Region | Iran

Ahmadinejad dismisses US, Israel threats

Iran's president said Tuesday that he does not see the possibility of a war with the United States or Israel, dismissing military threats by the two countries as a "funny joke."

  • AP
  • Published: 17:58 July 8, 2008
  • Gulf News

Kuala Lumpur: Iran's president said Tuesday that he does not see the possibility of a war with the United States or Israel, dismissing military threats by the two countries as a "funny joke."

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also called for confidence-building by the next US administration, saying it should make up for the "domineering hegemony" of President George W. Bush and rebuild America's reputation in the eyes of the world.

"Today, the government of the United States is on the threshold of bankruptcy - from political to economic," Ahmadinejad said in his typical combative style as he defended Iran's right to have a nuclear program, which is at the heart of its dispute with the West.

He was addressing a news conference during a visit to Malaysia for a summit of developing Muslim nations.

Ahmadinejad said Israel and USA were "focusing on propaganda and psychological war."

"Before, it would be considered as a serious issue," he said. But Iranians are so used to the threats that they now treat it as a "very funny show. ... These type of wars are considered as a funny joke."

He added, "I assure you that there won't be any war in the future."

The comments serve to temper earlier reports from Iran that the elite Revolutionary Guards have begun a military exercise involving "missile squads" and have issued a warning that Israel and US naval forces would be prime targets if Iran is attacked.

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