, the damage would be minimal 17:48  |  mehmet 28/06/08
      68.   Best to handle disputes diplomatically... 17:58  |  Smadar 28/06/08
      69.   Iran will become an easy training field for our militaries