Key points
- Iran calls on UNSC to act
- Khamenei warns Israel it faced a “bitter and painful” fate over attacks
- Khamenei appoints new commanders
ISLAMABAD: Iran said Israel’s deadly strikes on its military and nuclear facilities on Friday were a “declaration of war” and called on the UN Security Council to act.
AFP reported that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel it faced a “bitter and painful” fate over the attacks, while the Iranian military said there were “no limits” to its response.
In a letter to the United Nations, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Israel’s attack as a “declaration of war” and called on the Security Council to immediately address this issue”, AFP cited the ministry as saying.
Israeli strikes killed Iran’s top military officer, armed forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri, and the head of the Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, Iranian media reported.
Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei swiftly appointed new commanders to replace those killed, IRNA reported. Iranian media reported that civilians, including women and children, were killed.
Iran to avenge blood of those killed
Iranian state-run IRNA published a statement of the administration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that announced that Iran will avenge the blood of every single individual killed in Israeli strikes on Friday.
“With a savage regime as this,” the statement read, referring to Israel, “one shall not speak but with the language of power.”
“As of this moment, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s government has begun the necessary defensive, political, and legal measures to make the illegitimate Israel regret [its aggression] and will deny the Israelis a moment’s rest,” it said.
“The world now better understands Iran’s insistence on its right to enrichment and nuclear technology and missile power.”
Iran has in the past 200 years never started a war, the statement said, but will not hesitate the slightest to defend itself. “The ending to this story will be written by Iran.”
The Israeli regime began a series of military strikes in and near the Iranian capital, Tehran, as well as other cities in Iran overnight on Friday.
“Flights suspended”
AFP reported that Air traffic was halted at Tehran’s main gateway, Imam Khomeini International Airport, while Iraq and Jordan also closed their airspace and suspended flights.
AFP reported that Israel declared a state of emergency and closed its airspace, and hours later, the Jordanian military said its aircraft and air defence systems intercepted “a number of missiles and drones that entered Jordanian airspace”.
There are “no limits in responding to this crime”, Iran’s armed forces said, accusing Israel of crossing “all red lines”.
