Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he is "not afraid" of an Israeli strike on Iran\’s nuclear programs in an interview with the television channel France 24 on Wednesday.
He said that only Israel wants to attack Iran, but that the West does not and if the "Zionist regime" does not "attack Iran, there is no problem."
Israeli officials have hinted at the possibility of an airstrike against Iran\’s nuclear program if ongoing negotiations between Iran and western powers do not lead to a deal which includes Iran ceasing all uranium enrichment.
Ahmadinejad hit back at demands that Iran cease enriching uranium to 20 percent, claiming that 20% enriched uranium was no more threatening than 3.5% enriched uranium.
He posed a question to the West as to why it was pressuring Iran about 20% enriched uranium when western nations already have the atom bomb. In that light Ahmadinejad asked "who is more dangerous," Iran or the West?
He noted that the West had started most of history\’s wars and that Iran should be complaining about the West\’s insults.
Ahmadinejad pointed out that Iran has a right under international law to enrich uranium to 20%, which benefits Iran separately from the issue of weapons. If any party wishes Iran "not to have the benefit" of 20% enriched uranium, "they must explain why," said Ahmadinejad.
Ahmadinejad also stated that Iran always can "inspire fear in its enemies" and knows how to deal with any threat.
Western powers have recently suggested that they may be willing to relax UN sponsored sanctions on Iran if Iran would stop enriching uranium to 20% and would hand over any uranium already enriched to that level.
The Iranian president refused to answer the question as to whether Iran would recognize Israel if the Palestinians and Israel\’s other Arab neighbors recognized it.
Avoiding the question, he merely responded that the issue should be decided by the Palestinian people.
Regarding Syria, he said that western governments should not interpret the events. "We know that they have their own interests and are against Syrian President Bashar Assad. We cannot trust them because their goal is to push him out of power," said the Iranian president.
He also denied sending any weapons to Syria in violation of sanctions.
Ahmadinejad denied that he suffered any political defeat in the recent Iranian elections, claiming that there were no political candidates specifically linked to him, despite media reports that his political allies were handily defeated by Supreme Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Kamenei\’s allies.