Iran has responded to calls from the United States and European countries to “step back” from its threats against Israel, emphasizing that it does not need anyone’s “permission” to retaliate against the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ political bureau, in Tehran.
The Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a statement on Monday that Iran views the right to punish aggressors as legitimate for all nations, describing it as a way to halt crimes and aggression.
“Iran will never succumb to pressure, sanctions, bullying, and aggression but reserves its right to respond to aggressors by international principles,” the president was quoted as saying by the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA).
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Moreover, Pezeshkian criticized the international community’s silence on Israeli crimes in Gaza, arguing that this silence, along with Western support for Israel, only encourages further aggression.
“The people of the world expect European countries, especially Germany, to play an effective role in ending the Zionist genocide in Gaza instead of supporting this regime”, Pezeshkian told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a phone conversation on Monday, according to the Lebanese-based media network Al-Mayadeen.
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Legitimate Rights
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani echoed Pezeshkian’s stance, asserting that Iran is committed to defending its sovereignty and will not seek permission to exercise its legitimate rights.
In a statement on Tuesday, Kanaani dismissed calls from France, Germany, and Britain for Tehran to show restraint, arguing that this request “lacks political logic and contradicts principles of international law” and also “constitutes public and practical support” for Israel.
The European countries “raised no objection to the international crimes” of Israel and “impudently asked Iran not to respond to a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.
While reiterating that Iran is determined to deter Israel, Kanaani called on the three European countries to “once and for all stand up against the war in Gaza and the warmongering of Israel”.
Kanaani’s statement followed a move by the leaders of Britain, France, and Germany, who issued a joint statement on Monday urging Iran and its allies to refrain from attacking Israel.
In related developments, the United States has requested that Turkiye and other allies with ties to Iran work to reduce tensions in the Middle East, according to Al-Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Iran showcased its long-range Mohajer-10 drone at a defense exhibition in Russia, highlighting its advanced capabilities, including a range of 2,000 kilometers, a 24-hour flight endurance, and a payload capacity of 300 kilograms, Al-Jazeera also reported.
News reports said that the Iranian drone had the following inscription: ‘Prepare your shelters’.
(PC, AJA)
