Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi boasted on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic now possesses more ballistic missiles than it did during Operation Rising Lion, the 12-day war with Israel that took place in June.
Speaking during a visit to the western Iranian city of Hamadan, Araghchi claimed that "during the war, the skies over the Zionist regime were under the control of the Islamic Republic, and no layer of defense could intercept our missiles."
In contrast, in an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi struck a more conciliatory tone, saying that Tehran is ready to engage in negotiations "to ease concerns regarding its nuclear program," though he emphasized that Iran is prepared for any scenario.
At the same time, another senior Iranian official told the Qatari network that "Iran hopes there will not be another war, but its forces are fully prepared for any aggression." The official added that there are currently no indications of a new conflict and stressed the need "to do what is necessary to prevent one."
