• Published 10:45 06.04.10
  • Latest update 22:36 06.04.10

Iran vows to strike Israel immediately if attacked

Turkey PM to his 'dear friend' Ahmadinejad: Keep Mideast nukes-free; Israel: Erdogan hurting ties.

By Reuters Tags: Turkey Iran nuclear Israel news

A senior cleric within Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard on Tuesday reiterated warnings that Tehran would strike Tel Aviv immediately if Israel and its Western allies attacked Iran.

"The enemies know if they fire a missile toward Iran, the dust from explosions by Iranian missiles will rise in Tel Aviv even as their missile is still in the air," a report by the semiofficial Fars news agency on Tuesday quoted cleric Mojtaba Zolnour as saying.

The cleric issued a similar warning in October, when he said Iran would blow up the heart of Israel if the United States or the Jewish state attacked it first. His comments are not unusual.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has since 2005 often called for Israel's destruction and predicted its demise.

Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has voiced skepticism over the effectiveness of any further sanctions against Iran in the dispute over its nuclear program, saying he still supported a diplomatic solution.

In an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro published on Tuesday, Erdogan said he had repeatedly told his "dear friend" Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that there should be no nuclear arms in the region.

The Turkish prime minister criticized countries pushing for another round of sanctions in the Security Council, of which Turkey is a non-permanent member.

"We consider that this question should be resolved diplomatically," he said. "Sure, sanctions are an issue at the moment, but I don't think that the ones being discussed can bring results."

Israel on Monday accused Erdogan of attempting to integrate with the Muslim world at the expense of the two country's ties, hours after Erdogan criticized Israel over actions in Jerusalem and Gaza.

"Israel is not interested in confrontation with any country, including Turkey," said the Foreign Ministry in a statement. "The impression that is being created is that the Turkish prime minister is seeking to integrate with the Muslim world at Israel's expense."

Erdogan is going to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday as part of a two-day trip to France. The United States, Britain, France, and Germany expect to meet with Russia and China in New York this week to begin drafting a new round of sanctions.

Once the five permanent, veto-holding Security Council members, plus Germany, agree, they will present the proposal to the other 10 council members. Lebanon, Turkey and Brazil are likely to oppose the idea.

"Those who took the decision to apply [previous sanctions] were the first to violate them," Erdogan said in the interview. "The French, the Germans, the English, the Americans and the Chinese. They are all involved and still manage to indirectly send their products to Iran."

Iran rejects Western accusations that it is trying to make nuclear weapons and says the programme is aimed at generating electricity for civilian use.

Iran is the second-biggest supplier of natural gas to Turkey, its neighbour, and Erdogan said their peaceful relations and trade ties must be taken into consideration in the talks.

Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan

Photo by: (AFP)
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  • 54. 0 0
    #51 BEN JABO - You missed another small thing
    • Gokhan
    • 11.04.10
    • 14:33

    If Israel uses her nukes, then there will be no such place called Israel anymore. Remember the motto "BE REASONABLE"

  • 53. 0 0
    Iran Vows to strike
    • Mark
    • 08.04.10
    • 07:32

    #8. Any Arab nation who drops bombs on Tel Aviv would be nuked and they are well aware of it.

  • 52. 0 0
    TO STEVEN
    • Manuel FColeman
    • 08.04.10
    • 06:00

    Well said steven #36 I AM WITH YOU ON THAT MAYBE YOU SHOULD SEND THIS TO john the American

  • 51. 0 0
    #46 jafar - You missed one small thing
    • *BEN JABO
    • 07.04.10
    • 18:35

    If push comes to shove, Israel will use her nukes and everyone's dreams of a better life will come to an end, including all those nations and entities you just mentioned, plus a few that weren't on the list Remember the motto "NEVER AGAIN"

  • 50. 0 0
    #46 Jafar... come back down to earth
    • allang
    • 07.04.10
    • 15:45

