New York: Symbolising Israel as a signature mark of the United States in the middle east, Iran's foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said that any offensive action by Tel Aviv would be seen as an attack by Washington.

Iran does not believe that Israelis or Americans will attack its nuclear facilities but any attack by Tel Aviv would be considered an attack by Washington, Mottaki said.

"In the Middle East, (no one) makes a distinction between the US and Israel," the minister told Newsweek in an interview.

Asked why his country is calling for wiping out Israel from the map of the earth, Mottaki said Tehran does not recognise Israel.

Reiterating to continue its uranium enrichment programme, he said "What we are doing is completely legal," emphasising that negotiations are the only way to arrive at mutually acceptable solution to the issue.

Mottaki, however, welcomed the Bush administration s decision to send its Under Secretary William Burns to attend recent talks between Tehran and European Union on nuclear issue saying as "the first realistic step" by Washington.

"We welcomed the participation by Mr Burns in the Geneva talks. We feel that if this is the realistic approach taken by the US right now vis--vis the nuclear issue, they must continue with such efforts," he added.

Previously, Mottaki said the US administration attached certain provisos to their presence in the talks.

Burns "presence in Geneva meant that those were no longer in play. An effort has started and if it is to succeed in resolving the nuclear issue, we have to take it to the next step," he added.
Source : PTI