Amir Abdollahian to CNN: Israel’s crimes are the root of the crisis

– International News – Tasnim News Agency, Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, discussed various issues in an interview with “Arin Burnett”, the host of the CNN network on Thursday. The full text of this conversation is below.

Host: Israel has pledged to retaliate against Iran’s attack. Do you think he can attack tonight?

Amir Abdullahian: On Saturday night of this week, we will follow the measures taken in months In the past, especially two weeks ago, the Israeli regime attacked the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus. Our response to the Israeli regime was limited and minimal. This was while we could have given a tougher response to the Israeli regime. We announced that our response was carried out within the framework of legitimate defense and was in accordance with international law. We will not continue our response, but in case the Israeli regime starts adventuring again and takes action against our interests, Iran’s next response will be immediate, maximal and decisive. After acting in legitimate defense, he sent a message to the White House and the United States government through the Swiss Embassy as the protector of American interests in Tehran, emphasizing that if the Israeli regime wants to commit a mistake again, our response will be swift, decisive and regretful. Was. We are not looking for tension and crisis to develop in the Middle East region; We hope that the Israeli regime will not repeat the previous mistake. You have used red. What are these red lines? What is the maximum level? You used more than 300 drones and cruise missiles in the attack, how high is the level?

Amir Abdullahian: Khat The red line that the Israeli regime crossed was the attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran embassy building in Damascus. In this attack, 7 official Iranian military advisers on the fight against terrorism were martyred by the rocket attack of the Israeli regime, the well-known Vienna Conventions were violated. , the Israeli regime crossed red lines in the immunity of diplomatic places. Yes, the attack we carried out in the form of legitimate defense was minimal, because we only responded to two military centers, namely the Navatim Air Base and an intelligence and security center, from which the Israeli regime launched a missile attack against our embassy. We didn’t target civilians, we didn’t target the economic centers of the Israeli regime, just the two places from where the F35 flew and from the Golan Heights they launched a missile attack on our embassy. This was our minimum goal. But what will be our maximum action in case of repeating the adventure of the Israeli regime, I can say a regretful maximum action; The details of the maximum action have been designed by the armed forces of my country. But I hope the Israeli regime does not miscalculate.

Moderator: Do you have any details on what the maximum level will be? ? You mentioned that Iran’s minimal response did not target economic and financial centers and civilians. Does your maximum answer target these three items?

Amir Abdullahian: Iranian drones and missiles, very calculated and Precisely, it was aimed at two purely military targets within the territories occupied by the Israeli regime. Our assessments and intelligence show that we were able to achieve our goals: firstly, we demonstrated our will, secondly, we targeted the military bases from where the attack against our embassy was launched, and thirdly, our operations were minimal and limited because they sought We did not hit numerous and extensive targets in the occupied Palestinian territory. He described your attack on Israel as a shameful failure. What is your opinion? Amir Abdullahian: Look, I must say very clearly. First, our operation against the Israeli regime was not a surprise. More than ten days ago, we announced that our decision to respond to the Israeli regime is final. Because this regime attacked our sovereignty by attacking the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus, and secondly violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. Before the operation, we announced to America that Iran’s attack on the Israeli regime is certain. We announced this through some foreign ministers who contacted me, and before that through the Swiss embassy. We were observing that the United States and more than 20 countries, including a number of NATO members, are deploying in the region in order to divert or limit Iran’s missiles and drones so that they do not reach Israel; But our missiles and drones hit two targets. Our attack was not a surprise, and our opponents, although they did not know the hour and time of the attack, knew that it would happen soon. We gave a successful operation, a clear answer and a clear message to the Zionist regime. Is your country’s answer as seen? That is, 99% of your projectiles were intercepted and no significant damage was done. Was this the intended answer?

Amir Abdullahian: Our goal was to warn. The action of our armed forces on the two military centers in the occupied Palestinian territories was successful. Our goal was to take a proportionate action. Our goal was for the Israeli regime to get the message that we have the will to respond. I repeat; We have never sought to develop tension and the scope of war in the region. Rather, it is Netanyahu and the Israeli regime that sees its political life in the development of tension and the continuation of involving others in war. President Joe Biden gave a speech yesterday. He spoke about Israel and Ukraine and said: “We are with our friends and we will not let Iran or Russia succeed.” If America helps Israel again, since Israel has said it will attack and you have said you will give a maximum response, will you hit American targets?

Moderator: If America again helps Israel to defend against Iranian missiles, will American targets be included in your target list?

Amir Abdullahian: We imagine that America will calculate. Based on the messages exchanged between us in the last six months, America believes that it does not welcome the expansion of the scope of the war in the region. America knows that this issue is neither in its own interest nor in the interests that America pursues in the region. We hope that America will stop the Israeli regime and not allow this regime to have a new adventure. But in the event of a new adventure by the Israeli regime, the conditions and Iran’s next response will be different. Irani (Commander of the Nuclear Protection and Security Corps) has said that if Israel continues to attack Iran’s nuclear sites, Iran’s nuclear policies may change. What does this mean?

Amir Abdullahian: You see, the official position of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been announced many times on the nuclear issue. . In this regard, we have the religious and religious fatwa of the great leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei. We have stated many times that the program of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the nuclear field is completely peaceful. We have a special focus on this view and our commitment.

But on the other hand, we have witnessed in the past months, many times some officials of the Israeli regime have announced that To win in Gaza, you have to use a nuclear bomb. In my opinion, America should focus on the adventurist regime of Israel, lest it create a nuclear crisis in Gaza. Netanyahu showed that he does not adhere to any red line; Therefore, she should be restrained.

Presenter: Recently, there has been renewed pressure on women for wearing hijab. Of course, the Supreme Leader has also mentioned this issue in his recent speech. CNN sources say that the presence of moral security police has increased in different cities of Iran and on the streets. A woman, who did not want to be named, said she was afraid for her safety. He told CNN that last week he and his wife were sitting on the car seat without a headscarf, when he received a text message from the police stating that he did not follow the hijab rules. This text message included the license number and other identifiers of the vehicle and contained a warning that her car would be impounded if she violated hijab rules again. Two years ago, there was a massive protest following the death of Mehsa Amini, who was arrested by the moral security police for not wearing the hijab. Why has renewed pressure in the field of hijab emerged now and what is the punishment for women who violate the hijab rules?

Amir Abdullahian: To be very clear. America and many western countries follow the policy of applying double standards in various issues. A few days ago, I said to one of the foreign ministers of a major European country: “Do you remember the uproar in the West about the tragic death of an Iranian girl?” But today, while more than 15,000 women and several thousand children are killed in Gaza, nothing happens in this area, and we do not hear any serious action or a strong voice from some European governments and the American government in support of women. p dir=”RTL” style=”text-align:justify”>Hijab is a well-established and well-known topic in Iranian culture. The policy based on the dual approach tried to use the capacity of women as an opposition in pursuing the policy of system change in Iran through external provocations and interventions. Women in Iran are an important and influential sector. Women in Iran play a role in various social, political and cultural positions. Basically, the issue of hijab is not something that anyone wants to involve the character of an Iranian woman with such an issue. Our women are cultured people. They have a great contribution in our society and they themselves know how to deal with the issue of social behavior. In my opinion, today, the issue of Iranian women’s hijab is not our problem in the region. Today, the problem is the killing of more than 34 thousand Palestinian women, children and men, and we all must focus on this issue.

Moderator: Mr. Amir Abdullahian, thank you.

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