Iran's ambassador to the Netherlands has downplayed any Israeli strike against the country, saying Tel Aviv is not in a position to target Tehran.
"The Israelis are wise enough not to attack Iran, because they know the consequences of such an action and that Iran will give them a crushing response," Kazem Gharibabadi said in an interview with The Hague Center for Strategic Studies, Press TV reported.
The Iranian diplomat touched upon Israel's defeat against Lebanon's Hezbollah in the summer of 2006 as well as its failure in the Gaza war and said, "The Israeli regime was defeated against Hezbollah's small army. It also faced failure in the Gaza war. With respect to these facts, how can it wage a war against Iran?" he asked.
Gharibabadi dismissed as false the claims that Iran's peaceful nuclear program would spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East region, holding Tel Aviv responsible for any likely danger.
"The Israeli regime is the sole possessor of nuclear weapons in the region and is not a signatory to any international disarmament convention," the Iranian envoy noted.
Former US President Jimmy Carter has confirmed the existence of an Israeli nuclear arsenal, which he says includes between 200 to 300 warheads. Decades of recurrent reporting and aerial footage have also confirmed the possession.
Gharibabadi said the Islamic Republic is not in need of nuclear arms and such weapons have no place in Iran's doctrine.
The Iranian official described the West's stance on Iran's nuclear program as politically motivated.
"It is very surprising that they talk about an imaginary Iranian bomb, while more than 23,000 nuclear warheads are being stockpiled at their arsenals," he concluded.