Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has reiterated that his country does not seek an escalation in the Middle East but reserved the right to defend itself against Israel’s attack with a “measured and calculative” response.
Iranian officials are increasingly threatening to launch yet another strike against Israel after its Oct. 26 attack on Iran that targeted military bases and other locations and killed at least five people.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in Islamabad, Araghchi said Tuesday that “unlike the Israeli regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran does not seek escalation.”
But he added, “We reserve our inherent rights to legitimate defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and we will certainly respond to the Israeli aggression in a proper time and in a proper manner in a very measured and very calculated manner.”
Dar, on his part, called for an urgent ceasefire to deescalate tensions in the region.
He then condemned the Israeli unrestrained military aggression in the Middle East and its genocidal actions against civilians.
In Tehran, Brigadier General Iraj Masjedi, the Deputy Coordinator of the IRGC's Quds Force, said Israel must wait for a decisive and strong response from Iran.
Masjedi spoke at a memorial ceremony held by the Revolutionary Guards to mark the 40th day since the killing of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian General Abbas Nilforoushan in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs on September 27.
Masjedi told reporters that Iran “has repeatedly informed the Zionist regime and the Americans that if Iran faces threats, our response will be powerful,” according to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency.
He added that Iran will not tolerate threats or aggression without response.
“If such entities pose a threat, we will respond powerfully, and they should expect this,” Masjedi said, adding that any actions against Iran would not be met with restraint but with decisive action.
At the ceremony, Iranian Brigadier General Fadavi highlighted Nasrallah’s influence on the Resistance movement.
He said Nasrallah made a profound impact on the training and morale of Resistance fighters.
Fadavi reiterated that the Zionists lack the strength to oppose the Resistance directly, often targeting civilians instead, which he said would inevitably be met with retribution, according to the state-run ISNA news agency.
Mohammad Mokhber, former acting president and current aide to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said “the Zionist regime will receive a severe blow for the crimes it has committed.”
Last Sunday, Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian said a potential ceasefire between its allies and Israel “could affect the intensity” of Tehran’s response to Israel’s recent strikes on Iranian military sites.
