Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that “there will be no restraint in the event of a new war” with Israel.
Ghalibaf, quoted by Iran’s Nour News Agency, stressed that strengthening Iran’s defense capabilities is a “top priority and an urgent necessity” under the current circumstances, saying: “By enhancing our existing capabilities, our military forces are prepared to respond more powerfully than before to any potential attack on Iran.”
اضافة اعلان
In June, Israel launched strikes on Iran in a 12-day air war, briefly joined by the United States, during which it bombed key nuclear facilities and killed senior military commanders and nuclear scientists.
Israel largely destroyed Iran’s air defenses during that war, and much of Iran’s ballistic missile stockpile is believed to have been damaged by Israeli strikes. Since the end of the war, Iran has repeatedly affirmed its readiness to confront any future Israeli attack.
On Thursday, Iran began its annual missile exercises in the Gulf of Oman, its first solo military drills since the June war with Israel, in an attempt to restore its image as a strong regional power after suffering heavy losses in that conflict.
Although such exercises are routine, the “Eghtedar 1404” (Power 1404) maneuvers come as authorities seek to project strength following a war that saw Israel destroy Iran’s air defense systems, bomb nuclear facilities, and other sites.
During the June war, Iran’s navy, estimated at about 18,000 personnel, avoided any major engagement. The regular navy, based in Bandar Abbas, patrols the Gulf of Oman, the Indian Ocean, and the Caspian Sea, while the parallel IRGC Navy secures Iran’s waters in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
The parliament speaker added: “Restraint will end in any potential upcoming war,” warning that “if the enemy takes any action, the war will expand into new areas, as well as economic and political arenas.”
His remarks came two days after reports of Israeli efforts to seek U.S. approval for a preemptive strike on Iran.
Colonel Jacques Neriah, an expert on Iranian affairs and former senior officer in the Israeli military intelligence directorate (Aman), said Sunday that “the prevailing belief in Tel Aviv is that Tehran is preparing for a retaliatory strike because of the humiliating military operations it endured. Therefore, it is necessary to strike preemptively while much of its military capability is paralyzed.”
Speaking to 103 FM Radio in Tel Aviv, Neriah said: “There is no doubt that another round of war will take place between Israel and Iran. In Tehran, the idea of revenge is maturing, because they cannot live long with the sense of humiliation. The naval maneuvers Iran conducted this week in the Gulf of Oman and northern Indian Ocean — involving submarines, warships, drones, and technological warfare units — are a clear public display of intent.”
