Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian raised a scenario that could make Tehran rethink a retaliatory attack against Israel.
President Pezeshkian said Israel’s agreement to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon could influence Tehran’s decision on retaliatory measures against Tel Aviv following the October 26 attack.
“They know very well that any miscalculation against Iran will be met with a strong backlash. If they reconsider their behavior and accept a ceasefire, that could affect the intensity and the way we respond,” he stressed.
Mr. Pezeshkian accused Israel of being responsible for the escalation of tensions in the region.
On October 1, Iran launched a massive missile attack on Israel in retaliation for the assassination of key officials from Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Israel has vowed to respond to the attack.
On October 26, the Israel Defense Forces launched a retaliatory attack. Iran claimed that its military facilities in the provinces of Ilam, Khuzestan as well as the capital Tehran were attacked, although damage was limited and air defense systems successfully intercepted most of the enemy’s weapons.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini, spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said Iran’s response to an Israeli attack would be unexpected and would exceed all of Israel’s expectations.
“The response to the new Israeli attack will be decisive and strong, with consequences beyond the understanding of the enemy. Israel must know that it will certainly face a backlash for its actions. From now on, Iran will always use the element of surprise in its operations against Israel,” he added.
Meanwhile, Esmaeil Kousari, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, said that Tehran’s military response to the Israeli attack would be significantly stronger than previous attacks, and would involve forces from the “Axis of Resistance,” referring to Tehran-backed armed groups in the Middle East.
