Iran: We'll hit Tel Aviv if attacked
Iranian cleric says ballistic missiles would be fired at heart of Tel Aviv should Israel strike Islamic republic; Iran army official charges Russian delay in supplying advanced missile system to Tehran result of pressure by 'Zionist lobby'
Iran's military said it will begin large-scale air defense drills on Sunday, and a cleric in the Revolutionary Guards warned that the Islamic Republic would fire missiles at "the heart of Tel Aviv" if attacked.
"If the enemy should want to test its bad luck in Iran, before the dust from its missiles settles in this country, Iran's ballistic missiles would land in the heart of Tel Aviv," said cleric Mojtaba Zolnour, IRNA news agency reported.
The war games, due to last five days, are intended to help protect Iran's nuclear facilities, Iranian media reported, citing Brigadier General Ahmad Mighani.
Mighani also suggested Iran could itself produce an advanced missile defense system which Russia has so far failed to deliver to the Islamic state and which Washington and Israel do not want Tehran to have.
'Zionist pressure'
Iran believes Russia's delay in supplying high-grade S-300 missiles is due to pressure by Israel, not technical problems as cited by Moscow, Mighani said.
"They have declared technical problems as the underlying reason for this delay, but we think it has been due to the Zionists' pressure," Mighani said, Fars reported. "We are hopeful the Russians will ignore the pressure of the Zionist lobby."
A senior lawmaker, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, earlier this month also said Iran would be able to produce the S-300 system itself, appearing to refer to missiles with similar capabilities.
The United States and Israel have not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to resolve the row over Iranian nuclear work that the West suspects is aimed at making bombs. Iran, which says its nuclear program is solely to generate electricity, has threatened to hit back at Israel and US bases in the Gulf if it is attacked.
