Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday that the threat of a U.S. or Israeli military strike against Iran was no longer an issue because "they don't have the courage" to attack Iran."The age of military attacks is over, now we've reached the time for dialogue and understanding. Weapons and threats are a thing of the past," the Iranian president said at a joint press conference with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, closing his one-day visit.
Iran's leader got a welcoming bear hug from the Brazilian president, who urged Western nations to drop threats of punishment over the Iranian nuclear program and instead negotiate a fair solution.
Fielding a question on whether he feared an attack from Israel or the U.S., Ahmadinejad said a military strike was no longer a possibility.
That's clear "even for mentally challenged people," he said with a smile, AFP reported.
Besides, he added, "those you mention [Israel and the U.S.] don't have the courage to attack Iran. They're not even thinking about it."
The Iranian and Brazilian presidents didn't say whether they discussed Iranian military exercises that started Sunday, adding to Mideast tensions and driving oil prices higher as an Iranian air force commander boasted Iran could deter any military strike by Israel.
Ahmadinejad didn't utter the word Israel during his comments, but said Iran wants a Middle East with "prosperity, progress and security for all nations." In the past, he has called for the destruction of Israel, which has voiced concern about Iran's push in Latin America.
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