Iran has declared “total war” on America, Europe and Israel, with the Islamic Republic looking to rapidly rebuild its nuclear capabilities.
The country’s president made the inflammatory remarks in an interview published by state media on Saturday as he warned Tehran was in a position to launch attacks on the West and on Israel.
“In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe. They want to bring our country to its knees,” Masoud Pezeshkian said before comparing the current situation to Iran’s war in the 1980s with Iraq.
He continued: “This war is worse than the one launched against us by Iraq.
“On closer inspection, it is far more complex and difficult.”
He added: “In the war with Iraq, the situation was clear. They fired missiles, and it was clear where we would strike back.
“But here, they are now besieging us in every respect, putting us under pressure and in tight corners, creating problems—economically, culturally, politically, and in terms of security.”
And in a warning to the West, Mr Pezeshkian said Iran had strengthened itself militarily in the past six months.
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian made the inflammatory claim on Saturday
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GETTY
Mr Pezeshkian warned: “If the enemy chooses confrontation, they will naturally face a more decisive response.”
The president said the country was “stronger than during the 12‑day war” which occurred earlier this year when Israel and Iran clashed over the latter’s nuclear facilities.
Israel carried out targeted strikes with the help of the US against military sites which it said had set back Tehran’s nuclear plans by a number of years.
More than 1,000 people were killed in the strikes, including senior officials and nuclear scientists.
Iran launched counter-strikes against Israel in retaliation to attacks on its nuclear facilities
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REUTERS
Iran says it is more ready militarily than it was during the 12-day war
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REUTERS
Tehran retaliated by launching hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel but the retaliatory measures failed to have the same impact.
The comments come just days before Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with Donald Trump in the US.
Mr Netanyahu is expected to be received by the US President at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, where he will pitch plans for new strikes against Iran.
Iran has so far refused to allow the UN’s nuclear watchdog to carry out inspections of its bombed military sites, with Western leaders accusing Tehran of failing to comply with international requirements.
Atomic arsenals, ranked
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GB NEWS
Tehran, for its part, says there are no clear regulations setting out the inspection of facilities damaged by military strikes.
Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, said the International Atomic Energy Agency, said: “If there are established procedures for the post-war situation, the Agency should announce them so that we can act accordingly.
“But if there are none, our request—which we have formally communicated to them—is that it must be clearly defined and codified what steps should be taken if a nuclear facility that is registered with and under the Safeguards of the Agency comes under military attack.
“Until this issue is clarified, political and psychological pressure, as well as irrelevant demands to re-inspect the bombed facilities and complete the enemy’s operations, will not be accepted and will receive no response.”