    Jafar... Western military experts predict.... Iran will fire 100 - 300 Shahab missiles. Which imaginary experts... which Shahab missiles, the solid-fuel rockets Tehran photo-shopped and presented as real. So far Iran has tested exactly 3 Shahab missiles... non hit their mark. Syria will pound Israel with Scud missiles... you mean the same heroics they preformed during Cast Lead. Hezbollah will bomb Israeli cities with projectiles and rockets. Dude, Saeed Hariri said... Lebanon will not be drawn into a conflict on behalf of Iran. Western intelligence claims [...not] 10,000 die-hard fighter sent to engage the IDF. They must be those invisible hitch-hikers from the Twilight Zone... magically materializing at Israeli borders. Maybe you should stop swallowing those hallucinatory pistachios. Because, the only thing that's being reshaped... is your lurid imagination. Do us a favor... and come back down to earth Jafar.

  • 49. 0 0
    Common Sense
    • Reza
    • 07.04.10
    • 11:46

    "The cleric issued a similar warning in October, when he said Iran would blow up the heart of Israel if the United States or the Jewish state attacked it first." Simple, do not attack us, we will not attack you. Once upon a time, I used to like Israel and its people.

  • 48. 0 0
    To Mikael
    • Manuel F Coleman
    • 07.04.10
    • 09:50

    If Isreal Gave up it's nukes, then what deterrant would they have to prevent a repeat of 1967 and 1973. Isreal is a tiny country whith enemys surrounding it from from all sides. Would you give up your gun if men were surrounding your home, (intending to kill you)

  • 47. 0 0
    To Assaf
    • Manuel F Coleman
    • 07.04.10
    • 09:35

    Mr Amedinijad has been calling for the distruction of Isreal for years,and has been the one making stupid threats. Remember it is Isreal that has the asenal of nukes. and well justified with all the war that has been waged againts it over the years.

  • 46. 0 0
    shehab missiles are ready to fly
    • jafar
    • 07.04.10
    • 08:48

    western military experts predicts that iranians will fire 100 to 300 long-range shehab missiles into israel the first minute an attack is carried out against iran . hizballah will also pound israel with thousands of rockets and projectiles . syria also will enter the missiles game by bombing israel with scud missiles .hamas also will harass israel and keep it busy .western intelligence claim that iran sent around 10000 armed and die-hard fighters to lebanon and syria to engage idf in any coming confrontation .if situation worsens , guerillas will cross from jordan to engage idf and take hostages .the new middle-east is being shaped .

  • 45. 0 0
    To John the American
    • Manuel F Coleman
    • 07.04.10
    • 07:34

    Hey John ive read a few of your past comments and wanted to know, do you really have that much faith in Irans Millitary? It also seems that you are anti Israel. Whats the deal.

  • 44. 0 0
    erdogan and turkey, military power???
    • charro
    • 07.04.10
    • 04:18

    since when Turkey became such a powerful nation??. it is BS, they are a country with limited armed forces and weapons. It is one of the reason they are not and will not be members of EU. Thsis guyErdogan is playing with fire, the day his """friend" amadinejhad will cease to exist, this will be the same day he will cease to exists.

  • 43. 0 0
    threatening Israel
    • Michelle Wayne
    • 07.04.10
    • 03:02

    threatening Israel?Where have we heard this before? Hmmmm, 1948, 1956,1967,1972,1981,2008, any more big mouth Arabs and other enemy's of Israel.Israel is God' country and they will always win it's the will of God and the brave, smart, intelligent Jews.

  • 42. 0 0
    Natallie Durson
    • Reed
    • 07.04.10
    • 02:49

    An argument could be made that much of the Geneva convention is a joke, becuase it is honored more in the breach, but it is still on the books, as is the NPT.

  • 41. 0 0
    Turkey
    • DM
    • 06.04.10
    • 23:37

    Israel should try to improve relations with Turkey. Turkey is well placed to help to ease tensions between Iran and the west, and it would be in Turkey's best intrest to do so.

