TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that any Israeli attack against Syria would be an aggression on the whole Islamic world and warned of a harsh reaction, the official Iranian news agency reported Friday.

“If the occupying regime of Jerusalem attacks Syria, it will equivalent to an attack on the whole Islamic world and the regime (Israel) will face a crushing response” Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

The agency said Ahmadinejad made the comments in a telephone call to Syrian President Bashar Assad to assure him of his support.