“Sometimes, the Zionist regime [Israel] out of desperation makes big claims against the Islamic Republic of Iran to allegedly threaten it,” Hatami said at a ceremony for soldiers, according to English-language reports of his remarks. “It must know that if it does a damn thing, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground.”
He went on to say that Iran has all the power it needs to “maintain the stability of the country” and boasted of its regional power via “resistance groups.”
His remarks came after last week Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz said during an interview with Fox News that if the world doesn’t do something about Iran’s nuclear program then Israel may go it alone. He said that Israel is updating its plans for a prospective military strike.
“If the world stops them [Iran] before, it’s much the better. But if not, we must stand independently and we must defend ourselves by ourselves,” said the defense minister.
Israel has twice conducted military strikes against the nuclear programs of its enemies — Iraq in 1981 and Syria in 2007 — under what’s become known as the Begin Doctrine, which maintains that Jerusalem will not allow an enemy country to obtain an atomic weapon.
Gantz has previously warned Israel would carry out a military strike against Iran, if necessary. His remarks came after Israel accused Iran of targeting an Israeli-owned cargo ship that was sailing in the Persian Gulf at the end of last month. The explosion reportedly punched two holes in the MV Helios Ray on its port side and two on its starboard side, just above the waterline.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Israel’s regional foe Iran of attacking the ship. Iran swiftly denied the charge.
Rouhani: ‘No threats or pressure’
Also Sunday, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani Sunday urged Europe to avoid “threats or pressure” in any negotiations with Tehran.
The deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has been hanging by a thread since former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018 and reimposed punishing sanctions on Tehran.
Following Joe Biden’s US presidential election victory in November, the US, the European parties to the deal — France, Germany and Britain — and Tehran have been trying to salvage the accord. READ MORE
