Italian FM: Iran attack catastrophic

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has warned Israel against any military attack on Iran, saying it would lead to a full-blown catastrophe for the whole world.

Frattini, who was in Israel on a four-day tour of the occupied Palestinian territories, sought to caution the Israeli government about the dire repercussions of any military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities as the Tel Aviv regime continues with its rhetorical attacks against Iran’s civilian nuclear work, IRNA reported on Thursday.

“Any Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear installations will have catastrophic consequences not only for Israel, but for the whole world as well,” said Frattini in an interview with Israel’s Channel 10 TV following his meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Defense Minister Ehud Barack.

Early in November, Netanyahu urged the US administration to intimidate Iran with a military action on the off chance that the Islamic Republic would submit to halting its civilian nuclear work under such pressure. The US, however, flatly rejected the suggestion.

The remarks come against the backdrop of the US and Israeli-led allegations that Iran may be pursuing a military diversion in its civilian nuclear program.

Tehran has fiercely denied such charges as entirely baseless and argues that as a long-term member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it has every right to utilize peaceful nuclear technology.

The Israeli regime, however, is widely believed to be the sole possessor of a nuclear arsenal in the Middle East with over 200 undeclared nuclear warheads.

The Italian foreign minister further called on the Israelis to steer clear of any possible military action against Iran, noting, “I will tell you that going to war [against Iran] would be catastrophic as the first target in this war would be Israel itself, and the entire world will be jeopardized as a result of such action”

The remarks come days after the Islamic Republic launched its largest nationwide air defense maneuvers aimed at upgrading the country’s defense capabilities in case of any foreign military attacks on its territory.

Iranian officials have repeatedly cautioned against any military action targeting anything within its territory, emphasizing that any such measure will trigger a rapid and rigorous response by the Islamic Republic that will encompass targets far beyond the immediate Middle East region.