Tehran confirms the protection of its "legitimate interests"and Tel Aviv: its attack is still in effect

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said that Tehran exercised the right of self-defense against Israel after targeting its “legitimate” interests in the region, while Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Tel Aviv’s threat to attack Iran after its response last night “is still in effect.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday morning that it will not hesitate to take further defensive measures to protect its “legitimate” interests against any “aggressive” military actions.

In a statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry reiterated its adherence to the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter and international law, and is determined to decisively defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests against any illegal order to use force and aggression, according to the semi-official Mehr Agency.

She stressed that "Tehran's resort to defensive measures in exercising the right to self-defense shows the responsible approach taken by Iran towards regional and international peace and security."

The Iranian Ministry concluded by saying: “If necessary, we will not hesitate to take further defensive measures to protect our legitimate interests against any aggressive military actions and illegal use of force.”

Achieve two goals

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that Tel Aviv's threat to attack Iran after its response last night "remains in effect."

Speaking to Army Radio, Katz added: “We said that if Iran attacks Israel, we will attack it, and this is still in effect.”

He continued: "We need to deepen our cooperation with our allies, and I will lead a political attack against Iran."

He claimed that Tel Aviv "yesterday received dozens of requests for support from the world," without further details.

He added: "We need to achieve two goals: classify the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, and push towards imposing effective sanctions against Iran."

At dawn on Sunday, the Home Front Command of the Israeli occupation army announced the end of the Iranian military response, while the Israeli Mini-Ministerial Council for Security and Political Affairs (Cabinet) authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Minister Benny Gantz to make decisions to respond to the Iranian attack.

The Iranian response, which is the first of its kind implemented by Tehran from its territory, comes after the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus was exposed at the beginning of this April to an Israeli missile attack, which resulted in the killing of 7 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, including prominent General Mohammad Reza Zahedi.

Israel did not officially acknowledge the assassination of Zahedi, but it did not deny responsibility for the assassination either.