Ahmadinejad warns Israel

DOHA, Qatar, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- An Israeli-U.S. attack on Iran would bring about the destruction of Israel, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said during a visit to Qatar.

"The U.S. and the Zionist entity will not be able to hit Iran right now. This is a wish. ... Any Israeli attack against Iran means the elimination of the Zionist entity from the world map," the Iranian president told a news conference in Doha Sunday, Arabnews.com reported Monday.

"The Zionist entity and the U.S. government would hit any country in the region whenever they are able to do so, and they will not wait to get permission. But (at the moment) they cannot," the Gulf Daily News Web site quoted the Iranian president as saying.

"Iran has the ability to retaliate, strong and hard," he warned.

"There will be no war against Iran. What could take place is a psychological war."

Ahmadinejad met with Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, and other Qatari officials, and attended a conference in Doha, Gulf Daily News said.