The Islamic Republic reserves the right to respond to recent Israeli “aggressions,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared on Monday, emphasizing that action will be taken “at an appropriate time and in a way we think is right.”
Speaking at a gathering of Islamic Revolution Guards Corps commanders, Araghchi stressed the importance of demonstrating strength. “What prevents war from happening is actually readiness for war,” he asserted, cautioning against showing any signs of fear in the face of threats.
Iran has already conducted two major direct attacks against Israel, launching nearly 500 missiles and drones against the Jewish state. The missile attacks, which were largely ineffective thanks to the Israeli and allied defense measures that intercepted the vast majority of the projectiles, including guided ballistic missiles, were codenamed “True Promise I” (on the night of April 13-14) and “True Promise II” (on Oct. 1) by Tehran.
Araghchi characterized these attacks as defensive reactions to Israel’s provocations. However, he made it clear that Iran considers Israel’s most recent aerial attack in October as warranting a separate response—a projected “Operation True Promise III.”
The timing and nature of Tehran’s retaliation remain uncertain. He emphasized that Iran would not make hasty decisions, saying, “The response must be given … and we should not allow the enemy to come to the conclusion that it will be able to hit Iran without receiving any reaction.”
Araghchi highlighted the importance of political deterrence alongside military preparedness, suggesting that building regional and international consensus against Israeli actions could create a “defensive shield.”
On Nov. 14, Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, threatened a “real and historical confrontation” with Israel, speaking at a military drill in Tehran. “Infidels” will share the fate of the Jews massacred by the prophet Muhammad in 628 C.E., he warned.
“We are standing face to face, and we will fight with you until the end—we will not allow you to dominate the fate of Muslims,” Salami said.
Meanwhile, Iran is pushing for diplomatic protection of its nuclear facilities from attacks.
Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, cited a 1990 International Atomic Energy Agency resolution prohibiting armed attacks on nuclear facilities “devoted to peaceful purposes.”
“This resolution is a clear rule that prohibits any threats against nuclear facilities,” Baghaei claimed, without including the phrase “peaceful purposes” in his statement.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz, said on Nov. 11 that Iran’s nuclear facilities are now more exposed following the October airstrikes. He suggested this vulnerability increases Israel’s ability to “thwart and remove the threat of annihilation” posed by Iran.
The Islamic Republic recently launched construction of what it describes as a “defensive tunnel” in central Tehran, with officials citing recent Israeli strikes on Iranian territory as the impetus for the project.
The underground passage in the city center will link a major metropolitan transit station to Imam Khomeini Hospital, providing protected subterranean access to medical care in the event of aerial attacks on the capital’s streets.
On Monday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting that Israel will review its ability to act against Iran once the new U.S. administration takes over.
At the start of the discussion, the prime minister said that while the war is being waged on seven fronts, “It has one source—Iran, … [whose] goal is the destruction of the State of Israel,” according to a Knesset readout.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday tweeted praise for the European Union’s decision the previous day to slap sanctions on Iran for providing military assistance to Russia in its war against Ukraine and to Tehran’s regional terrorist proxies at war with Israel.
“I welcome the decision made yesterday by the E.U. foreign ministers to impose severe sanctions on the Iranian regime,” Sa’ar wrote.
Source » jns