Iran vows resolute respond to Israel threats, unlawful acts

Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations, made the remarks in a letter addressed to Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council President Ferit Hoxha on Thursday.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently and unequivocally stated that it will not hesitate to exercise its inherent and legitimate rights to defend its security and national interests, as well as to protect its people," the Iranian envoy said.

The comments came less than a week after David Barnea, head of the Israeli spy agency Mossad, alleged that the agency had foiled 27 anti-Israel attacks "orchestrated, masterminded, and directed by Iran" over the past year.

"The time has come to exact a price from Iran in a different way," Barnea said, threatening to target Iran's "highest echelon...in the heart of Tehran."

Iravani rejected the Israeli spymaster's claim against Iran of serving as a source of anti-Israeli attacks as "baseless allegations" and "unfounded claims."

The ambassador considered the threat verbalized subsequently by Barnea to be another instance of "the Israeli regime’s ongoing violations of international law against Iran."

These "claims primarily serve to divert attention from the hostile and malevolent policies that this occupying and apartheid regime pursues in the region, notably the daily ongoing atrocities carried out by this regime against the Palestinian people," noted the envoy.

The Israeli regime, he added, uses such accusations as a pretext to try to justify its illegal actions against other nations and sovereign states.

Such hostile statements as the ones that were made by the Israeli official "serve as a clear illustration of the acts of terrorism this illegitimate regime has always used to maintain its existence," Iravani stated.

The envoy's response to Barnea's claims followed one delivered by Hossein Salami, chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

Speaking on Wednesday, the commander warned Israel that threats against the Islamic Republic would only shorten the occupying regime’s lifespan.

"Go ahead if your previous assassination operations have increased your security. However, you should know that if you make threats against [Iran’s] security, we will have more options and your life will be cut short," he said, addressing Israeli officials.