The United States announced on Sunday (Oct) 13 that it will deploy an advanced anti-missile system to Israel, along with US troops to operate it, to strengthen the country’s air defences following Iranian attacks earlier this month.

The United States announced on Sunday (Oct) 13 that it will deploy an advanced anti-missile system to Israel, along with US troops to operate it, to strengthen the country’s air defences following Iranian attacks earlier this month. President Joe Biden asked Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin to authorise "the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and associated crew of US military personnel" to Israel. "The THAAD Battery will augment Israel's integrated air defence system. This action underscores the United States' ironclad commitment to the defence of Israel, and to defend Americans in Israel, from any further ballistic missile attacks by Iran," said Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder in a statement on Sunday. Also read: Pentagon puzzled after mystery drones hover over US military base for 17 days “It is part of the broader adjustments the US military has made in recent months, to support the defence of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias,” Ryder added. 'Only US system designed to intercept targets outside and inside the atmosphere' The THAAD system, produced by Lockheed Martin, "is the only US system designed to intercept targets outside and inside the atmosphere." This is not the first time the US has deployed THAAD to Israel, having previously done so in 2019 during joint exercises and following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, according to the statement. Also read: Israel vs UN: Netanyahu tells Guterres to withdraw south Lebanon peacekeepers On October 1, Iran launched approximately 180 missiles at Israel. This attack came after Israel’s assassination of the leader of Iran-backed group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, on September 27. This attack was larger than Iran’s April response when it launched 110 ballistic missiles and 30 cruise missiles at Israel after an Israeli strike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria. Iran warns US against sending troops to Israel Earlier on Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that by sending US troops to Israel to operate missile systems, the US was endangering its military personnel. "While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests," Araghchi posted on X. (With inputs from agencies)

US to deploy anti-missile system THAAD in Israel to ‘defend Americans’ against future Iranian attacks

Amid the volatile situation in West Asia, Iran's ambassador to New Delhi, Iraj Elahi has said that India can ask Israel to de-escalate the situation. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Elahi said, "We hope that India, as friends of both countries, can play a constructive role. I always invite the countries who have influence on Israel, especially India, which I am ambassador to India, to use their assets, their influence, to encourage Israel for de-escalation. The de-escalation will be to the benefit of both sides, the whole region, and also India".&nbsp;

The situation between Israel and Iran in West Asia is highly tense, marked by Iran's direct missile attack on Israel, which was a response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Israel has vowed to respond, amidst fears of a wider regional war.

The ambassador explained: "India can encourage Israel...since the escalation is not on the benefit of any of the no sides, Iran, Israel, the whole region and the whole globe, globally, not the benefit of the whole world."&nbsp;

India and Iran are currently working on a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iran's new President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the BRICS Kazan summit later this month in Russia. The ambassador spoke at length on the current situation in West Asia terming it as "dangerous". Here's the full interview:

WION: What is the current situation in West Asia?

Iraj Elahi: Unfortunately, the ongoing situation in the region is not good, it is dangerous, as you mentioned, it is dangerous. Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh inside Iran, we were obliged to, according to the inherent rights for self-defence and United Nation charter. We were obliged to use our legitimate right to defend and strike Israel for deterrence, you know, to deter Israel from repeating such a violation on Iranian sovereignty. Beside this Israeli invasion in Lebanon and the continuation of genocide in Gaza is going on. Unfortunately the support of the United States is continuing. And not only it's continued, but financially, legally and internationally, the United States is giving new and high, high tech or very advanced ammunition to Israel, which can have an important effect on the tension. So the situation is not good, is not good, and we hope, we hope that the United States and those who are who have influence on Israel will encourage and convince Israel for the de-escalation, since the escalation of the situation will not be to the benefit of no countries.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasrallahs-presumed-successor-safieddine-unreachable-since-fridays-israeli-strike-on-bunker-report-764777">Contact 'lost' with Hezbollah chief Nasrallah's presumed successor Safieddine</a>

WION: Do you see the war spilling across West Asia? Do you see strikes coming from Israel?

