Iranian President Threatens Israel's Destruction if Attacked

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has threatened that an Israeli attack on Iran could lead to the complete destruction of Israel. Raisi made the remarks while speaking to students at Lahore University in Pakistan during a three-day official visit to the country.

Raisi warned that if Israel makes a mistake and attacks Iranian territory, it will find itself in very different circumstances. "If the Zionists make a mistake and attack the territory of Islamic Iran, they will find themselves in completely different circumstances, and it is unclear what will be left of the Zionist regime after their new aggression," he stated.

The Iranian president referred to Iran's retaliatory strikes on Israel on April 13 for an attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, saying that the Iranian nation punished Israel for the attack, which was against international laws. Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel in mid-April, which it claimed was a "completely successful" attack in response to the deadly strike on its consulate in Syria.

Why this matters: Raisi's threats come amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, which has carried out numerous attacks on Iranian targets in recent years. The escalating conflict between the two nations has the potential to further destabilize the already volatile Middle East region.

Israel later seemingly retaliated by targeting a military air base in central Iran, but Tehran has sought to downplay the Israeli attack. Raisi did not comment on the Israeli attack during his speech in Pakistan, and Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei also did not address the Israeli response when he met with senior military commanders and praised the attack on Israel.

Raisi also vowed to continue "honorably supporting the Palestinian resistance" and denounced the US and the West as "the greatest violators of human rights" for their support of Israel. The two Muslim countries, Iran and Pakistan, are seeking to mend ties after military strikes earlier this year and boost trade between the neighboring nations to $10 billion a year.

The Iranian president's threats against Israel come as Iran protested the European Union's decision to expand sanctions and restrictive measures on Iran's weapons. Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian criticized the EU's decision, saying it should not follow Washington's advice to satisfy the "criminal Israeli regime". The new EU sanctions came nearly 10 days after Iran launched its first-ever direct attack on Israel involving hundreds of drones and missiles.

Key Takeaways

• Iranian President Raisi threatens Israel with destruction if it attacks Iran.
• Raisi claims Iran's recent strikes on Israel were a "completely successful" retaliation.
• Heightened tensions between Iran and Israel risk further destabilizing the Middle East.
• Iran vows to continue supporting the Palestinian resistance against Israel.
• Iran criticizes EU sanctions, saying it should not follow US advice to appease Israel.