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Following are excerpts from an interview with Secretary of the Iranian Supreme Council for National Security Ali Larijani, which was aired on Channel 2, Iranian TV on January 1, 2006,
Interviewer: These days, the subject of attacking the nuclear Iranian centers is being discussed in Western media. BBC Radio and the Voice of America constantly discuss this, saying that America has put this issue part of its agenda. FOX News also mentioned this today. Israel also says it is monitoring Iran's nuclear centers, and will strike them when the time comes. Are these reports meant only to improve their negotiating ability, by intimidating us into making some concessions, or is this really on their agenda?
Ali Larijani: As you said, the best interpretation, in my opinion, is that they want to conduct psychological warfare in order to influence our decisions, and lead us to some kind of suicide. The time for this kind of thing has long gone. Today one can clearly distinguish between a real threat and psychological warfare. Of course, our country needs to take certain issues seriously.
As for the Israelis and their declarations – if "Epsilon" exists, they will suffer a great loss. Israel is a very small country. It doesn't have the necessary width...
Interviewer: It has no strategic depth...
Ali Larijani: That's right. It is within our range. If it makes a wrong move in this issue, it will face a very vigorous response. Iran has prepared itself for this. There's no reason we should not have defensive capabilities. This would be a fatal mistake. I'm not trying to say whether they will do such a thing or not, but if they do, they will face a decisive response. They will get hurt. That's the way it should be. We have deterrent capabilities.
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