Iran’s foreign minister warned Israel on Tuesday not to test Tehran’s resolve, stating that while Iran won’t act hastily, it also won’t hesitate to deliver a strong retaliation if attacked.
Abbas Araghchi spoke at a gathering marking the October 7 anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, where Iranian officials lauded the assault as a major achievement by the so-called "Resistance axis," a network of regional militant groups backed by Iran.
"We recommend the Zionist regime (Israel) not to test the resolve of the Islamic Republic. If any attack against our country takes place, our response will be more powerful," Araghchi said in a televised speech.
After a series of devastating Israeli operations against Iran’s main proxy group, the Lebanese Hezbollah and the killing of its leader Hassan Nasrallah, the Islamic Republic launched a large missile barrage against Israel on October 1. This was the second Iranian missile attack since April, but like the earlier operation, it inflicted little damage. The Israeli government immediately vowed a punishing retaliation, but so far, no attack has taken place.
Echoing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Araghchi reaffirmed that Tehran “stands fully behind the Resistance, with its full strength and support.”
However, beyond its stockpile of hundreds of ballistic missiles, Iran has limited military capacity to effectively challenge Israel, which boasts far more advanced military and weapons systems. Despite launching around 300 ballistic missiles, along with drones and cruise missiles, in two large-scale attacks, Iran has achieved little success. Most of the projectiles have been intercepted by Israeli and allied anti-air defenses, rendering the assaults largely ineffective.
However, Araghchi warned that “Any attack by the Zionist regime [Israel] on Iran's infrastructure will be met with a stronger response.” He also stated “Our enemies know which targets within the Zionist regime are within our reach. They have witnessed firsthand the power of our missiles.”
The scope and scale of a potential Israeli attack on Iran are subjects of intense debate among military experts and analysts. While strikes on some of Iran’s nuclear facilities remain a possibility, most experts believe Israel would more likely focus on key energy, economic, and military targets.
