US must strengthen air defenses in Mideast before any Iran strike - WSJ

Iran is not a country that can be brought down by the loss of a few commanders or a handful of military strikes, and replacements are ready, parliamentary deputy speaker Hamidreza Hajibabaei said on Saturday.

Hajibabaei said there is strong unity between parliament, the government and the armed forces, while stressing that criticism and differences are handled in expert meetings without allowing adversaries to exploit them.

He said Iran’s main economic problem is not a lack of resources but weaknesses in management and policymaking, adding that next year’s budget plans include wage rises, higher tax exemptions and provisions for essential goods to ease living costs.

He also said the world is moving toward a multipolar order and argued that Iran’s main battle is now in news and online space, warning officials against rhetoric that fuels public fear, despair or division.

Tehran City Council head Mehdi Chamran said on Sunday that no protesters were killed in recent unrest and described those who died as “mohareb,” a term Iranian officials use for people they accuse of armed rebellion against God.

“In these protests we had no deaths, and only moharebs were present with guns and knives,” Chamran said.

More than 36,500 Iranians were killed by security forces during the January 8-9 crackdown on nationwide protests, making it the deadliest two-day protest massacre in history, according to documents reviewed by Iran International.

Videos received by Iran International show moments of laughter and joy shared by Mozhgan Zeynali, a 38-year-old protester, with her children, as well as scenes from her funeral, following her killing during protests in Iran.

She was killed in protests on January 7 in the city of Fardis, west of Karaj in central Iran.

Iran warned on Sunday it could retaliate against any US strike on its vital infrastructure by disrupting key international waterways and targeting American forces across the region, according to remarks by a lawmaker carried by Iranian media.

“If Americans want to threaten our vital infrastructure like the energy sector or our export terminals, they themselves know that certainly the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab will be closed and the Suez Canal will definitely become insecure,” Salar Velayatmadar, a member of parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, told Didban Iran.

Velayatmadar said Iran would not be forced to retreat from its positions by military threats. “Today our finger is on the trigger and if the enemy makes a mistake, it will see that the blow it receives will be much more severe than before,” he said.

He warned that US bases in countries around Iran would be targeted if Washington “puts a foot wrong,” saying the entire region would be drawn into the conflict.

Velayatmadar dismissed President Donald Trump’s recent statements about sending aircraft carriers and “very big, very powerful ships” toward Iran as bluster, arguing that moving warships closer to Iran indicated the United States did not intend to fight because such vessels would become clear targets.

Velayatmadar added that he saw no sign of war unless the United States committed what he called a “suicidal” act, warning that any attack would backfire and trigger global consequences given Iran’s control over strategic waterways.

Persian Gulf countries led by Saudi Arabia have warned Iran they could intervene if they come under heavy attack as part of a confrontation between Tehran and Washington, Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reported on Sunday.

According to the report, they have told Iran they do not want to be drawn into a US-Iran clash and have passed direct messages that they will not allow the United States to use their territory or airspace to launch an attack on Iran.

A source from the Saudi royal family was quoted as warning that if Iran or its allies carry out significant strikes on Persian Gulf countries or on US bases there, they would find it hard to remain silent, potentially leading to their involvement.

The source said they preferred pressure on Iran to remain economic rather than expand into broad military action, Kan reported.

Israel’s Kan public broadcaster said in a separate report on Sunday that Israel and the United States are operating in full coordination, and Israel expects to receive sufficient advance warning from Washington in the event of a US strike against the Islamic Republic.

According to the report, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir held intensive discussions with senior US officials over the weekend amid US preparations for a possible attack on Iran.

Kan said the talks focused on operational coordination and readiness, as Washington steps up military deployments in the region and tensions with Tehran remain high.