Iran, Israel row reaches new phase with words of ‘WW III’

TEHRAN

This Sept 21 file photo shows Iranian soldiers at the annual military parade marking the Iraqi invasion in 1980, which led to a devastating eight-year war in Tehran. EPA photo

Israeli strike on Iran “would turn into World War III,” a senior Revolutionary Guards commander warns a day after the head of Guards said the Israeli war on Iran “will eventually happen.”

Iran could launch a pre-emptive strike if Israel prepares to attack it, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh told broadcaster Al-Alam on yesterday. Should Israel and Iran engage militarily, “nothing is predictable... and it will turn into World War III,” Hajizadeh said.

Hajizadeh, who is in charge of Revolutionary Guards missile systems, said: “In circumstances in which they (the Israelis) have prepared everything for an attack, it is possible that we will make a pre-emptive attack. But we do not see this at the moment.” He added that Iran would deem any Israeli strike to be conducted with U.S. authorization, so “whether the Zionist regime attacks with or without US knowledge, then we will definitely attack U.S. bases in Bahrain, Qatar and Afghanistan.”

He warned that Israel “cannot imagine our response, and it will sustain heavy damage and that will be a prelude to its obliteration.”

Ahmadinejad to speak at UN

As speculation mounts that Israel could launch air strikes on Iran before U.S. elections in November, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Ali Jafari told on Sept. 22 that Israel will eventually go beyond threats and will attack Iran. “Right now they see war as the only method of confrontation,” he said.

“A war will occur, but it’s not clear where or when it will be,” Jafari was quoted as saying on Sept. 22. “Israel seeks war with us, but it’s not clear when the war will occur.”

Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad joins the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Ahmadinejad will speak to the assembly on Sept. 26, when a new walkout is predicted if the Iranian leader repeats one of his accusing remarks about Israel.

Complied from AFP and Reuters stories by the Daily News staff.