AYATOLLAH

Iran has predicted that Palestinians groups will destroy Israel.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Hamas and others who are fighting Israel will be "victorious".

Iranian leader was in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for Pilgrimage when he made the declaration.

Hamas, founded in 1987, is a popular Palestinian political party in the occupied terrotories.

Hamas is now backed by Shi'ite Iran after Sunni Arab leaders abandoned the organisation in 2005 under US pressure.

US know Iran is too hard to beat, claims Iran.

Iran is too "difficult" for America to beat, says former Iranian leader.

Ayatollah Rafsanjani said Iran is not a walk in the park for United States. That is why it is scared to take on the Iranian nation.

Former President of Iran, Ayatollah Rafsanjani who now heads Iranian security body, said Washington better change its "attitude" towards Iran. All attempts against Iran have been a failure for United States, he said.

The Lebanese guerilla group, Hezbollah, has said that it will not let any American "puppet" to be installed in the country.

Harsh declaration by Hezbollah ["Party of God"] came after President Bush said that US allies in Beirut should move to elect their own leader without the consent of the Lebanese people.

Condemning US for trying to put a friendly regime in Lebanon, Hezbollah said Bush's orders will not be followed in Beirut.

Deputy Guerilla Chief, Naeem Kasim, warned the United States that "orders" from Washginton "will not be obeyed" in Lebanon.

The Lebanese group blasted US President Bush for interference in Lebanon's affairs. Hezbollah deputy leader said America still thinks it can reverse the humiliation of last year's defeat of its ally Israel at the hands of Hezbollah fighters.

Kasim was referrring to Hezbollah-Israeli war of summer 2006. Israeli forces fought to recover two of its kidnapped soldiers. It failed only after 30 days. Top Israeli miliatry commanders were forced to resign after Hezbollah declared "strategic victory". Its leader Hassan Nasrallah claimed his men had defeated Israel militarily, and US politically, in what he called battle for the Middle East.