In a broadcast on the state-owned Israel Radio's Persian service, Ayalon
said the Iranian regime has sought to dominate the Middle East and other
areas. Ayalon also answered questions from Farsi-speaking callers during the
Aug. 23 broadcast.
"The Iranian regime spreads instability, supports terror, and oppresses
its own people," Ayalon said. "It is impossible to accept atomic weapons in
the hands of such a regime."
Officials said Ayalon was reflecting the assessment of the Israeli
intelligence community that IRGC has established a presence in Yemen as well
as
in neighboring Eritrea. They said IRGC was using the Believing Youth to
infiltrate neighboring Saudi Arabia, 10 percent of whose population is
Shi'ite.
"There's also a possibility that Iran will make a military move against
the Arab Gulf states and harm the flow of oil to the world, in which case
the entire situation will degrade into widespread confrontations," Ayalon
said.
Officials said Ayalon's address was meant to assure Iranians that Israel
was a friend and that the Teheran regime marked a regional threat. They said
Ayalon's broadcast was widely heard in Iran and the rest of the Gulf region.
"Israel bears no animosity towards the Iranian people," Ayalon said. "We
have deep respect and aspire to cooperate with them to bring about a better
reality in the region. The problem is intrinsic to the Iranian regime and
its conduct, particularly regarding the nuclear issue."