Tehran: Ali Shamkhani, a senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Saturday that Tehran's retaliation to any attack on Iran would not be limited in scope, but also include 'attacks on the depth of the Israeli regime,' state media reported.
According to Anadolu Agency, Shamkhani stated, 'Any move indicating hostile intent by the enemy will be met with a proportional, effective, and deterrent response,' as reported by the state-run news agency IRNA. He emphasized that Iran 'has uncovered the enemy's operational plan and has full intelligence dominance over it.' Shamkhani further mentioned that Iran is prepared to 'strike points that will choke this plan at its inception' and is ready to resort to 'more effective and efficient options' to defend its national security and territorial integrity if necessary.
Shamkhani highlighted that such a response would not be limited in scope, indicating it would include 'attacks on the depth of the Israeli regime.' In a separate statement at a military event, Iran's army chief Amir Hatami asserted that Iran is at a high level of defensive and military preparedness, closely monitoring enemy movements, as reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. Hatami stated, 'Because we are aware of their malicious intentions, our hand is on the trigger.'
Hatami maintained that despite years of sanctions, Iran's defense capabilities have not weakened but have instead become fully domestic and resilient. He noted that Iran's forces gained firsthand knowledge of their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their adversaries. Hatami remarked, 'We confronted the enemy's science, technology, and hybrid warfare,' and highlighted that Iran is now prepared in a different way. He also compared Iran's military experience to other conflicts, suggesting that even nations engaged in prolonged wars lack similar operational exposure.
The remarks come amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington following US President Donald Trump's statements about a 'massive armada' moving toward Iran and his call for Tehran to 'come to the table' for negotiations. Iranian officials have warned that any US attack would provoke a 'swift and comprehensive' response, while reiterating that Tehran remains open to talks only under 'fair, balanced, and noncoercive terms.'