WASHINGTON, Feb 12: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that the likelihood of a US attack on his country is “very low,” but that any attack against Iran would be “severely punished.” Ahmadinejad, whose country has been accused of stoking sectarian violence in Iraq, told ABC television that he did not fear an attack from the United States.

“Fear? Why should we be afraid? First, the possibility is very low,” he said.

But he added: “Our nation has made it clear that anyone who wants to attack our country will be severely punished.” The Iranian leader said instability in Iraq would hurt all countries in the region, and called for the withdrawal of US and other foreign forces from Iraq as the only way to ensure peace there.

“We shy away from any kind of conflict, any kind of bloodshed,” the Iranian leader said. “That's why we're opposed to the presence of Americans.” Ahmadinejad added: “We tell them to leave the country and any other foreigner should leave the country.” “There should be none in Iraq, and you see, we will have peace in Iraq.” The Iranian leader, however, sidestepped US accusations that Iran is supplying potent weapons to insurgents in Iraq.

On Sunday, senior US officials showed journalists in Baghdad what they said was proof that Iranian agents have smuggled weapons to Iraq, including “explosively formed penetrators,” a form of roadside bomb.

“Iran is involved in supplying explosively formed projectiles and other material to Iraqi extremist groups,” a senior official in the multinational coalition told journalists on condition of anonymity.

Asked on ABC, though, Ahmadinejad demanded more proof.

“The US administration and Bush are used to accusing others. The fact that you are showing us some pieces of paper, and you call them documents, they do not solve problems. There should be a court to prove the case and to verify the case.

“The position of our government is, as I told you, and the position of the Revolutionary Guards is also the same -- we are opposed to any kind of conflict in Iraq. We do not want to have the presence of armed forces in Iraq -- foreign armed forces. We would like to have stability in Iraq.” Ahmadinejad avoided a question on whether the Iran is training insurgents in Iraq.

“The conflict in Iraq is not (under) our control. It is controlled by the Americans. I think that Americans should change their behaviour so the conflict will end.” “Iraq has got its own constitution, its own parliament. A democratically elected government. I think they should be in charge,” he said.—AFP