TEHRAN – The Iranian government has issued a strong condemnation following a deadly Israeli strike early Friday that, according to initial reports, killed several of Iran’s most senior military officials and prominent nuclear scientists in what Tehran noted as a “cowardly act of terrorism.”

In an official statement, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran denounced the attack as a blatant violation of international law and a deliberate attempt to provoke open conflict. The government accused Israel of seeking to sabotage ongoing nuclear diplomacy through a targeted assassination campaign.

“The Zionist regime, by targeting our homeland and assassinating our commanders and scientists, has once again demonstrated its terrorist nature and disregard for all legal norms,” the statement read.

Among those martyred in the Israeli strike are several of Iran’s highest-ranking military and scientific figures.

Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces; Major General Hossein Salami, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC); Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters; Dr. Fereydoun Abbasi, former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization; and Dr. Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, a leading nuclear physicist and academic, were all confirmed killed in the attack.

The Iranian government described the assault as an act of war, stating that while Iran has not initiated any conflict in over two centuries, it reserves the right to respond decisively when its sovereignty is violated.

“Retaliation is not only our right—it is inevitable,” the statement declared, adding that military, legal, and diplomatic measures were already underway. “We will turn this violation into an unforgivable crime for the Israeli regime.”

Tehran also accused Western governments of complicity through silence, calling on the United Nations Security Council to act to uphold international order. However, it warned that Iran would not wait for international consensus.

“Vengeance is near—closer to the Zionists than their own jugular vein. This is not just the voice of a government, but of a nation.”