Iraj Elahi: You know, the ongoing massacre in Gaza, killing more than 41,000 innocent people, there is no doubt that there are combatants of Hamas between this casualty but the continuation of killing and blood shedding in Gaza. You know, the number of casualties has exceeded 41,000 people. Beside this, Israeli forces are targeting refugees. And for this reason,&nbsp;I hope that the wise people in the Western countries and even in India, countries like India, who have influence on Israel and have a good relation with Israel, try to encourage it for the escalation,&nbsp;but we are ready for any case or any situation.&nbsp;

WION: Let's focus on the Indian role. What kind of role do you see or foresee for India amidst this situation in West Asia? Do you see the office of India playing an important role in de-escalation, perhaps sending a message from the two sides calling on for de-escalation, something that we have seen in Ukraine and Russia?&nbsp;

Iraj Elahi: Regarding giving and sending messages between Iran and Israel, since we do not recognise Israel as a legitimate state, there is no,&nbsp;no, no exchange of messages between Iran and Israel. So for this reason, there is no space for other mediators, such as India or other countries to mediate between Iran and Israel. You know, Iran is a state with old history, but Israel is an artificial regime which was set up in the occupied territory of Palestine.&nbsp;So regarding India, we believe that India, since has not only good, but very close relations with Israel. And Israel is one of the close friends of India. India can encourage Israel and attract its attention to the consequences of the current situation, encouragement for de-escalation, since the escalation is not on the benefit of none of the no sides, Iran, Israel, the whole region and the whole globe, globally, not the benefit of the whole world.

WION: Continuing with India, we saw the Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, meeting the Iranian foreign minister in New York. The BRICS summit is also going to happen later this month. Iran is a member of BRICS. Now, can we expect high level engagement between the two sides where there can be a discussion on this particular issue, and will there be a meeting between the Iranian side and the Indian side in BRICS?&nbsp;

Iraj Elahi: Yes.&nbsp;Thank you for this question. I should repeat again our respect and gratitude to India for helping Iran to be a member, full member of BRICS. We will never forget this. And we are now working on a meeting of our President Masoud Pezeshkian and PM Modi, in the coming BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. Of course there were, we were working on a bilateral meeting of both high-ranking ranking meeting, high-ranking leaders in New York. But unfortunately for the logistics you know, the visit of PM Modi was too short, and also, there were too many. Mostly, they were too busy. So we are now working on their meeting in Kazan.

WION:&nbsp;So coming back to the situation in West Asia, now, what's your assessment when it comes to the situation in Lebanon? Because Hezbollah is a group that is seen as a terror group by Israelis. It is seen as a resistance group by the Lebanese. So essentially, when it comes to the Iranian support for Lebanon and for Hezbollah, what's your thought process, assessment?&nbsp;

Iraj Elahi:&nbsp;You know, when you want to answer this question, you should know Lebanon. Lebanon is a small country. It appeared in the map of the region after the Sykes–Picot Agreement, there was a division of the region between France and England and Lebanon, there are different ethnicities in Lebanon, Shia group, Shia community, Sunni community, &nbsp;Maronite Christians,&nbsp;Druze, and because of the invasion of Israel to Lebanon, the Government of Lebanon is not strong enough to defend the sovereignty of Lebanon. So this community, I mean, Shia, Sunni, Maronite, Druze, have their own party and the political party, and they are in the parliament, they are in the cabinet minister, and even they have their own militia to defend themselves, beside and alongside the army of Lebanon. You know, when we talk about Hezbollah etc all of these groups, have militia to defend themselves. So calling Hezbollah as a terrorist group is not true, and we should consider that all community in Lebanon, these this party, Hezbollah, is a political party, has a member in Parliament, has members in the cabinet, Minister, also Maronite&nbsp;Party and the Sunni party have members in Parliament, and they have militia. Hezbollah is now resisting the occupation of and trying to liberate the occupied territory of Lebanon. You know, still some part of South of Lebanon is in the occupation of Israel. I serve in Lebanon, I am fully aware of the situation and Lebanon. So for this reason, we supported, we supported Hezbollah to liberate. We believe that any changes, not only in West Asia, but also in Caucasus, will cause a new round of tension and escalation of clashes in the region. So we believe that the only solution is and for this reason, we support Hezbollah to liberate as we support any you know, we support Syria. We support Syria, and we officially support the sovereignty of Syria. We officially supported Iraq, sovereignty of Iraq, and we did not recognise the referendum of separation of Kurdistan in Iraq. And also, we do not accept any changes in the borders of the countries in the Caucasus. So the changes, the changes, some groups are trying to change the status quo of the region, and they have planned. This plan is designed in the United States and in some Western countries to change the geopolitics of West Asia. And every day, every time, they call it by a new name. Sometimes, they call it Great West Asia, Great Middle East, sometimes, and they call it Abraham Accords,&nbsp;sometimes they call it IMEE, the India Middle East economic corridor.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-prez-labels-iran-ongoing-threat-army-chief-vows-to-hit-hezbollah-without-relief-764833">West Asia crisis: Israel president labels dubs Iran an 'ongoing threat'</a>