  • 40. 0 0
    Iran Threats
    • Martin S. GoldStein
    • 06.04.10
    • 23:32

    Lightening Out Of Israel. The First Temple was lost to corruption. The Second Temple was lost because the Hebrews forgot their God and mammon and selfish aggrandizement became their God. Remember your God and 'He' will remember Israel. Islam is the enemy. Strike swiftly!

  • 39. 0 0
    #4 Binyamin Dissen
    • *BEN JABO
    • 06.04.10
    • 23:16

    "Obligated" is quite the same a keeping it Iran has threatened time and again that she was going to destroy Israel As far as the Iranian's are concrned it's simply niyar toilette

  • 38. 0 0
    So what's new??
    • *BEN JABO
    • 06.04.10
    • 23:14

    Iran has been threatening to attack Israel even if she wasn't attacked That whacko AchMADindejad has made the threat time and again

  • 37. 0 0
    Turkish interests
    • Dino
    • 06.04.10
    • 23:07

    Turkish interests Dino Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina I don't see why is there such an outrage over Turkey protecting it's interests in the ME, and why some of you are saying it wants to integrate into Muslim world. Newsflash to all of you: Turkey is already part of the Muslim world, and has been part of that world since the inception of the Ottoman Empire. Choosing to support Iran over Israel has always been out of the question for Turkey, and the same goes for any country with majority Muslim population. So Turkey is ok when it obeys the demands of the U.S. and EU(which has BTW been pulling Turkey by the nose for so long that it is embarrassing to ask for any favor from that country), but when she wants to protect her own interests, she is being pulled into dark age. Smells of hypocrisy to me. Turkey will remain secular, despite what U.S. EU or Israel may say about it. And she will, like any other country, continue to look to her own interests first and foremost.

  • 36. 0 0
    Irans leadership, talking about wiping out Israel.
    • Stephen.
    • 06.04.10
    • 22:39

    Lets just quote their latest BS; "The enemies know if they fire a missile toward Iran, the dust from explosions by Iranian missiles will rise in Tel Aviv even as their missile is still in the air." Ok, the velocity of a Jericho Intercontinental Ballistic Missile as it comes out of space is one thing. However speeds of up to Mach 10 have been attained, somewhere "up there".! Israels vast array of space ordinance will shut down any Iranian attempts of launching a solid fuel missile. The best that they can do, is to shut the crap up and concentrate on good governance. Cease torturing and murdering their own citizens. They are nothing but a third rate populist dictatorship that dreams of toys of mass destruction. One day, they will blow themselves up, maybe that's the day that they finally mastered on how to build a TV set. GWB was more worried about Saddam Hussein. He thought that the Theocratic Mullahs would implode over their own egoistic antics. Good night.

  • 35. 0 0
    #22 to Karla - Who has threatened Who?
    • David Schwep
    • 06.04.10
    • 22:37

    Indeed we have short memory! Is it not Iran which has threatened Israel and the USA - for YEARS ? Which nation terrorizes and murders it's own people who question it's government, Israel or Iran ? - But no; many say "let us give Iran license to have nukes - " Mark these words: Once Iran is given this license to have wmds we will regret it. Then it will be too late.

  • 34. 0 0
    # 14 Natallie... the only thing that's a joke
    • allang
    • 06.04.10
    • 22:33

    Natallie... The NPT was put forward to limit nuclear proliferation. In essence, it is the correct and honorable thing to do. Especially, since there are so many unstable regimes worldwide. Maybe someone needs to explain to you... that a nuclear exchange would be an end to the world as we know it. Because N. Korea, Pakistan, India or the Martians do not adhere to this concept... doesn't invalidate the idea of non-proliferation. The only thing that's a joke... Natallie, is your reasoning and logic for the NPT not to exist. But hey... since when have you been accurate or honorable. Cheers...

