*ANKARA: Iran could destroy Israel so Tel Aviv should avoid any stupidmeasures against the Islamic Republic, the supreme leader’s representativeto the Quds force said on Thursday according to the semi-official Fars newsagency.*

“If Israel wants to continue its treacherous existence … it should avoidstupid measures. If they give excuses to Iran, Tel Aviv and Haifa will bedestroyed,” Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s representative at theQuds force cleric Ali Shirazi was quoted by Fars as saying. “Iran candestroy Israel.”

The Quds Force is the espionage and paramilitary wing, in charge ofoverseas operations, of the elite Revolutionary Guards.

Fars said Shirazi made the comments in response to Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu’s Wednesday speech at Israel’s annual Holocaust commemorationswhen he called for action against Iran.

The United States has threatened air strikes against Syria over the use ofchemical weapons that Syria and its allies Iran and Russia deny.