‘Iran ready to strike Israel again,’ warns Iranian president

Iran’s president denies President Trump’s claims that Iranian nuclear program was obliterated, but admits it suffered major damage in US, Israeli airstrikes.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Iran is ready to carry out new ballistic missile strikes on Israel, the Islamic republic’s president warned on Tuesday, as Iran blames Israel for a series of explosions across the country.

On Tuesday night, Al Jazeera published an interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who rejected President Donald Trump’s claims that airstrikes last month on Iranian nuclear sites had “obliterated” the country’s atomic program.

“Our nuclear capabilities are with our scientists, not in facilities,” Pezeshkian said.

“The claim that our nuclear program was obliterated is an illusion.”

Echoing claims by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday that Iran reserves the right to enrich uranium, Pezeshkian said his country would reconstitute its atomic program, which he claimed is peaceful and in keeping with international law.

Turning to the Islamic republic’s 12-day war last month with Israel, Pezeshkian claimed that Israel has “concealed” the extent of the damage caused by Iranian ballistic missile strikes.

Iran “struck deep” in Israel, the president claimed, causing major losses.

Pezeshkian warned that while Iran is not actively seeking a new armed conflict with Israel, his country is prepared to strike Israel “deeply.”

“Tehran is ready for any action by Israel, which sought to change Iran — but failed. Iranian forces are ready to strike again, but Tehran does not want war.”

Israel’s 12-day air campaign was not merely aimed against Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the president claimed, but was also intended to “dismantle” Iran, to “eliminate it through chaos” and to “strike at the regime.”

Iran believes the ceasefire which ended the war is “not final,” Pezeshkian added, hinting at additional rounds of fighting.