  • 33. 0 0
    where are the wise Muslimns/arabs hassan?
    • ross
    • 06.04.10
    • 22:23

    there is a old saying: it takes 2 to dance - and it takes 2 to make peace but you are only asking for israeli's to make concessions and not the PAls - you can't have your cake and eat it too. I suggest you look up 'Mutually Assured Destruction' - israel could have launch one at Iran 2 years ago if they wanted to to get rid of the problem but they didnt and i doubt they ever will be the 1st to launch - Iran, though just may they way they talk -you have to admit israel does not come out almost on a daily basis saying how evl iran is like iran does with israel so where are the wise, sane middle eastern, muslim men and women hassan? also, if they were wise, why did they attack israel after the UN recognized them - if they didn't the PAls would control jerusalem (or at least jordan) and the majority of arabs living where they did would not have been pushed out (just like how jews were pushed out of other countries at the same time

  • 32. 0 0
    Iranian Threat
    • Jacques
    • 06.04.10
    • 21:53

    Why is Iran threatening to strike Israel? Iran has many enemies that might attack her, such as Fatah, Egtpt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and all the western countries that have suffered terror attacks supported by Iran. Israel WILL NOT attack Iran. Why should they do the job most of the world wants done.

  • 31. 0 0
    no even iran believes it
    • carlos
    • 06.04.10
    • 21:42

    if iran attack israel, all palestinians will die along with the jews and radioactivity will reach mecca and even europe.

  • 30. 0 0
    Well then don't go picking a fight then
    • Karla
    • 06.04.10
    • 20:59

    Seems easy to me. STOP threatening other nations and nobody will come for you. Do you really expect to bomb a sovereign nation and not experience repercussions?

  • 29. 0 0
    Where are the wise jewish men and women
    • Hassan
    • 06.04.10
    • 20:33

    Today, israel is very worried about Iran development of nuclear weapons, tomorrow and after the iranian nukes are ready, comes the preoccupation of israel about the nukes that syria may try to develop and after that jordan , egypt and algeria, etc. Israel can never be safe just because it is sitting on a 200 nuke bombs in Dimona, the only guarantee for israel and the israelis is a just and durable peace and not the brutal force that israel has been relying uppon for its very existance.Wise men and women should exert whatever pressure they can so that the israeli leaders seek the required peace for all.

  • 28. 0 0
    Bad Guys
    • Kanwal
    • 06.04.10
    • 20:04

    From your logic the bad guys would seem to be Israel for their Cast Lead war in Gaza where they attacked civilian installations, used children as shields and used white phosphorus sheels on civilians. What Iran has said you are interpretting, what Israel did we all saw.

  • 27. 0 0
    # 18 Abu Yusuf
    • ben
    • 06.04.10
    • 19:45

    Israel also denies the Armenian genocide and works verry hard at it . Simply Google " Israel Turkey and the politics of genocide"

  • 26. 0 0
    The inmates run the Asylum
    • Scott L. Havsy
    • 06.04.10
    • 19:42

    With the nut cases in Iran and the US (Obama who now realizes Iran has a nuclear program)... it is more important than ever that Iran is neutralized and not be allowed to acquire nukles (they probabaly have them already). Attack first or bear the consequences.

  • 25. 0 0
    NPT not a "joke" until Japan, South Korea, Taiwan go Nuke
    • Voice of Reason
    • 06.04.10
    • 19:31

    As usual, both pro and anti-israeli posters exagerate the importance of the middle east. After all, mideast moslems have been killing each other and acting like the proverbial crabs in a bucket for a thousand years. Adding israel to the mix complicated, but didn't change the fundamental issue. It is not the mideast, but the East Asia that will determine the future of the world, and it is this region where nuclear non-proliferation is so critical. If the North Korean nuke weapons cause China's neighbors (particularly Taiwan) to leave the NPT and/or go Nuke, all hell will break lose.

  • 24. 0 0
    RE: How silly! (#9)
    • Moshe
    • 06.04.10
    • 19:16

    Posted: "Iran knows Israel has no intention of attacking Iran. Israel is not going to cause their own destruction." If you knew first hand our Israeli politicians, specifically Netanyahu, the Likud and the psychotic right wing religious parties, you would not have posted what you posted. Netanyahu, the Likud and the psychotic right wing religious party leaders are crazier than any Iranian leader has ever been. Given the chance they would do anything withour thinking of the consequences, because they are all blinded by hatred and religious brainwashing.

