Iran will defend itself if attacked: Ahmadinejad

TEHRAN, Sept. 24 (MNA) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a U.S. television interview that Iran will defend itself if attacked by Israel, Bloomberg reported. Ahmadinejad has visited New York to attend the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting. “The response of Iran is quite clear, I don’t even need to explain that,” Ahmadinejad said in an interview with CNN, according to a transcript. “Any nation has the right and will indeed defend herself.” “The Zionists are very much, very adventuresome, very much seeking to fabricate things,” Ahmadinejad said, according to CNN. “I think they see themselves at the end of the line, and I do firmly believe that they seek to create new opportunities for themselves and their adventurous behaviors.” Ahmadinejad said in an interview with the Washington Post that Iran wants to continue negotiations with world powers over its nuclear program and does “not take very seriously” Israel’s threats. The president also said he doubts Americans want war with Iran. “I don’t believe so,” he said. “I believe the people of the U.S. are peace-loving people.” On an anti-Islam which mocks Prophet Muhammad (S), Ahmadinejad said, "Fundamentally, first of all, any action that is provocative, offends the religious thoughts and feelings of any people, we condemn." "Likewise, we condemn any type of extremism. Of course, what took place was ugly. Offending the Holy Prophet is quite ugly. This has very little or nothing to do with freedom and freedom of speech. This is the weakness of and the abuse of freedom, and in many places it is a crime. It shouldn't take place, and I do hope the day will come in which politicians will not seek to offend those whom others hold holy," Ahmadinejad said.