Iran vows swift and uncompromising retaliation following Israeli strikes

In the wake of Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of senior military commanders and scientists, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a firm statement promising a united and forceful response.

The statement, released through the official IRNA news agency, condemned the strikes as an act of open aggression, accusing Israel of violating international norms and engaging in terrorism. Iranian authorities characterized the overnight assault as further evidence of the “Zionist regime’s” disregard for global rules and willingness “to officially and openly commit acts of terrorism and provoke war.”

Iran warned that launching military action against it would have serious consequences. “To start a war with Iran is to play with fire and to challenge a lion,” the statement declared. It argued that Israel’s timing—striking during ongoing diplomatic discussions over Iran’s nuclear program—reveals a deeper insecurity. “Such nighttime operations, especially at a time when diplomatic negotiations on the nuclear issue were underway, reflect the regime's fear of Iran's strength and its inability to contain Iran through diplomacy.”

The Iranian government accused Israel of once again demonstrating its “terrorist nature” through these attacks, especially by conducting airstrikes on Iranian soil and killing high-ranking commanders. In response, Iranian officials said they would pursue defensive, political, and legal measures aimed at making Israel “regret its actions and deprive the Zionists of sleep.”

In a pointed warning, the government stated: “The response will be decisive, unified, and uncompromising. We have the legal right to respond, and we will use it. There are no disagreements in Iran today: the people, the state, and the leadership are united in the face of aggression.”

The statement further warned that vengeance is certain and called on the United Nations Security Council to uphold the international order. But Iranian officials also made clear that inaction would not deter them: “Revenge for every one of our martyrs is inevitable. We call on the UN Security Council to safeguard what remains of the international order. But even if it fails to act, as the Supreme Leader has said, ‘the powerful hand of Iran’s Armed Forces will not let go of this regime. Retribution is near — nearer than the Zionists' jugular.’”

Reiterating that Iran remains in control of the situation, the government vowed that retaliation would not be delayed. It concluded its statement with a clear message of resolve: “We did not start this. But Iran will write the final chapter of this story.”

By Tamilla Hasanova