WION: You mentioned about the IMEE?

Iraj Elahi: India as an emerging economy and an emerging power in the world with very high growth, growth rate needs, the different needs to diversify its route to different markets. To this, to get raw material and to send its products to different markets. So it is natural for India to diversify its routes. But IMEE is a project which was designed to change the geopolitics of the region.&nbsp;But you know, somebody talks about the impact of IMEE on the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC).&nbsp;We do not have any concern regarding the impact of IMEC on&nbsp;INSTC.&nbsp;INSTC's mission is to connect the Indian Ocean, India to Russia, to Eurasia, to Afghanistan, to Iran, and through Russia and to caucuses and Europe, IMEE is to connect India to Europe. We believe that the political and security impact of IMEE&nbsp;is much, much more important than the economic aspect of this project.&nbsp;

WION: What next for hezbollah?

Iraj Elahi: Hezbollah, Hamas are based, have two dimensions, they have software and hardware. Software is a school of resistance, this thought will not be damaged in any cases, even if you demolish, if Israel could, could kill all of the leaders and destroy this structure, you know. So this thought as after one year, more than one year Israel hitting Hamas hitting Gaza, the still people of Gaza are resisting, you know, because this thought is resilient, but regarding the hardware of Hezbollah, I mean structure, structure, its military capabilities. I think Hezbollah is resilient. Hezbollah is very, very well organised, and very soon it can, it can recover.

WION: So coming back to the India angle amidst this crisis, how do you see India's stance? The Indian government has issued one statement and the comment from the MEA spokesperson, calling for restraint, expressing its concern.

Iraj Elahi:&nbsp;We have a very good and close relationship with India. Our relation goes back to history, and we have been together through history and we have started different projects. You know, Chabahar is just one example of our project. I am in close touch with MEA and different structures of India. And despite this, we fully understand the Indian side for not purchasing Iranian oil, and we do not insist on that, because we do not want to harm Indian companies. But at the same time, we believe that there are too many opportunities for us to set up a new round of cooperation. So from our side, we are fully with India, and we hope that, we expect that India, as friends of both countries, can play a constructive role. I always invite the countries who have influence on Israel, especially India, which I am ambassador to India, to use their assets, their influence, to encourage Israel for de-escalation. The&nbsp;de-escalation will be to the benefit of both sides, the whole region, and also India.

WION:&nbsp;First, it was interesting to see the Indian naval assets, Indian naval ships talking at bandar abbas bandrea Abbas and having those exercises.&nbsp;

Iraj Elahi: It itself proves the level of close, good relation and strategic relation of Iran and India, you know our relation, the relation between Iran and India, has economic aspect, military aspect, political aspect, a cultural aspect. The visit of the vessels of India, and a few months back, an Iranian vessel was in Mumbai, two big Iranian vessels. Iran also participated in the Milan 2024,&nbsp;marine exercise in the Indian Ocean. So the relation is, the relation between Iran and India is progressing, and we are satisfied with this. And we, as I mentioned, we are grateful for Indian support, for membership of Iran in BRICS and also we are trying to find different solutions for the issues which are raised, and both sides have tried. I myself felt this. Both sides are trying to not interfere with each other, in internal issues.

