Any Israeli attack will be seen as US attack: Iran

New York, Oct 6 (PTI) Symbolising Israel as a signature
mark of the United States in the middle east, Iran's foreign
minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said that any offensive action
by Tel Aviv would be seen as an attack by Washington.

Iran does not believe that Israelis or Americans will
attack its nuclear facilities but any attack by Tel Aviv would
be considered an attack by Washington, Mottaki said.

"In the Middle East, (no one) makes a distinction between
the U.S. and Israel," the minister told Newsweek in an
interview.

Asked why his country is calling for wiping out Israel
from the map of the earth, Mottaki said Tehran does not
recognise Israel.

Reiterating to continue its uranium enrichment programme,
he said "What we are doing is completely legal," emphasising
that negotiations are the only way to arrive at mutually
acceptable solution to the issue.

Mottaki, however, welcomed the Bush administration's
decision to send its Under Secretary William Burns to attend
recent talks between Tehran and European Union on nuclear
issue saying as "the first realistic step" by Washington.

"We welcomed the participation by Mr Burns in the Geneva
talks. We feel that if this is the realistic approach taken by
the U.S. right now vis-à-vis the nuclear issue, they must
continue with such efforts," he added.

Previously, Mottaki said the U.S. administration attached
certain provisos to their presence in the talks.

Burns' "presence in Geneva meant that those were no
longer in play. An effort has started and if it is to succeed
in resolving the nuclear issue, we have to take it to the next
step," he added.

Asked about Iran shutting down the Strait of Hormuz in the
event of attack on its nuclear facilities, Mottaki said
American and Israeli official express "military comments" and
take military positions. "Naturally, they will get military
response."

The U.N. Security Council resolution imposing limited
sanctions on his country to force it to abandon its uranium
enrichment programme are "unlawful and illegal," Mottaki said
responding to another question.

"Last year we responded to all the questions that were
given to us by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Later,
it became quite clear that the questions were given to the
agency by the Americans. After we were through with one set of
questions, the Americans came back with new claims that they
gave the agency to look into," he said.

Criticising American charges that Iran is pressurising on
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki against signing the Status
of Forces Agreement governing the presence of American troops,
Mottaki said whenever the U.S. fails in imposing its policies,
it blames Tehran.

Asked whether Iran opposed the agreement, the foreign
minister said it is for the people of Iraq to decide. "At the
end of the day, the points of view and wishes of the (local)
people have to be respected."

He said Iran wants stability for Iraq and Afghanistan and
wants the two countries to be handed over to their elected
governments.

The United States, he said, need to "fundamentally
change" its policies as it has failed to achieve its goals
during the last six or seven years in both the countries.

"We are saying that the American administration needs to
take a correct set of decisions and one of those decisions has
to do with [setting] a timetable for pulling out the troops,"
he added.

Asked whether Senator Barack Obama would be better for
Iran since he has called for a withdrawal from Iraq, Mottaki
said whosoever becomes president will have to bring about
fundamental changes in U.S. policy regarding its relations
with different parts of the world, including the Middle East.

To a question whether U.S. attack on Iraq has helped Iran
to increase its influence, Mottaki said, "the difference
between us and some others is that they like to interpret
everything through a lens of might and power. What we like to
do is to look at issues through the perspective of justice and
our principled ideas and positions. We feel that perceived
power in today's world cannot be the only device utilised in
playing a role and being influential."

"The American military might has not become weakened.
What is lacking on the side of the American administration has
to do with their logic. They have failed to persuade the
international public opinion to see matters through their
perspective," he added.