Tehran slams ‘ridiculous’, hostile anti-Iran remarks by US, Israel

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday rejected “anti-Iran remarks” made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing them as “ridiculous”.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, said on Twitter that the United States was the first country to use a nuclear bomb, while Israel possesses a dangerous nuclear arsenal, adding that both officials stood side by side and talked about the dangers of Iran’s nuclear programme, while Tehran is a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

During a joint press conference with Blinken, Netanyahu accused Iran of “exporting violence” outside its borders and spreading it across the Middle East region.

“Your visit to Israel comes at an important and crucial time, especially since most of the international community has seen the true face of Iran,” Netanyahu said.

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He added that there is a consensus that the Iranian regime should not obtain nuclear weapons, stressing that Israel will do everything necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The remarks came a day after the Iranian Ministry of Defence announced that a powerful explosion occurred in a military factory in Isfahan city, as a result of a failed attack with three drones.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal quoted US officials as saying that the raid was carried out by Israel, stressing that the Isfahan strike is the first Israeli operation inside Iran during the term of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since he took office in December.

Israel’s Jerusalem Post newspaper also quoted Western and foreign intelligence sources as saying that “the drone attack in Isfahan was a huge success,” adding that “Israel maintains silence in the incident”.

However, the New York Times said the drones that targeted the sites in Isfahan are believed to have been launched from within Iran.

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