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Tensions escalated in West Asia after US military launched massive strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. Iran said it reserved all options for legitimate self-defence.
US President Donald Trump addressing the country after strikes on Iran. (Reuters)
The Iranian military on Monday hinted at retaliatory attacks on US targets in West Asia and beyond, saying the United States’ direct involvement in the conflict by striking nuclear sites has expanded the range of legitimate targets for the Iranian forces.
“Gambler Trump, you can start this war but we will be the ones who end it,” warned Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the spokesperson of Iran’s military central command. “The fighters of Islam will inflict serious, unpredictable consequences on you with powerful and targeted (military) operations,” he added.
Iran’s Khatam Central Headquarters also warned of “powerful and targeted operations” against the US for direct American invasion of Iranian soil. “We assure you that with this aggression, the clock will not turn in your favour,” it said.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi also said that Tehran would continue with its uranium enrichment programme despite recent US and Israeli strikes. “No one can tell us what we should or should not do,” he said.
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‘Make Iran Great Again’
The US launched massive attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites as part of “Operation Midnight Hammer” on Sunday, marking a dramatic escalation in the tensions in West Asia. While the extent of the damage is not clear, the US military said the strikes dealt significant damage to the nuclear sites.
Trump on Monday lauded the military of his country for strikes in Iran, and claimed the strikes hit the “bullseye” and caused “monumental damage” to the nuclear sites in Iran. The attacks are expected to have significant damage on the Fordow nuclear plant, but there was no confirmation.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes had “devastated the Iranian nuclear programme”, but “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people”.
While Hegseth said at a press briefing that “this mission was not about a regime change, Trump mulled the possibility. “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” he said on his Truth Social platform.
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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