TEHRAN: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday warned that the Islamic Republic will respond with even greater force to any new aggression, following its recent 12-day war with Israel.
Speaking in Tehran, Khamenei said Iran is fully prepared to retaliate and has the capability to deliver a stronger blow to any new attack.
The Supreme Leader made the remarks during a meeting with the head and staff members of the Judiciary in Tehran, reported state media.
“The fact that our nation is ready to face the power of the United States and Zionist regime [Israel],” Khamenei said.
Last month, Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran, including nuclear facilities, claiming the sites were part of a programme aimed at developing nuclear weapons.
Iran, however, insists its nuclear activities are solely for civilian purposes.
“The base attacked by Iran was an extremely sensitive American regional base,” Khamenei said in reference to an Iranian missile barrage on Al Udeid base in Qatar, adding “an even bigger blow could be inflicted on the US and others.”
“In both the diplomatic and military fields, whenever we enter the stage, we do so with our hands full and not from a position of weakness,” Khamenei said.
He said that Iran’s response was so strong and decisive that it forced the ‘Israeli regime’ to seek help from the United States.
“If the Zionist regime had been capable of defending itself, it would not have turned to the United States for help in this way, but it realised that it could not stand up to the Islamic Republic,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
Earlier, Iran’s parliament shared a statement saying the country should not resume nuclear talks with the US as long as preconditions are unmet.
“When the US uses negotiations as a tool to deceive Iran and cover up a sudden military attack by the Zionist regime [Israel], talks cannot be conducted as before. Preconditions must be set and no new negotiations can take place until they are fully met,” the statement said.
Before the 12-day conflict, Tehran and Washington had engaged in five rounds of talks mediated by Oman.
These discussions stalled as the US pushed for Iran to abandon its domestic uranium enrichment programme, an issue that proved to be a key sticking point.
Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reaffirmed Tehran’s stance, stating that Iran would not accept any nuclear agreement that restricts its right to enrich uranium.
