sexta-feira, 30 de abril de 2010

Tehran warns Israel against attack on Syria as arms tension mounts

Iranian vice-president declares solidarity with Damascus after Clinton intervenes in Middle East missile row

Ian Black, Middle East editor


Iran has pledged to "cut off Israel's feet" if it attacks Syria, fuelling tensions over one of the Middle East's most combustible flashpoints after the US publicly warned Damascus not to risk starting a war.
Mohammad Rida Rahimi, the Iranian vice-president, made the statement today at the end of a visit to Syria that was billed as underlining the strategic relationship between the two countries.
"We will stand alongside Syria against any [Israeli] threat," Rahimi said at a news conference with the Syrian prime minister, Mohammad Naji Otri. "If those who have violated Palestinian land try anything, we will cut off their feet," he promised.
The sabre-rattling followed a spate of US statements accusing Damascus and Tehran of arming the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah with sophisticated weapons that could threaten Israel.
On Thursday, the US secretary of state Hillary Clinton publicly warned President Bashar al-Assad of the risk of sparking a regional war if he is found to be supplying long-range Scud missiles to Hezbollah. Syria and Lebanon have both denied any shipments and accused Israel of raising tensions.
"Israel will pay a dear price if it attacks Lebanon," Lebanese president Michel Suleiman said. "Israel is eager to find reasons to destroy Lebanon."
Israeli military sources have hinted that Israel refrained from attacking arms convoys it detected entering Lebanon, preferring to use the information to pressure the US into taking action against Syria.
Clinton told the American Jewish Committee: "President Assad is making decisions that could mean war or peace for the region. We know he's hearing from Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas. It is crucial that he also hear directly from us so that the potential consequences of his actions are clear." Clinton said a nuclear-armed Iran would destabilise the region.
Hezbollah fought a month-long war with Israel in 2006 during which it fired more than 4,000 rockets. Israel estimates that it has since stockpiled more than 40,000 rockets, some of which could reach big cities such as Haifa and Tel Aviv.
Clinton's speech is the Obama administration's latest effort to reassure Israel that its relationship with the US remains strong despite tensions over Jewish settlements and the revival of long-stalled Palestinian peace talks.
Middle East experts believe any Israeli attack on Iran could trigger retaliation by Hezbollah – thus the focus on the issue, in parallel with efforts to impose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.
The Guardian