Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi spoke during a military parade in Tehran on Wednesday about a “deliberately limited” attack on Israel. According to him, an Israeli response to the ‘punitive measure’ would have devastating consequences. If Iran wanted that, there would be “nothing left of the Zionist regime.”
If Israel were to commit even the slightest “aggression” against Iran, the Israelis would bitterly regret it, the Iranian president said, according to Tasnim news agency. Since Iran and its allies attacked Israel with hundreds of drones and missiles this weekend, the leadership in Tehran has repeatedly warned its arch-enemy of a military response. Meanwhile, Iran is threatened with new sanctions from the US and the European Union.
New sanctions against Tehran
The government in Washington announced new measures against Tehran on Tuesday (local time) for the coming days. They target, among other things, Iran’s missile and drone program, as White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan explained. The Revolutionary Guards and the Iranian Ministry of Defense are also said to be targeted.
According to its foreign representative Josep Borrell, the EU is also working on expanding sanctions. The EU heads of state and government want to discuss this on Wednesday at an informal summit in Brussels. This should have consequences for Iranian arms exports, including the supply of drones to Russia, Borrell explained on Tuesday evening after talks between EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
Schallenberg demands clarity
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) told ORF that he expected a clear majority in the EU in favor of sanctions and that the EU “had to take a clear position: on the one hand, de-escalate, on the other hand, draw clear lines,” Schallenberg said. He calls for a “clear response from the international community towards Iran”: if a red line is crossed, there must be consequences.
He therefore also advocates an expansion of the sanctions regime: “I do not see why deliveries of missiles to proxies (allies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon or Houthi in Yemen, mind you) do not fall under the sanctions regime. But our goal should be to prevent a wildfire.”
Conflicts reach a new level of escalation
The Iranian army attacked Israeli targets with about 500 missiles and drones on Saturday, according to Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant. A Galant spokeswoman confirmed this number on Wednesday. The military had previously spoken of more than 300 projectiles from Iran alone. The Israeli military said it successfully repelled the attack. Israel received support from the US, Britain, France and Jordan.
Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock met with President Yitzhak Herzog during her seventh visit to Israel since the terrorist attack by the militant Palestinian organization Hamas on October 7.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who is also in Israel, called for a measured response from the country to the Iranian attack. It is clear that the Israelis will make the decision on their course of action, the conservative politician told reporters. He added: “We hope they do it in a way that leads to as little escalation as possible. Israel must act both smartly and harshly.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
