Iran: Response to attack will come ‘like thunderbolt’

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Published time: June 03, 2012 15:32
Edited time: June 04, 2012 02:03

Any Israeli “misstep” against Iran will fall on their own heads “like a thunderbolt”, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei warns. His senior military adviser earlier reminded that all Israeli and US bases in ME are within reach of Iranian missiles.

­Ayatollah Khamenei’s words come as a response to Israel’s repeated calls to attack Iran on suspicion that it might be developing a nuclear weapon.  

"Any misstep they might take and any improper move they might commit will come down on themselves like a thunderbolt,” he warned in a speech marking the 23rd anniversary of the death of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Tel Aviv, which does not believe sanctions will stop Iran, reiterated its position after no agreement was reached between Tehran and P5+1 group in Baghdad on May 23-24.

To date Israel is the only country openly insisting on using military force to pressure Iran away from its suspected nuke program.

However, despite Israel’s ally the United States saying diplomacy is the primary way, it also repeatedly said that no options are “off the table”. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last week that the US is ready to do everything it can to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Khamenei also accused the West of telling lies about Iran and its nuclear activity to divert attention from their own economic problems.

“International political circles and media talk about the danger of a nuclear Iran, that a nuclear Iran is dangerous. I say that they lie. They are deceiving,” he said.

Khamenei’s words come shortly after his senior military adviser, Brigadier General Yahya Rahim-Safavi warned that in case of military aggression against Iran, “there is no spot in Israel that does not fall within the range of the Iranian missiles,” IRNA reported him as saying.

He added that all of the United States' bases in the Middle East are also within range of Iran's missiles, in case USA attacks Iran.

“The politicians and military men of the United States are well aware of the fact that all of their bases [in the region] are within the range of Iran's missiles; and in any case, the US military forces in the region are highly vulnerable,” he said, concluding that the Islamic Republic would inflict damage on aggressors proportionately and “prudently, which means we will inflict damage on them at the same level as they do [on us].”