TEHRAN - Iran's influential former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Friday warned that Israel would face an unprecedented response if it made any new move to attack Lebanon.
"Don't think that the Lebanese issue is over. The Israelis, because of their shortcomings, are still threatening sometimes, especially the military and the ruling party," he said in reference to the Kadima party of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
"So they (the Israelis) must be very careful not to put fuel on the flames," Rafsanjani, now head of the Expediency Council, Iran's top political arbitration body, told worshippers at Friday prayers.
"But rest assured that any new movement (from Israel) will receive an answer that they have not received before," he added.
Iran insists that its support for Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militant group that resisted Israel's advance during its 33-day offensive is only moral in nature and rejects allegations it funds or arms the militants.
However Iran loudly applauded Hezbollah's performance against the Israeli army and declared public transport in the capital free for a day in celebration.
09/22/2006 10:42 GMT