MOSCOW, April 3. /TASS/. Israel is always ready and preparing for a potential direct military conflict with Iran, Israeli Ambassador to Russia Simona Halperin said.

"Israel is always ready and preparing," she said at a news conference in response to a question from TASS whether Israel believes there is a chance of a direct military clash with Iran and whether it is ready for it.

The ambassador also addressed the possibility of Iran's response to a strike on its consulate in Damascus, saying that Israel is ready for anything.

"One must always be ready to defend oneself," she said.

Halperin added that Israel's history "proves that when it is threatened with annihilation, one must take it seriously and be ready."