  • 23. 0 0
    NPT treaty and Israel
    • DP
    • 06.04.10
    • 18:28

    Iran got assistance because it signed the NPT? Israel didn't sign the NPT and got assistance from France to build Dimona. Besides, Israel accusing Iran for not keeping treaties is like the kettle calling the pot black. Israel never complied with anything it signed!

  • 22. 0 0
    Ahmadinejad - to Neutered observer
    • Actual Quotes
    • 06.04.10
    • 18:24

    Neutered Observer, I see you might have read some UN speeches but it seems you are misinformed. How can a man who denies the most documented factual events existence be well reasoned. Below are some REAL quotes. "As the Imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map." Some do dispute the transalation of this quote and say he actually said: "The Imam said this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time" Also: "Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of Islamic nations fury."

  • 21. 0 0
    Iran is Asking Israel to wipe her out
    • Dave Schwep
    • 06.04.10
    • 18:23

    Iran is therefore asking for Israel to entirely destroy All her military and leadership. May Israel grant Iran her wish. As Iran has defied Israel so let that demise come upon Iran.

  • 20. 0 0
    Want to keep Middle East Nuke free?
    • DP
    • 06.04.10
    • 18:22

    Want to keep the Middle East Nuke-Free? Start with Israel!

  • 19. 0 0
    Mr. Erdogan has done nothing right.
    • Abu Yusuf
    • 06.04.10
    • 18:00

    Question: What productive action Mr. Erdogan took to prevent Iran from making the bomb and bring destruction to the ME? Answer: no action at all. Erdogan is a man that lacks the courage to admit the Armenian massacre and on the other hand kissing a man (Ahmadinejad) and calling him "my dear friend" a man that denies the holocaust. He destroyed in short period the image of Turkey.

  • 18. 0 0
    Difference
    • Himushnik
    • 06.04.10
    • 17:54

    The big difference is that Israel would strike Military targets and that Iran would strike civilian targets. That should tell you a bit about who the good guys and the bad guys are in this story.

  • 17. 0 0
    Nattalie is right, but there could be a treaty;
    • Mikael
    • 06.04.10
    • 17:37

    If Israel would give up its nuclear weaponry, Iran might strike a deal together with the rest of ME. It would be a Win-Win deal. Think about it! It would give Hans Blix and his crew a lot of work to.

  • 16. 0 0
    Iranian missiles
    • MR
    • 06.04.10
    • 17:27

    "the dust from explosions by Iranian missiles will rise in Tel Aviv even as their missile is still in the air" Interesting. The man is saying that their missiles would be launched from somewhere very near. Thanks for the tip, dude!

  • 15. 0 0
    Here's the dividend you reap from your stunt
    • MIKE
    • 06.04.10
    • 17:19

    I guess that idiotic stunt where you humiliated the Turkish ambassador did not pay off.

  • 14. 0 0
    The NPT is a joke. It has been completely invalidated
    • Natallie Durson
    • 06.04.10
    • 14:54

    The NPT was put forward by the five nuclear powers and was meant to be a measure to keep other nations from developing nukes. It didn't work. Now that North Korea, India, Pakistan, and Israel all have nukes and are all outside the NPT umbrella, there is no reason for the NPT to exist. There is no penalty for not signing. There is no penalty for dropping out. Israelis are obsessed with bolstering their arguments by antiquated and outdated documentation. The NPT is one example. Other that I have seen Israelis use (seriously!) are the Balfour letter and the League of Nations Charter! NOTE TO ISRAEL: When you appear so desperate, it looks as if you have no case.

