AFP: Iran protested to the United Nations on Saturday over a warning by an Israeli minister that it faces attack over its contested nuclear programme, the official IRNA news agency reported.
TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran protested to the United Nations on Saturday over a warning by an Israeli minister that it faces attack over its contested nuclear programme, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The protest came in a letter from Iran's mission at the United Nations to the UN Security Council and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, it said.
"The Israeli regime has been emboldened by the Security Council's indifference and… in blatant violation of the principles of the United Nations continues to threaten Iran with force," the protest said.
It urged a "firm response" from the Security Council to the remarks from Israeli deputy prime minister Shaul Mofaz, who is also transport minister.
"If Iran continues its nuclear weapons programme, we will attack it," Mofaz had told the Yediot Aharonot daily.
"Other options are disappearing. The sanctions are not effective. There will be no alternative but to attack Iran in order to stop the Iranian nuclear programme," Mofaz said.
An Iranian-born former defence minister and armed forces chief of staff, Mofaz hopes to replace embattled Ehud Olmert as prime minister in the event that he is ousted by his centrist Kadima party.
Israel and its chief ally the United States accuse Iran of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon and have never ruled out a military strike against Tehran. But Iran insists it wants only peaceful nuclear energy.
