Top general: Iran will never ask for permission to defend its rights
Iran’s Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said on Thursday that Iran will never ask for permission from anyone to defend its rights, warning that in the event of any new aggression, Iran's response will be more decisive and unlike anything in the past.
Addressing a ceremony to commemorate those killed in a recent Israel’s unprovoked aggression against Iran, General Mousavi praised the country’s combat and defense capabilities, saying the Islamic Republic enjoys full deterrence in the face of enemies.
“The deterrence power of the Islamic Republic of Iran is complete, and as Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei] has stated, the Iranian nation is well-equipped both for negotiations and for defense,” he said.
“The Iranian nation is not a war-seeking nation; but if the enemies intend to once again invade and attack this great country, our response will be more crushing and different from the past.”
Mousavi further noted that the killing of Iranian commanders, scientists, students, athletes, among others, during the terrorist assault reinforced national unity and amplified the voice of the people's resilience.
“The enemies do not realize that if an aggressor sets foot on this soil, Iranians — regardless of their creed and belief — will stand united against them,” he said.
On June 13, Israel launched an act of aggression against Iran, triggering a 12-day war that killed nearly 1,100 people in the country.
The United States also entered the war by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites in a grave violation of international law.
In response, the Iranian Armed Forces targeted strategic sites across the occupied territories as well as the Al-Undead air base in Qatar, the largest American military base in West Asia.
Mousavi also warned American and Western statesmen against sacrificing their countries’ fate and future to save Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He further reiterated Iran’s message of peace and stability to the region, voicing the country’s determination to create lasting security through regional cooperation and not allow Israel to advance its expansionist goals via sedition.
The top general said that Israel’s main objective is to drag Iran into chaos and war.
“Today, we are simultaneously fighting on various fronts. The hybrid war by the enemies has targeted our national morale and unity. In these recent events, everyone fully realized that the goal of the Zionist regime is not what it falsely claims. Rather, the cursed Zionist regime is trying to push our beloved Iran toward chaos and war.”