[Khaleej Times] Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani issued a warning against the United States Monday after Vice President Joe Biden said Washington would not dictate the way Israel deals with Tehran's nuclear ambitions. "We will consider the Americans responsible in any adventure launched by the Zionist entity," Larijani told reporters during an official visit in Doha, referring to Israel."No politician or person in the world can imagine that the Zionist entity can lead an operation without getting the green light from the United States," said Larijani, Iran's former nuclear negotiator. He warned that Iran's response to an attack would be "decisive and painful".
Biden said in an television interview on Sunday that the United States would not stand in the way of Israel in its dealings with Iran's nuclear ambitions. "Israel can determine for itself -- it's a sovereign nation -- what's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else," Biden told ABC television.
"Whether we agree or not. They're entitled to do that... We cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do when they make a determination, if they make a determination, that they're existentially threatened."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not ruled out a possible military strike against Iran, insisting that Tehran must not obtain nuclear weapons. Iran denies that is wants to build an atomic bomb.
Larijani slammed Biden's comments as a "political manoeuvre. We have heard a lot of these words in the past. Biden, by saying that they (the United States) can't prevent such an operation, has taken the wrong route and revealed his card."
Asked about US calls for dialogue, Larijani said: "We want to work seriously. ... But on one side they tell us 'we want to resolve the problems and negotiate,' on another we hear what Mr. Biden says."