Iran's foreign minister addresses question of US contact ahead of strike on Israel

Tehran, Iran - Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that there was "no exchange" of messages with the US before his country's missile attack on Israel the previous day.

Iran did not contact the US ahead of its missile attack on Israel, the country's foreign minister revealed.
Iran did not contact the US ahead of its missile attack on Israel, the country's foreign minister revealed.  © REUTERS

Iran on Tuesday launched a barrage of missiles at Israel in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah alongside Revolutionary Guards commander Abbas Nilforoushan in a strike on the Lebanese capital last week.

The attack came in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a July strike in Tehran, widely attributed to Israel, which has been bombarding Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon for weeks as it continues its destruction of Gaza.

"Before the attack, there was no exchange of messages," Araghchi told state TV, adding that Iran communicated with the US after the attack through the Swiss embassy in Tehran.

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"The main point of the message we conveyed to the Americans was that we were taking defensive action within the framework of the United Nations Charter," he said. "We have also warned the US forces to withdraw from this matter and not to intervene, otherwise they will face a harsh response from us."

He added that Iran informed the US that the "operation is over and we do not intend to continue".

The Revolutionary Guards said the missile attacks targeted "three military bases" around Tel Aviv as well as air and radar bases, adding that "90%" of the missiles "hit their targets".

This was Iran's second direct attack on Israel, after a missile and drone attack in April in retaliation for a deadly Israeli air strike on Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria.

Araghchi said Iran's "action is concluded unless the Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation".

Tehran has warned of a "crushing" response if Israel – which has vowed to make Iran "pay" – retaliates.

Cover photo: REUTERS

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