WarSclerotic

Washington, 9 December (WashingtonTV)—Iran’s Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said on Wednesday that Iran would strike Israeli weapons manufacturing sites and nuclear installations if Israel attacked the Islamic Republic.

Vahidi, who is in Damascus on an official visit, said that Israeli officials know that they are unable to carry out any of their threats against Iran.

Israel, believed to be the only nuclear-armed Middle East state, has not ruled out a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapons capability.

“Iran’s armed forces are fully prepared to defend and Iran’s first response would be to attack this regime’s [Israel] centers that produce chemical, biological and dirty weapons and banned nuclear weapons,” Vahidi told reporters, according to the official IRNA news agency.

The defense minister said that threats by Israeli officials were aimed partly at gaining approval for an increased military budget.

Israeli officials “are well informed of their incapability to carry out any threat against Iran and Iran’s strong response,” said Vahidi.

Iran has repeatedly dismissed Israel’s military threats, and has warned it would retaliate if attacked. Iranian defense officials have said Iranian missiles can reach Israel.

Vahidi, who arrived in Damascus on Tuesday night, is expected to meet Syrian political and military officials during his three-day visit, reports the semi-official ISNA news agency.

He told reporters that the two sides would discuss ways to develop bilateral defense cooperation.