Iran’s neighbours assure no use of their territory for Israeli retaliation, says FM

All neighbouring countries have made it clear to Tehran that they will not allow Israel to use their territories to retaliate against Iran, the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said at a press conference in Kuwait.

“All our neighbours have assured us that they will not give permission to use their territory and airspace against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Araghchi said, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

According to Israeli media reports, Israel is preparing to launch an attack against Iran in response to an October 1 ballistic missile attack against Tel Aviv.

Notably, Iran launched around 180 ballistic missiles on Israel in what Tehran said was a retaliation for the recent assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders and a Revolutionary Guard commander.

Since the Iranian strike, Israel has reportedly been engaged in intensive consultations with its key ally, the US, to determine potential targets and its defensive needs to counter any Iranian retaliation.

The reports speculate that the impending attack on Iran could target oil or nuclear facilities, amid fears of a potential regional war.

Tehran has vowed to respond “painfully” to any Israeli attack.

On October 19, the Israeli army said that the US had deployed a THAAD air defence battery in Israel, designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, in preparation for possible Iranian strikes.

By Khagan Isayev