Iran warns of 'decisive' response if Israel strikes, urges UN action

TEHRAN: Iran’s top diplomat has warned UN chief Antonio Guterres that Tehran is ready for a “decisive and regretful” response if Israel attacks his country in retaliation for a missile attack.

The Islamic republic fired about 200 missiles at Israel on October 1 in revenge for the killing of two of its closest allies, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, as well as an Iranian general.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant vowed last week that his country’s retaliatory measure would be “deadly, precise and surprising”.

“Iran, while making all-out efforts to protect the peace and security of the region, is fully prepared for a decisive and regretful response to any adventures” by Israel, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said during a phone call with Guterres, according to a statement from his office on Wednesday.

During the call on Tuesday evening, Araghchi also appealed to the United Nations to use its resources “to stop the crimes and aggressions of the Israeli regime and to send humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Gaza”.

Iran’s top diplomat also spoke on the phone with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot on Tuesday, his office said.

In the call, Araghchi stressed the need to stop Israeli attacks on Lebanon, warned against any “new adventures” by its arch-foe in the region, and called for the removal of Israeli “obstacles” impeding the delivery of aid to displaced people.

It followed a phone conversation on Sunday between the two countries’ presidents, Emmanuel Macron and Masoud Pezeshkian.

Over the past week, Araghchi has visited Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Oman in an effort to ease tensions.

Araghchi arrived in Jordan on Wednesday before travelling to Egypt and Turkey, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in a post on social media platform X.

The developments come against the backdrop of a war between Israel and Iran-allied Palestinian militant group Hamas that has been raging for more than a year and has expanded to include Lebanon in recent weeks.