“With a savage regime as this,” the statement read, referring to Israel, “one shall not speak but with the language of power.”
“As of this moment, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s government has begun the necessary defensive, political, and legal measures to make the illegitimate Israel regret [its aggression] and will deny the Israelis a moment’s rest,” it said.
“The world now better understands Iran’s insistence on its right to enrichment and nuclear technology and missile power.”
Iran has in the past 200 years never started a war, the statement said, but will not hesitate the slightest to defend itself. “The ending to this story will be written by Iran.”
The Israeli regime began a series of military strikes in and near the Iranian capital, Tehran, as well as other cities in Iran overnight on Friday.
Images showed damaged residential buildings in several locations in the capital. Eyewitnesses and reporters from the state TV said they saw the bodies of women and children among the victims.
Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri, Chief Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami, and other military and civilian figures were assassinated in Israeli strikes in Tehran.
IRNA