TEHRAN – Iran has warned that it will deliver a severe blow to Israel in case it dared commit aggression against Iran amid a deadlock over reviving a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. 

New Iranian Defense Minister General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani has made his debut remarks reacting strongly to recent Israeli threats against Iran, vowing a crushing response to Tel Aviv in case it attacked Iran.

He said Iran’s defense power and its technological advancements have been developed to be used only in defending the country’s borders and responding to any possible threats and acts of aggression.

Taking a swipe at enemies for their absurd statements, the Iranian defense minister said the enemies are resorting to rants and accusations out of desperation. General Ashtiani also said that the enemies, particularly Israel, are prattling about Iran. He said Israel has always faced defeat from the Iranian nation, and it only has the temerity to show hatred and resentment to the “oppressed and defenseless women and children” in Palestine.

Underlining Iran’s determination to keep up military and defense progress, the defense minister warned that “the enemies of the Iranian nation will definitely receive a crushing response for any imprudent and reckless action and will incur heavy costs.”

The remarks came in response to repeated threatening statements by Israeli officials against Iran. Leveling various accusations against Iran’s nuclear program, these officials threatened to attack Iran in case the world failed to “stop” Iran.

 During a recent visit to Moscow, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid accused Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapon and said that if the world doesn’t stop Iran, Israel will do so.

“The world needs to stop Iran from getting a nuclear capability, no matter the price,” Lapid said, adding, “If the world doesn’t do it, Israel reserves the right to act.”

The Israeli bluster drew a response from Iran. 

Saeed Khatibzadeh, the spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, strongly rejected the Israeli allegations. He rejected Israeli threats against Iran’s nuclear program, underlining that Iran retains the right to respond to any Israeli aggression.

“Outlaw Israeli regime—sitting on illicit nukes & refusing to join NPT—again threatens NPT member Iran; a nation w world's most inspected nuclear program,” he said on Twitter.

Khatibzadeh added, “The West's darling is a habitual extorter. But world has woken up to its destabilizing nature. Iran reserves right to respond.”

The Israeli-Iranian war of words came amid a flurry of diplomatic efforts to resume the stalled Vienna nuclear talks over the possible revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The JCPOA is also expected to be on the agenda of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian during his visit to New York where he will meet the foreign minister of all the remaining signatories to the 2015 deal. Abdollahian has traveled to New York to participate in the meeting of the UN General Assembly. Khatibzadeh said the new Iranian foreign minister will have about 45 meetings in New York.

Pundits believe that Israel’s bluster may be intended to ramp up pressure on Iran in order to force it into making concessions in any nuclear talks. But observers, including Israelis themselves, acknowledge that Israel is not strong enough to attack Iran.

However, Israeli officials continue to issue military threats against Iran. For example, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has recently said, “I do not rule out the possibility that Israeli will have to take action in the future in order to prevent a nuclear Iran.”

But former Israeli officials and experts have warned the Israeli regime against military action against Iran. Former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak has cautioned that the costs of such a move outweigh its benefits. 

He wrote, “If Iran's non-nuclear targets are attacked, we will face a real danger of escalating the conflict with Iran, and it will lead to a conflict with Hezbollah. Israel has several reasons for preferring to delay such a conflict.”

Menahem Merhavy, a researcher at the University of Jerusalem, has said if Israel militarily attacks Iran’s nuclear program, “that means Israel would have to go into shelters for few months if not even more than that.”