BE AFRAID, VERY AFRAID

"Iran's foreign minister said on Sunday he did not believe Israel was in a position to attack his country over its nuclear programme, while an Iranian general announced plans to prepare 320,000 graves for enemy soldiers. The comments were the latest in an escalating war of words between the arch-foes that have helped fuel speculation of a possible Israeli attack on Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil exporter, helping push oil prices to record highs. Speculation has risen since a U.S. newspaper reported this month that Israel had practiced a strike against the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities, which the West suspects form part of a covert weapons programme." (Yahoo News, 29 June) RD