Iran army chief issues new “mistake” warning to US, Israel

The commander-in-chief of the Iranian army warned the U.S. and Israel of an unprecedented response if they opt to strike Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump has positioned what he calls an “armada” of military assets in the Middle East, poised to take action against Iran if the current negotiations do not produce a deal, particularly on the nuclear issue.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Washington this week to meet with Trump and make the case for maximizing American demands of Iran, including limiting its ballistic missile capabilities and funding of militant proxies in the region, if Tehran wants to avert strikes.

“I am very hopeful that, God willing, with complete co-ordination we will be able to fully defend the rights of the Iranian people,” Major General Amir Hatami said in a video statement on Tuesday, originally in Farsi, alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is leading the talks with the U.S.

Hatami said defense and diplomacy are “one and the same issue, being implemented well in a single arena against a hostile enemy that is trying to affect the interests of the Iranian nation.”

“We, as the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, are in full readiness, and we know that this enemy understands nothing except the language of power. They learned this in the 33-day war, and today we are at a higher level of defensive readiness,” Hatami said.

“And if they make a mistake, they will certainly receive a response such as they have neither seen nor experienced up to now.”

The “33-day war” is a reference to the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group in Lebanon.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow. 

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