Iran's Defense Minister, Brigadier General Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani has threatened a potential heavy retaliatory strike if any enemies of the Islamic Republic encroach on the nation, local media reported on Monday.
The newly-appointed minister stated in his speech that Iran has frequently emphasized that its defensive power, advancement in new technologies, and domestic innovations are aimed to protect national security and respond to any external aggression.
“The enemies of the Iranian nation will definitely receive a crushing response for any imprudent and reckless action and will incur heavy costs,” Ashtiani assured.
Referring to what the minister called "rants by the leaders of the Zionist regime," Ashtiani addressed recent warnings from Israeli officials regarding Iran's nuclear program and assistance provided to militant groups.
“Regimes affiliated with the fake powers have desperately resorted to nonsense remarks and baseless accusations," the defense minister said, warning the nation's enemies against such actions.
During a visit to Moscow earlier this month, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon and stated that if the international community fails to stop Iran, Israel will, "no matter the price."
But according to Ashtiani, Tel Aviv is resorting to allegations and bluster against Iran only "out of desperation." He stated that Iran is resolved to fight the enemy on all fronts, and that its continued power will result in "many other glorious victories."
He added that Israel is always being defeated by Iran, while the latter only has the audacity to exhibit hatred and animosity toward the "oppressed and defenseless women and children" of Palestine.
The defense minister's comments come several days after Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, refuted claims leveled against Iran's nuclear program and regional influence by the Israeli government and some Arab states.
"Outlaw Israeli regime—sitting on illicit nukes & refusing to join NPT—again threatens NPT member Iran; a nation w[ith] world's most inspected nuclear program,” he posted on Twitter. "The West's darling is a habitual extorter. But world has woken up to its destabilizing nature. Iran reserves right to respond.”
Essential Iranian nuclear industry infrastructure has been subjected to unknown attacks since early July 2020, which are widely assumed to be sabotage operations by Israel. Furthermore, in November 2020, Iran's top nuclear scientist was assassinated outside Tehran in an alleged sophisticated assassination operation with no human attackers on the ground. Earlier on Monday, Khatibzadeh denied a recent New York Times report about Mohsen Fakhrizadeh's assassination, calling it a simple "newspaper report."
No party has claimed the responsibility for the assassination, although Israel's Mossad former chief Yossi Cohen hinted at the involvement of the country's special services in the successful assassination attempt in June this year.
'It's Time for the US to Rectify Their Wrong Policies'
Also on Monday, the head of the Iranian International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed Eslami, at the beginning of the UN nuclear watchdog's annual meeting, called on the US to "rectify their wrong policies" and lift sanctions.
The new Iranian government of Ebrahim Raisi seeks "results-oriented negotiations with the goal of lifting the unjust pressure and sanctions imposed on the Iranian nation," according to the AFP report, citing Eslami's words.
"Now it is time for the US to rectify their wrong policies and initially remove all sanctions in a practical, effective and verifiable manner," he is quoted as saying.
The remaining parties to the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal - which the US unilaterally left in 2018 - namely the UK, France, Germany, China, and Russia, resumed talks in Vienna earlier this year with indirect US participation. As Raisi was sworn into office last month, negotiations to resurrect the landmark agreement that promised Iran sanctions relief in exchange for limits on its nuclear program have stalled.
During his trip to New York, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian is due to discuss the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with the foreign ministers of all the remaining parties to the 2015 agreement. Abdollahian has come to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly conference. Spokesman Khatibzadeh stated earlier that the new Iranian foreign minister will meet with roughly 45 people in New York.