The US is urging Israel to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East after the IDF conducted strikes on military sites in Iran which claimed four lives. Iran says it has the right to defend itself, but US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned Tehran against such a move.
He said Iran should not make the mistake of responding and should mark the end of this exchange. However, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on the United Nations Security Council to condemn Israel’s attacks on Iran. He said the Islamic Republic reserves its inherent right to respond legally and legitimately to the Israeli aggression at the appropriate time.
In a letter to UN chief Antonio Guterres and President of the UNSC Pascal Christian, Araghchi highlighted that Israel’s unlawful attacks violate the foundational principles of international law and the UN Charter. He added that the Israeli regime’s actions constitute a grave threat to international peace and security, and further destabilize an already fragile region.
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Iran Will Respond to Israel
Word is that Iran is preparing to respond to Israeli attacks. US officials believe the magnitude of the Iranian retaliation would be proportional to the extent of damage that Israel inflicted. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the Islamic Republic would respond to Israel appropriately. He highlighted that Iran has always defended the rights of its people and the free people will not back off in the face of Israel’s criminal, blood-thirsty regime.
However, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei refrained from pledging an immediate retaliation to Israeli strikes. On Saturday, Israel targeted military sites across Iran in self-defense to the October 1 attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF crippled Iranian air defense and missile production systems, and severely damaged its ability to produce missiles. Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran does not seek war, but will strive to defend the rights of its country.
