Tabnak – Following the recent attack against the Saudi oil facilities by the Yemeni Ansarullah Movement, the United States and its allies have been threatening to show a response to Iran. Iranian officials warn that any act of aggression would trigger a very tough response from the Iranian side.
In this vein, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says a possible military strike against his country by the United States or Saudi Arabia will unleash an “all-out” war in the region.
Iran's top diplomat made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the CNN in Tehran on Thursday.
Asked what the consequence of a US or Saudi military strike on Iran would be, Zarif said: "All-out war."
"I make a very serious statement about defending our country. I am making a very serious statement that we don't want to engage in a military confrontation," Zarif said, adding that a military response based on "deception" about the weekend attacks on Saudi oil installations would cause "a lot of casualties."
"…We won't blink to defend our territory," Iran's foreign minister emphasized.
Meanwhile, Iran’s top security official says the Islamic Republic seeks to reduce tensions and avoid confrontation but will give a crushing response to any act of aggression or attempt to endanger the country’s interests.
“Iran’s strategic policy is to reduce tensions, avoid any confrontation and help settle regional crises through negotiation,” Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Wednesday.
In his note, a copy of which was cited by IRNA, the senior official, however, warned against any act of aggression against Tehran.
He said that Iran is keeping a watchful eye on any possible act of aggression against the country or its interests and will “give a firm and all-inclusive response to potential evil acts that will surprise aggressors in the strongest way possible.”
Shamkhani was reacting to remarks by President Donald Trump who said Washington was “locked and loaded” for a response to recent attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities, which the US blamed on Iran.
Tensions started to rise between Iran and Saudi Arabia after a group of Yemeni drones hit two oil facilities of Saudi Arabia's state oil giant Aramco in the country's east, causing huge fires before dawn on Saturday.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took to Twitter to put the blame for Saturday’s operation on Iran, claiming, “Tehran is behind nearly 100 attacks on Saudi Arabia” and that “there is no evidence the attacks came from Yemen.”
Meanwhile, commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps says Iran has become so powerful that the enemies point a finger of blame at the Islamic Republic after every incident.
Major General Hossein Salami said in the northeastern province of North Khorasan on Thursday that the enemies have been left with no option in the battlefield, as Iran has closed all roads for hostile infiltration. He further said that the Iranian military forces are protecting the country’s frontiers so vigilantly that there is no concern about “small or big enemies.”
