Tehran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, issued a stern warning on Saturday from Damascus, threatening an “even stronger” reaction to any future aggression from Israel.
This comes as Israel prepares its response to a recent missile attack launched by Iran earlier in the week.
Speaking to reporters in Syria’s capital, where he met with top officials, including President Bashar al-Assad, Araghchi emphasised Iran’s position. “Our reaction to any attack by the Zionist regime is obvious,” he said, adding, “For every action, there will be a proportional and similar reaction from Iran, and even stronger.”
The remarks followed an announcement from an anonymous Israeli military official, who revealed that Israel’s army was “preparing a response to the unprecedented and unlawful Iranian attack.”
Speaking to AFP, the official, who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, indicated that Israel’s military response was forthcoming.
Araghchi’s visit to Damascus comes at a critical time, following a year of heightened conflict between Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel, which has led to an ongoing war in Gaza. The foreign minister renewed his call for ceasefires in both the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, urging an end to the escalating violence.
“The most important issue today is the ceasefire, especially in Lebanon and in Gaza,” Araghchi stated during his visit.
He also confirmed that initiatives were underway, with ongoing consultations to achieve a truce.
Araghchi’s diplomatic mission follows a visit to Beirut, where he voiced support for a ceasefire in Lebanon that would be acceptable to Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group.
He advocated a simultaneous truce in Gaza, indicating Tehran’s broader regional strategy.
Tensions have also been inflamed by an Israeli airstrike on Friday that severed the main international highway between Lebanon and Syria. Israel claimed the strike was intended to disrupt the flow of weapons from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Iran has been a steadfast ally of Assad throughout the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011 after widespread anti-government protests were brutally suppressed. Iran’s involvement in Syria has helped to bolster Assad’s regime during the conflict.
Assad, in a statement released by his office, supported Iran’s missile attack on Israel, calling it a “strong response” and saying it served as a lesson to Israel.
The missile strike came shortly after an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, further escalating tensions in the region.
Araghchi’s visit and statements underscore Iran’s growing influence in the region and its willingness to confront Israel amid the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