WION:&nbsp;So my last question to you is, last week was very busy for you. I saw you at various events where, essentially, homage was paid to Hasan Nasrullah, whether it's at the India Islamic Center, or whether it's Iranian culture centre as well, we have seen marches as well in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in Indian cities like Lucknow and, of course, here in Delhi as well on Friday. What do you have to say about this event where you participated, and also these protests and marches, when it comes to Hassan Nasrullah?

Iraj Elahi: You know, as Hindus have solidarity with each other, the Shia community, Muslim community, have solidarity and show solidarity with each other. Beside this, Hassan Nasrullah was a well-known leader and was supported and was beloved by many people, not only between Shia community or Sunni community, between Muslim, but even non-Muslim, he was well-known and famous between non Muslim people all around the world. So we, if the people were allowed in western countries, you could witness March of and demonstration of people on the you know, to commemorate the martyrdom of Hassan Nasrullah. I&nbsp;received messages from many Hindus, personalities, dignitaries, that they came to our embassy and called me and sent messages and said, we are sad Hassan Nasrullah was so and so.

Amid the volatile situation in West Asia, Iran's ambassador to New Delhi, Iraj Elahi has said that India can ask Israel to de-escalate the situation. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Elahi said, "We hope that India, as friends of both countries, can play a constructive role.

