Tehran (TDI): Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has threatened that Israel would target any Iranian leader who, in its view, seeks to pursue policies aimed at threatening the country, as tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv remain high despite recent diplomatic developments.
According to Israeli media reports, Katz claimed that Israel had been responsible for the assassination of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, alleging that he had directed efforts to destroy Israel. He also warned that Israel would not hesitate to “eliminate” any future Iranian leader pursuing similar objectives.
The remarks were made as Iran continued funeral ceremonies for Khamenei in Tehran. Katz also said Israel remained prepared to respond to any security threat at any time.
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said relations between Tehran and Washington remain deeply strained despite the recently signed Iran-US memorandum of understanding (MoU), describing its implementation as challenging but achievable.
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Speaking during separate meetings in Tehran with senior representatives of Hamas and Hezbollah, who had travelled to Iran to attend the funeral ceremonies, Ghalibaf said Iran would continue supporting what it calls the “Axis of Resistance” while maintaining that negotiations with the United States should produce tangible outcomes rather than become an end in themselves.
He said Iran had insisted that respect for the territorial integrity of regional countries and an end to military operations against its regional allies be included in the memorandum reached with Washington.
Ghalibaf also argued that several Muslim-majority countries had come to realise that closer cooperation with the United States and Israel would not necessarily guarantee regional security.
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During a meeting with senior Hezbollah official Muhammad Fneish, Ghalibaf described Lebanon as a key issue in Iran’s regional diplomacy. He said Tehran had emphasized Lebanon’s sovereignty during negotiations with the United States and argued that lasting stability in the country required Iran’s continued regional engagement.
He also praised Hezbollah’s role during the recent conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, describing its support as evidence of the group’s close strategic relationship with Tehran.
