Iranian president Hassan Rouhani
Iranian president Hassan RouhaniAFP photo

Israel will not dare attack Iran, because it knows what the consequences will be, said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. In an interview with CNN, Rouhani said that an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities would be “crazy.”

Iran would agree not to enrich more uranium to levels that could be used for nuclear weapons, but it would not agree to relinquish any uranium it had already enriched, he said, addressing the recent discussions between Iran and Western countries. “It is part a part of our national pride, and nuclear technology has become indigenous,” Rouhani said. “And recently, we have managed to secure very considerable prowess with regards to the fabrication of centrifuges,” which the country would retain under any circumstances, he said.

"In the context of R&D and peaceful nuclear technology, we will not accept any limitations,” he said, adding that Iran was planning to use its nuclear facilities for medical purposes. “We are standing on our own two feet. Iranian scientists have designed this. We have constructed it. It's nearly finished. So when it comes to medical concerns, we cannot accept limitations.”

Rouhani dismissed the possibility that Israel would attack Iran's nuclear facilities. “Israel knows very well what the response would be. Israel knows well our regional capability,” he said. “When it comes to practice, the Israelis cannot do that. If they do such a crazy thing, our response will make them rue the day.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that a long-term deal with Iran on its nuclear program, as the West was trying to develop, was doomed to failure. Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that such deals with Iran “just won't work. Rouhani said he favored recognition of all countries of the Middle East, but he refused questions that referred to recognizing the State of Israel. In his speech he not only said that Iran will not dismantle (its centrifuges), but would not dismantle even one centrifuge. The meaning of this statement, if Iran stands by it,” Netanyahu added, “is that there is no agreement with Iran that can work.”