Iran envoy at UN says Islamic Republic won’t hesitate to defend itself

Iran’s Ambassador to the UN, Majid Takht Ravanchi, said on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic will not hesitate to defend itself against any attack and will respond forcefully to any threat to its national security.

The Iranian diplomat made his comments only hours after the Israeli Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Aviv Kochavi, said that the Israel Defence Forces are refreshing their operational plans to target Iran. Kochavi added that the US rejoining the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear accord with Tehran would be “wrong”.

Responding to the general’s remarks, Ravanchi said that Israel continues to spread lies about the Iranian nuclear programme by claiming that it poses a threat to the Middle East. This, he insisted, is to draw attention away from the occupation state’s own nuclear arsenal which really does threaten the stability of the whole region.

Ravanchi added that Israel had done everything in its power to destroy the JCPOA. He called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in the face of such overt Israeli threats.

Earlier on Monday, the ambassador told NBC News that Iran has no plans to hold talks with the Biden administration and is waiting for the new US president to take the first step by lifting sanctions and rejoining the multinational nuclear agreement.

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