Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has made it clear that his country is not seeking war with Israel, but will respond strongly if Israel retaliates for the recent missile attack.
In a joint press conference with Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in Doha, Pezeshkian stated, “If Israel wants to react, we will have a stronger response, this is what the Islamic Republic is committed to.”
He emphasized that Iran is not looking for war, but rather, it is Israel that forces them to react.
The press conference came a day after Iran launched approximately 200 missiles, including hypersonic weapons, towards Israel, causing widespread fear and sending civilians rushing to shelters.
Fortunately, Israel intercepted most of the missiles, with only two people reported lightly wounded by shrapnel and one school building damaged.
In response to the attacks, the Israeli military reported that several Iranian missiles fell inside air force bases without causing any damage.
Pezeshkian condemned Israel’s actions, saying, “The dirty goal of the Zionist regime is to cause insecurity and spread crisis in the region.” He also called on the US and European countries to intervene, urging them to tell Israel to “stop the bloodshed”.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Tamim warned that Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon are pushing the region to the “brink of the abyss.” He also condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and expressed Doha’s commitment to brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, whose October 7 attacks sparked the ongoing conflict.
This is not the first time Iran has launched attacks on Israel. In April 2024, Iran fired missiles and drones at Israel, which was largely intercepted by Israel’s defense systems.
The situation remains tense, with the international community calling for restraint and diplomacy to prevent further escalation.
