Iran warns of “strong response” if Israel retaliates after rocket attack

Iran’s top diplomat has warned UN chief Antonio Guterres that Tehran is ready for a “firm and regretful” response if Israel attacks his country in retaliation for a rocket attack.

The Islamic Republic fired about 200 rockets at Israel on October 1 in revenge for the killing of two of its closest allies, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, as well as an Iranian general.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant promised last week that his country’s retaliation would be “lethal, precise and surprising.”

“Although Iran is making every effort to protect peace and security in the region, it is fully prepared for a decisive and regrettable response to any of Israel’s adventures,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said during a telephone conversation, according to Guterres in a statement from his office on Wednesday.

During Tuesday night’s call, Araghchi also appealed to the United Nations to use its resources “to stop the Israeli regime’s crimes and aggression and send humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Gaza.”

Iran’s top diplomat also spoke by phone with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot on Tuesday, his office said.

In the call, Araghchi stressed the need to stop Israeli attacks on Lebanon, warned of “new adventures” by his arch-enemy in the region and called for the removal of Israeli “obstacles” hindering the delivery of aid to displaced people.

This was followed on Sunday by a telephone conversation between the presidents of both countries, Emmanuel Macron and Masoud Pezeshkian.

Last week, Araghchi visited Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Oman to ease tensions.

Araghchi arrived in Jordan on Wednesday before traveling to Egypt and Turkey, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in a post on the social media platform X.

Upon his arrival in Amman, Araghchi met his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi and the two discussed regional developments in light of Israel’s “atrocity and aggression against Gaza and Lebanon,” Baghaei said.

Iran’s official IRNA news agency said Araghchi also met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

The developments come against the backdrop of a war between Israel and the Iran-aligned Palestinian operator group Hamas that has been raging for more than a year and has spread to Lebanon in recent weeks.

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