Iran would destroy Israel and 32 US military bases in the Middle East if the Islamic Republic was attacked over its disputed nuclear program, a senior Iranian official was quoted as saying on Saturday. The Islamic Republic and Israel have been embroiled in an escalating war of words in recent weeks, increasing speculation of military confrontation and helping to send global oil prices to record highs. Iranian missile tests this week further stoked tension and rattled financial markets. “The US knows full well that with the smallest move against Iran, Israel and 32 US military bases in the region would not be out of the reach of our missiles and would be destroyed,” the semi-official Fars News Agency quoted Mojtaba Zolnour as saying in a speech. Zolnour is the deputy of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's representative in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards. Israel staged an air force exercise last month that sparked speculation about a possible assault on Iranian nuclear sites. Israel, long assumed to have its own atomic arsenal, has sworn to prevent Iran from emerging as a nuclear-armed power. Washington has said it wants diplomacy to end the row but has not ruled out military action should that fail. Iran, the world's fourth largest oil exporter, has vowed to strike back at Israel, US interests and shipping in the region if it is attacked, threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, conduit for about 40 percent of globally traded oil. On Wednesday, Iran said it tested nine long- and medium-range missiles, including one which it says could reach Israel and US bases. Some US facilities across the Gulf are little more than 200 km from Iran's coast. The United States has air and naval bases in nearby Arab states, including Qatar and Bahrain. “Today the enemies know that they lack the power to confront Iran's missile attacks,” ISNA news agency quoted Zolnour as saying. In Jerusalem, Arye Mekel, Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesman, declined to comment on Zolnour's remarks. Tehran says its nuclear projects are aimed only at generating electricity. Western nations and Israel fear the Islamic Republic is seeking to build bombs. Analysts say any US or Israeli attack on Iran would be limited to air strikes, rather than a full-scale offensive with US ground forces, which are tied down in Iraq and Afghanistan. They say Iran could also respond with unconventional tactics, such as deploying small craft to hit ships, or using allies in the area to strike at US or Israeli interests.
