Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a written statement marking the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, lashing out at the United States and Israel as his officials hold talks on a deal with Washington.
"The regional powers will no longer serve as a shield for American bases. The US will no longer have a safe haven in the region. The armed forces of Islamic Iran, prepared to sacrifice their lives, together with the fighters of the resistance front, particularly beloved Lebanon, have achieved astonishing victories against two terrorist armies, the American and Zionist armies, in the third imposed war. With trust in God, and by means of their missiles and UAVs on land, in the air and at sea, they struck the Zionist regime and the American beast, and saw with their own eyes the divine promise of assistance to those fighting in the path of God," Khamenei wrote in the statement.
Khamenei also addressed Israel, writing: "The feeble Zionist regime and the cancerous tumor of Israel have approached the final stages of their cursed lives. As the great leader, the martyr of Quds, predicted 10 years earlier in his decisive words: 'God willing, the Zionist regime will not see the next 25 years.'"
If war resumes, Iran will prevent oil exports from the region
Alongside Khamenei's threats, the Iranian leader has not been seen in public since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion, other Iranian officials issued threats regarding the possibility of a return to fighting. The spokesman for Iran's armed forces said that in the event of a new attack by the United States and Israel, Iran's response would differ from the past and would be accompanied by harder and more powerful blows.
According to ISNA, Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for Iran's armed forces, said in an interview with Al Jazeera that Iran was ready for war and that, in the event of a new attack by the United States and the Zionist regime, it had set a new bank of targets.
He said the response to any new aggression would be different from what had happened in the past, and that the enemies would face surprises and new tactics. The commander stated: "If a new round of war begins, Iran's blows will be harsher, heavier, more violent and far more powerful than in the two previous wars."
Shekarchi stressed that in the event of a new war, Iran's response would not merely repeat past experiences. The spokesman for Iran's armed forces also said: "If the war starts again, its scope will extend beyond the region." He also noted: "If Iran's oil exports are blocked, Iran will not allow oil to leave the region."