Amid the volatile situation in West Asia, Iran's ambassador to New Delhi, Iraj Elahi has said that India can ask Israel to de-escalate the situation. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Elahi said, "We hope that India, as friends of both countries, can play a constructive role. I always invite the countries who have influence on Israel, especially India, which I am ambassador to India, to use their assets, their influence, to encourage Israel for de-escalation. The de-escalation will be to the benefit of both sides, the whole region, and also India". The situation between Israel and Iran in West Asia is highly tense, marked by Iran's direct missile attack on Israel, which was a response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Israel has vowed to respond, amidst fears of a wider regional war. The ambassador explained: "India can encourage Israel...since the escalation is not on the benefit of any of the no sides, Iran, Israel, the whole region and the whole globe, globally, not the benefit of the whole world." India and Iran are currently working on a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iran's new President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the BRICS Kazan summit later this month in Russia. The ambassador spoke at length on the current situation in West Asia terming it as "dangerous". Here's the full interview: WION: What is the current situation in West Asia? Iraj Elahi: Unfortunately, the ongoing situation in the region is not good, it is dangerous, as you mentioned, it is dangerous. Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh inside Iran, we were obliged to, according to the inherent rights for self-defence and United Nation charter. We were obliged to use our legitimate right to defend and strike Israel for deterrence, you know, to deter Israel from repeating such a violation on Iranian sovereignty. Beside this Israeli invasion in Lebanon and the continuation of genocide in Gaza is going on. Unfortunately the support of the United States is continuing. And not only it's continued, but financially, legally and internationally, the United States is giving new and high, high tech or very advanced ammunition to Israel, which can have an important effect on the tension. So the situation is not good, is not good, and we hope, we hope that the United States and those who are who have influence on Israel will encourage and convince Israel for the de-escalation, since the escalation of the situation will not be to the benefit of no countries. Also read: Contact 'lost' with Hezbollah chief Nasrallah's presumed successor Safieddine WION: Do you see the war spilling across West Asia? Do you see strikes coming from Israel? Iraj Elahi: You know, the ongoing massacre in Gaza, killing more than 41,000 innocent people, there is no doubt that there are combatants of Hamas between this casualty but the continuation of killing and blood shedding in Gaza. You know, the number of casualties has exceeded 41,000 people. Beside this, Israeli forces are targeting refugees. And for this reason, I hope that the wise people in the Western countries and even in India, countries like India, who have influence on Israel and have a good relation with Israel, try to encourage it for the escalation, but we are ready for any case or any situation. WION: Let's focus on the Indian role. What kind of role do you see or foresee for India amidst this situation in West Asia? Do you see the office of India playing an important role in de-escalation, perhaps sending a message from the two sides calling on for de-escalation, something that we have seen in Ukraine and Russia? Iraj Elahi: Regarding giving and sending messages between Iran and Israel, since we do not recognise Israel as a legitimate state, there is no, no, no exchange of messages between Iran and Israel. So for this reason, there is no space for other mediators, such as India or other countries to mediate between Iran and Israel. You know, Iran is a state with old history, but Israel is an artificial regime which was set up in the occupied territory of Palestine. So regarding India, we believe that India, since has not only good, but very close relations with Israel. And Israel is one of the close friends of India. India can encourage Israel and attract its attention to the consequences of the current situation, encouragement for de-escalation, since the escalation is not on the benefit of none of the no sides, Iran, Israel, the whole region and the whole globe, globally, not the benefit of the whole world. WION: Continuing with India, we saw the Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, meeting the Iranian foreign minister in New York. The BRICS summit is also going to happen later this month. Iran is a member of BRICS. Now, can we expect high level engagement between the two sides where there can be a discussion on this particular issue, and will there be a meeting between the Iranian side and the Indian side in BRICS? Iraj Elahi: Yes. Thank you for this question. I should repeat again our respect and gratitude to India for helping Iran to be a member, full member of BRICS. We will never forget this. And we are now working on a meeting of our President Masoud Pezeshkian and PM Modi, in the coming BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. Of course there were, we were working on a bilateral meeting of both high-ranking ranking meeting, high-ranking leaders in New York. But unfortunately for the logistics you know, the visit of PM Modi was too short, and also, there were too many. Mostly, they were too busy. So we are now working on their meeting in Kazan. WION: So coming back to the situation in West Asia, now, what's your assessment when it comes to the situation in Lebanon? Because Hezbollah is a group that is seen as a terror group by Israelis. It is seen as a resistance group by the Lebanese. So essentially, when it comes to the Iranian support for Lebanon and for Hezbollah, what's your thought process, assessment? Iraj Elahi: You know, when you want to answer this question, you should know Lebanon. Lebanon is a small country. It appeared in the map of the region after the Sykes–Picot Agreement, there was a division of the region between France and England and Lebanon, there are different ethnicities in Lebanon, Shia group, Shia community, Sunni community, Maronite Christians, Druze, and because of the invasion of Israel to Lebanon, the Government of Lebanon is not strong enough to defend the sovereignty of Lebanon. So this community, I mean, Shia, Sunni, Maronite, Druze, have their own party and the political party, and they are in the parliament, they are in the cabinet minister, and even they have their own militia to defend themselves, beside and alongside the army of Lebanon. You know, when we talk about Hezbollah etc all of these groups, have militia to defend themselves. So calling Hezbollah as a terrorist group is not true, and we should consider that