Iran braces for Israeli strikes as Supreme Leader calls for West to leave Middle East

Iran is bracing itself for likely Israeli attacks on its nuclear sites as its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged the West to leave the Middle East.

Khamenei met students and scientists on Wednesday in his first public appearance since ordering a high-risk missile attack on Israel in response to Israel’s attacks on the leadership of Hezbollah, the armed group Tehran has funded in Lebanon.

Iran, he said, was still in mourning over the assassination of Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, last Friday, but added: “Being in mourning does not mean being depressed and sitting in a corner.”

Iran’s attack has appeared to rally the country’s previously divided political elite, as the leadership justified the attack on Israel by insisting it was effective, lawful and unavoidable to restore deterrence and Iran’s sovereignty.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made a round of diplomatic calls, including European foreign ministers, insisting that Iran was not seeking escalation. Unlike Israeli attacks in Lebanon, Iran’s targets had been strictly military and not civilian, he claimed.

Asked on Wednesday if Iran had given any direct warnings to the US about the attacks, he said: “No, I do not confirm such a thing. But we had an exchange of messages through the Swiss embassy in Tehran, giving the necessary warnings to the US.” He said that message was sent after Iran had launched the missiles into Israel.

Switzerland has long acted as a diplomatic intermediary for the US in Tehran.

Part of the purpose of Araghchi’s calls was to convey the limits of the Iranian operation, and to urge the US and Europe to insist in turn that Israel show restraint in its response.

He added: “I anticipate that we may gradually witness a return to some form of stability in the region in the coming days.”

Iran’s defence minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, also urged Europe to contain Israel. “Otherwise they will face Iran’s response and the region will enter into a great war,” he said.

At a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, later on Wednesday, Iran is expected to defend its actions in line with the UN Charter.

(The Guardian)

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