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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Iran 'does not fear attack by US' | Iran 'does not fear attack by US' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said his country does not fear the US military and that any attack would be "severely punished". | Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said his country does not fear the US military and that any attack would be "severely punished". |
| Mr Ahmadinejad made the comments in a rare US television interview on Monday. | Mr Ahmadinejad made the comments in a rare US television interview on Monday. |
| He was speaking after US officials said they had evidence Iran was providing weapons to Shia militias in Iraq who were attacking the US military. | He was speaking after US officials said they had evidence Iran was providing weapons to Shia militias in Iraq who were attacking the US military. |
| Mr Ahmadinejad said Iran "shied away from all conflict" and that no peace would come with foreign troops in Iraq. | Mr Ahmadinejad said Iran "shied away from all conflict" and that no peace would come with foreign troops in Iraq. |
| 'Baseless propaganda' | 'Baseless propaganda' |
| In the interview with ABC Television in Tehran, Mr Ahmadinejad was asked if he feared a US military attack. | In the interview with ABC Television in Tehran, Mr Ahmadinejad was asked if he feared a US military attack. |
| "Fear? Why should we be afraid?" he asked. | "Fear? Why should we be afraid?" he asked. |
| Mr Ahmadinejad said he thought the possibility of such an attack was "very low". | Mr Ahmadinejad said he thought the possibility of such an attack was "very low". |
| The US is following another policy, trying to hide its defeats and failures and that's why it is pointing its fingers to others Mahmoud Ahmadinejad class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6355507.stm">Ahmadinejad excerpts | |
| "We believe there are wise people in the US who will stop such illegal actions," he said. | "We believe there are wise people in the US who will stop such illegal actions," he said. |
| "Anyone who wants to attack our country will be severely punished." | "Anyone who wants to attack our country will be severely punished." |
| The Bush administration denies it is planning to invade Iran but has indicated it is willing to use military force to deal with any Iranian interference inside Iraq. | The Bush administration denies it is planning to invade Iran but has indicated it is willing to use military force to deal with any Iranian interference inside Iraq. |
| Mr Ahmadinejad was asked repeatedly about Iran supplying weapons to Shia militias. | Mr Ahmadinejad was asked repeatedly about Iran supplying weapons to Shia militias. |
| He said the accusations were "excuses to prolong the stay" of US forces and that they would need a "court to prove the case". | He said the accusations were "excuses to prolong the stay" of US forces and that they would need a "court to prove the case". |
| We assess that these activities are coming from the senior levels of the Iranian government US official In pictures: US Iran evidence US claims: Why now? Send us your comments | We assess that these activities are coming from the senior levels of the Iranian government US official In pictures: US Iran evidence US claims: Why now? Send us your comments |
| "The US is following another policy, trying to hide its defeats and failures and that's why it is pointing its fingers to others," Mr Ahmadinejad said. | "The US is following another policy, trying to hide its defeats and failures and that's why it is pointing its fingers to others," Mr Ahmadinejad said. |
| "There should be no foreigners in Iraq. And then you see that you have peace in Iraq," he said. | "There should be no foreigners in Iraq. And then you see that you have peace in Iraq," he said. |
| Earlier Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini had called the US allegations baseless propaganda. | Earlier Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini had called the US allegations baseless propaganda. |
| He said Washington had a long history of fabricating evidence. | He said Washington had a long history of fabricating evidence. |
| In the US, some Democrats also expressed concerns about levelling such accusations against Tehran. | In the US, some Democrats also expressed concerns about levelling such accusations against Tehran. |
| Democratic Senator Chris Dodd said the Bush administration had tried to falsify evidence before, and it would be a mistake to create a premise for future military action. | Democratic Senator Chris Dodd said the Bush administration had tried to falsify evidence before, and it would be a mistake to create a premise for future military action. |
| On Monday, White House spokesman Tony Snow reiterated that the administration believed the weaponry was coming directly with Iranian government approval. | On Monday, White House spokesman Tony Snow reiterated that the administration believed the weaponry was coming directly with Iranian government approval. |
| And a spokesman for UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "We keep finding the weaponry which we don't believe to be sourced from anywhere else." | And a spokesman for UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "We keep finding the weaponry which we don't believe to be sourced from anywhere else." |