TEHRAN – The Zionist regime is after heightening tensions in the region by purchasing F-35 jets, spokesman for the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has warned.

“Today, the Zionist regime is in possession of a stockpile of nuclear arsenals and weapons and it might set the region on fire at any moment,” Hossein Naqavi Hosseini said, Mehr reported on Sunday.

“Such actions show that they are following the policy of warmongering and adopting military games in the region,” he remarked.

He said the Zionist regime is sponsoring terrorism.

The lawmaker also rebuked Western countries, especially the U.S., for aggravating the situation in recent years by increasing their military cooperation with Israel.

Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened Tehran that Israel’s F-35 fighter jets can reach “anywhere in the Middle East.”

“Lately, Iran has been threatening Israel with destruction,” Netanyahu said, standing in front of an F-35 Adir jet during a visit to the Nevatim Air Force Base in the south. “It should remember that these planes can reach every place in the Middle East, including Iran, and of course also Syria.”

Reacting to Netanyahu’s threats, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said last week that any violation of the country’s sovereignty would be faced with a crushing response.

“Any enemy which seeks to violate the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, be it at any level, will receive a decisive and crushing response it shall regret,” Brigadier General Hatami said.

Chairman of the Majlis Nuclear Committee Mojtaba Zonnour said on July 1 that should the United States attack Iran, Israel’s remaining life would be less than half an hour.

“With divine power we are fully ready. We have not intended to attack any country and 40 years of the Islamic Revolution manifests this. But if they attack, we are able to cut off any foot and any hand intruding into our soil,” he added.

MH/PA