The social media spat comes as Israel steps up its Persian language rhetoric, in an apparent bid to communicate with Iranians it views as disaffected and sympathetic to its stated preference for regime change in Tehran.
In a video posted Friday on X, IDF spokesperson Kamal Penhasi responded to remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who had said the world was coming to understand “the crimes of the Zionist regime.”
“The biggest criminal entity is the Islamic Republic. A regime that, from the first day of the revolution, executed the best commanders and officers of the army,” Penhasi said. “It has killed elderly, youth, and children during civil protests in the streets.”
“It has sentenced thousands of innocent Iranians to the gallows or imprisoned them in its dungeons for absurd charges,” he added. “A government that exports its destructive policies through proxy groups across the world no longer has any credibility.”
Over 900 executions occurred in 2024, the highest since 2015, with August 2025 witnessing an unprecedented wave, including political prisoners and public hangings.
Rights monitors report that political prisoners and protesters have also been executed, while arbitrary arrests, torture, forced confessions and unfair trials continue, particularly against activists and journalists associated with the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.
Gaza health authorities said this week that Israel's incursion into Gaza over nearly two years of war with Iran-backed Hamas fighters has killed over 65,000 Palestinians.
Israel accused of seeking regime change
The head of Iran’s Army Strategic Studies and Research Center, Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan, alleged on Friday that Israel is intent on overthrowing the Islamic Republic.
“In the 12-day war, the enemy was caught off guard. I tell you with evidence, they had come to celebrate victory; they had prepared a victory anthem for Tehran to broadcast on July 1,” Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said, as cited by Iranian state media.
Pourdastan claimed the United States supported Israel during the conflict by providing missile intercept coordinates from its Central Command.
“Upon launch, the missile gained initial altitude and was immediately detected by CENTCOM radars in Qatar. The missile’s path was tracked, and they quickly informed the Israelis,” he said.
Israel launched a surprise military campaign on June 13, 2025, striking military and nuclear facilities in Iran. Air attacks killed nuclear scientists along with hundreds of military personnel and civilians. Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks which killed 31 Israeli civilians and one off-duty soldier.
The United States joined the conflict on June 22, conducting strikes on major nuclear sites including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, before brokering a ceasefire on June 24.
Pourdastan insisted that Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes forced Washington to seek an end to the fighting.
“Even Trump requested a ceasefire. By God, they were scared. After Iran’s missile response, Witkoff called Mr. Araghchi and said, ‘Stop, don’t strike anymore,’” he said.
