TEHRAN - The Iranian Army chief said on Monday that Israel’s “empty threats” against Iran originate from its “fear”.

Abdolrahim Mousavi made the remarks during an opening ceremony of an exhibition on the capabilities and achievements of the Navy.

Mousavi warned that any Israeli move to operationalize its threats would be met with a “proportionate response”.

“The Zionists’ driveling hails from fear and horror, as leaders of this ominous regime know that if they wished to get such drivel a bit closer to action, they would receive a proportionate response that would put a sooner end to their existence,” Press TV quoted Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi as saying.

Israel has intensified its attempts to derail the Vienna talks on possible lifting of U.S. sanctions against Iran by continually bringing up Iran’s missile and drone capabilities, claiming that Iran acts maliciously in the region, and last but not least, by resorting to the old allegation that Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons.

The Tel Aviv regime has also threatened to wage war against Iran while championing the so-called option of using force against Iran as “diplomacy by other means.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s lead negotiator at the Vienna talks on Sunday censured Israel for trying to sabotage the “atmosphere outside the negotiations hall in an attempt to influence the outcome,” Lebanon’s al-Mayadeen television network reported.

Israel was the chief opponent of the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Late last month, Iran’s security chief brushed aside reports about Israel’s budget for a potential attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, saying the regime must consider the colossal cost of repair after Tehran’s “shocking” response.

Calls from Israel for the restoration of the Iran nuclear deal have ramped up in recent weeks as talks in Vienna have resumed 

“Netanyahu’s efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israel’s history,” Isaac Ben Israel, chairman of Israel’s space agency, said in an interview published at Bloomberg.

“We need to end the negativity and encourage the U.S. to conclude a deal that focuses on the main thing,” Ben Israel said, according to Responsible Statecraft.

‘Hegemons left in ambiguity’

Elsewhere in his remarks, General Mousavi attributed the progressive development of the Navy to “the spirit of moving forward and dissatisfaction with the current situation in the Navy.”

The Navy chief said that the progress made by all the Iranian armed forces, including the naval troops, has left “the army of the Global Arrogance (hegemonic powers) face ambiguity,” quoting one of their leaders as saying recently that “our actions have no benefit and we can’t stop the progress of Iran.”

He further said the anti-Iran sanctions “have lost their efficiency a long time ago,” stating that the progress achieved by the armed forces is attributed to “domestic capabilities.”

Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made great progress in indigenously developing and manufacturing a broad range of defense equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in this regard.

Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the Islamic Republic will not hesitate to build up its defense capabilities, emphasizing that such abilities are entirely meant for the purpose of defense and will be never subject to negotiations.