Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi has commended the Islamic Republic’s retaliatory strikes on the Israeli-occupied territories on April 13, stressing that the military operation showcased the country’s power and was a necessary response to the illegal regime.
Raeisi made the remarks in a visit to the Iranian city of Damghan in the northern province of Semnan on Friday as he pointed to Operation True Promise, the punitive reprisal by the Iranian Armed Forces that involved the launch of hundreds of missiles and drones on various Israeli military sites.
“Operation True Promise brought about authority, unity, and cohesion for the country,” the Iranian president said.
“This operation both showed the power of the Islamic Establishment and the strength of our armed forces, and it also indicated the steely will of the people under the guidance of Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei].”
The chief executive underlined that “All political groups believe that this response was a necessary, unifying and great honor for the country.”
Raeisi also said Iran’s enemies do not want the country to grow but the Iranian nation is determined to progress in various economic fields.
“The war is a war of wills, and in the war of wills, the Iranian nation has won and will continue to gain further wins,” he noted.
In a multi-pronged attack, dubbed Operation True Promise, Iran launched late on April 13 more than 300 drones and missiles at the occupied territories in response to the regime's aggression on the Iranian diplomatic facilities in the Syrian capital of Damascus on April 1.
The Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s embassy compound in Damascus had killed two generals of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, as well as five of their accompanying officers.
Following the operation, Iran warned Israel against taking any retaliatory actions and urged the United States to try not to involve itself in the conflict, signaling that it viewed the matter as “concluded.”
The Iranian president said in a statement on Sunday, “If the Zionist regime or its supporters show reckless behavior, they will receive a decisive and much stronger response.”
Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations also said in a statement that Tehran’s response to Israeli aggression was a “legitimate defense” in accordance with the UN Charter, warning Washington to “stay away” from the matter.