Iran to eliminate Israel if it attacks

Tehran: Iran will eliminate Israel from "the scene of the universe" if it launches a military attack on the Islamic state, a senior army commander was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Deputy Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Reza Ashtiani was echoing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who said Israel should be wiped off the map.

"If Israel wants to take any action against the Islamic republic, we will eliminate Israel from the scene of the universe," Iran's Mehr news agency quoted Ashtiani as saying.