Israel-Iran war: Iran will respond firmly to US if it becomes directly involved in Israel’s military campaign

Olivia Le Poidevin
Reuters
Ali Bahreini said Iran would respond strongly to Israeli strikes strongly and "without restraint". (AP PHOTO)
Ali Bahreini said Iran would respond strongly to Israeli strikes strongly and "without restraint". (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP

Iran has conveyed to Washington that it will respond firmly to the United States if it becomes directly involved in Israel’s military campaign, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva says.

Ali Bahreini, the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations in Geneva, told reporters on Wednesday that he saw the US as “complicit in what Israel is doing”.

Israel launched its air war, its largest ever on Iran, on Friday after saying it had concluded the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.

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The US has so far only taken indirect actions in the current conflict with Iran, including helping to shoot down missiles fired toward Israel.

It was deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, three US officials told Reuters.

Bahreini said Iran would also respond strongly to Israeli strikes.

“We will not show any reluctance in defending our people, security and land - we will respond seriously and strongly, without restraint,” Ali Bahreini, the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations in Geneva, told reporters.

Thousands of people were fleeing Tehran and other major cities on Wednesday, Iranian media reported, as Iran and Israel launched new missile strikes at each other despite US President Donald Trump calling for Tehran’s unconditional surrender.

The Israeli military said two barrages of Iranian missiles were launched toward Israel in the first two hours of Wednesday morning. Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv.

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Trump issues ultimatum to Iran with US poised to enter war as Middle East crisis pushes world to brink.