Iranian top lawmaker warns US, Israel could become "legitimate targets"

Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, issued a stark warning that Israel and US military and shipping facilities would be considered legitimate targets if the United States were to launch a military attack, following President Donald Trump’s recent threats toward Tehran over the crackdown on protesters.

“In the event of a US military attack, both Israel and US military and shipping centrEs will be our legitimate target,” Ghalibaf said, Iran International reports.

He further emphasized that Iran’s response would not be reactive alone. “Within the framework of legitimate defense, we do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after an action, and we are telling Trump and his allies in the region not to make a miscalculation,” Ghalibaf added, describing Trump as “delusional.”

The protests which began over soaring inflation are now calling for an end to the clerical rule of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran's attorney general said anyone protesting would be considered an "enemy of God" - an offence that carries the death penalty - while Khamenei has dismissed demonstrators as a "bunch of vandals" seeking to "please" Trump.

On January 11 the country announced three days of mourning for what it called "martyrs killed in Iranian national battle against the US and Israel".

By Vafa Guliyeva