  • 13. 0 0
    President Obama willing to live with iran nukes
    • Paul Freedman
    • 06.04.10
    • 14:54

    President Obama has indicated in the New York Times that Iranian with nuclear weapons is "inevitable"--so he himself has no plans to use military force to prevent that inevitability his own intended inaction helps to make inevitable in the first place. It is up to Israel but without a preemptive tactical low-yield (20 kiliton) attack on key facilities, an Israeli conventional attack seems bound to fail. Apparently, however, for the American President, the inevitability of Jewish housing in Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem--well, that's something to be upset about.

  • 12. 0 0
    One minutes!
    • Salieri
    • 06.04.10
    • 14:38

    Mr. Erdogan and his graceful wife are the symbols of the modern era's Turkish republic.

  • 11. 0 0
    Erdogan going backwards
    • Richard
    • 06.04.10
    • 14:34

    What a pity Erdogan is pulling his wonderful country back into the dark ages. Turkey's future lies in looking to the west.

  • 10. 0 0
    What Ahmadinejad REALLY says
    • Neutered Observer
    • 06.04.10
    • 14:33

    I have actaully read the speeches that the Iranian President makes each year at the UN. Am I the only one who actually bothers? The interview he gave to the Spanish Newspaper "El Pais" a couple of years ago was also extremely interesting. His analysis of the present situation in the region is penetrating and well reasoned. He is not fond of Israel or the US.............. but what he famously said was that Israel in its present form would selfdestruct...........not that Iran was planning to do the job for them! Hearsay can be very dangerous stuff! Specially in a volatile place like the Middle East

  • 9. 0 0
    How silly!
    • John the American
    • 06.04.10
    • 14:25

    Iran knows Israel has no intention of attacking Iran. Israel is not going to cause their own destruction.

  • 8. 0 0
    During hezbollah war Iran said hez could fire 600 rocket at TA
    • jason
    • 06.04.10
    • 14:18

    Iran was threatening that if they decided they could send 600 rockets a day at tel aviv.

  • 7. 0 0
    The end...
    • Sarah
    • 06.04.10
    • 13:59

    ... of the modern Turkey has come. It is just like any other fanatic, religious Middle Eastern country... byby Bosphorus!

  • 6. 0 0
    Mr. Dissen
    • John
    • 06.04.10
    • 13:01

    Israel stands in violation of several provisions of the UN Resolution that created Israel.

  • 5. 0 0
    #4 = Mr. Binyamin Israhell
    • Bangboy
    • 06.04.10
    • 12:56

    #4 = Mr. Binyamin Israhell, so according to you, israhell can keep, build, intimidate and destroy all middle east, now you are daunted by Iranian one? Wait for little while to take lesson from them. better you pack up your luggage and leave the area, go to your kazaristan in russia which is a safe place for you or the USA.

  • 4. 0 0
    Moslem Iran is a signatory to the NPT
    • Binyamin Dissen
    • 06.04.10
    • 12:21

    And by signing it got assistance . Thus she is obligated to keep it. Israel never signed it. Thus she is not obligated to keep it. One wonders about the biases of those that have no problems releasing Moslems from the treaties that they have signed while insisting that Jews observe treaties that they never agreed to.

  • 3. 0 0
    dear sweetheart BIBI......
    • assaf
    • 06.04.10
    • 12:04

    keep israel and its people safe from hundreds of israeli nuclear devices before doom looms over israel and israelis ,and stop threatening iran with stupid threats if you really care about the future of israel and jews in the region .

  • 2. 0 0
    turk PM
    • jake
    • 06.04.10
    • 11:50

    Looks like the turks have given precedence to their own interests over the current wave of sanctionitis stupidity. And that "dear friend" is just sooo endearing.

  • 1. 0 0
    Keep Middle East Nuke free
    • John Swanston
    • 06.04.10
    • 11:41

    The focus suggested by the Turkish PM is correct. Iran has as much right to have nukes as Israel does.... and for the same reason. ... ultimate protection ... which would tragically translate into ultimate destruction for both Israel and Iran. Therefore to develop the demand for a nuke free Middle East places both Israel and Iran under the equal and more honest frame of reference.