all community in Lebanon, these this party, Hezbollah, is a political party, has a member in Parliament, has members in the cabinet, Minister, also Maronite Party and the Sunni party have members in Parliament, and they have militia. Hezbollah is now resisting the occupation of and trying to liberate the occupied territory of Lebanon. You know, still some part of South of Lebanon is in the occupation of Israel. I serve in Lebanon, I am fully aware of the situation and Lebanon. So for this reason, we supported, we supported Hezbollah to liberate. We believe that any changes, not only in West Asia, but also in Caucasus, will cause a new round of tension and escalation of clashes in the region. So we believe that the only solution is and for this reason, we support Hezbollah to liberate as we support any you know, we support Syria. We support Syria, and we officially support the sovereignty of Syria. We officially supported Iraq, sovereignty of Iraq, and we did not recognise the referendum of separation of Kurdistan in Iraq. And also, we do not accept any changes in the borders of the countries in the Caucasus. So the changes, the changes, some groups are trying to change the status quo of the region, and they have planned. This plan is designed in the United States and in some Western countries to change the geopolitics of West Asia. And every day, every time, they call it by a new name. Sometimes, they call it Great West Asia, Great Middle East, sometimes, and they call it Abraham Accords, sometimes they call it IMEE, the India Middle East economic corridor. Also read: West Asia crisis: Israel president labels dubs Iran an 'ongoing threat' WION: You mentioned about the IMEE? Iraj Elahi: India as an emerging economy and an emerging power in the world with very high growth, growth rate needs, the different needs to diversify its route to different markets. To this, to get raw material and to send its products to different markets. So it is natural for India to diversify its routes. But IMEE is a project which was designed to change the geopolitics of the region. But you know, somebody talks about the impact of IMEE on the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC). We do not have any concern regarding the impact of IMEC on INSTC. INSTC's mission is to connect the Indian Ocean, India to Russia, to Eurasia, to Afghanistan, to Iran, and through Russia and to caucuses and Europe, IMEE is to connect India to Europe. We believe that the political and security impact of IMEE is much, much more important than the economic aspect of this project. WION: What next for hezbollah? Iraj Elahi: Hezbollah, Hamas are based, have two dimensions, they have software and hardware. Software is a school of resistance, this thought will not be damaged in any cases, even if you demolish, if Israel could, could kill all of the leaders and destroy this structure, you know. So this thought as after one year, more than one year Israel hitting Hamas hitting Gaza, the still people of Gaza are resisting, you know, because this thought is resilient, but regarding the hardware of Hezbollah, I mean structure, structure, its military capabilities. I think Hezbollah is resilient. Hezbollah is very, very well organised, and very soon it can, it can recover. WION: So coming back to the India angle amidst this crisis, how do you see India's stance? The Indian government has issued one statement and the comment from the MEA spokesperson, calling for restraint, expressing its concern. Iraj Elahi: We have a very good and close relationship with India. Our relation goes back to history, and we have been together through history and we have started different projects. You know, Chabahar is just one example of our project. I am in close touch with MEA and different structures of India. And despite this, we fully understand the Indian side for not purchasing Iranian oil, and we do not insist on that, because we do not want to harm Indian companies. But at the same time, we believe that there are too many opportunities for us to set up a new round of cooperation. So from our side, we are fully with India, and we hope that, we expect that India, as friends of both countries, can play a constructive role. I always invite the countries who have influence on Israel, especially India, which I am ambassador to India, to use their assets, their influence, to encourage Israel for de-escalation. The de-escalation will be to the benefit of both sides, the whole region, and also India. WION: First, it was interesting to see the Indian naval assets, Indian naval ships talking at bandar abbas bandrea Abbas and having those exercises. Iraj Elahi: It itself proves the level of close, good relation and strategic relation of Iran and India, you know our relation, the relation between Iran and India, has economic aspect, military aspect, political aspect, a cultural aspect. The visit of the vessels of India, and a few months back, an Iranian vessel was in Mumbai, two big Iranian vessels. Iran also participated in the Milan 2024, marine exercise in the Indian Ocean. So the relation is, the relation between Iran and India is progressing, and we are satisfied with this. And we, as I mentioned, we are grateful for Indian support, for membership of Iran in BRICS and also we are trying to find different solutions for the issues which are raised, and both sides have tried. I myself felt this. Both sides are trying to not interfere with each other, in internal issues. WION: So my last question to you is, last week was very busy for you. I saw you at various events where, essentially, homage was paid to Hasan Nasrullah, whether it's at the India Islamic Center, or whether it's Iranian culture centre as well, we have seen marches as well in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in Indian cities like Lucknow and, of course, here in Delhi as well on Friday. What do you have to say about this event where you participated, and also these protests and marches, when it comes to Hassan Nasrullah? Iraj Elahi: You know, as Hindus have solidarity with each other, the Shia community, Muslim community, have solidarity and show solidarity with each other. Beside this, Hassan Nasrullah was a well-known leader and was supported and was beloved by many people, not only between Shia community or Sunni community, between Muslim, but even non-Muslim, he was well-known and famous between non Muslim people all around the world. So we, if the people were allowed in western countries, you could witness March of and demonstration of people on the you know, to commemorate the martyrdom of Hassan Nasrullah. I received messages from many Hindus, personalities, dignitaries, that they came to our embassy and called me and sent messages and said, we are sad Hassan Nasrullah was so and so.

India can encourage Israel to de escalate: Iran Ambassador Iraj Elahi

Iran attacked Israel with over 200 ballistic missiles on Tuesday, further escalating tensions in the Middle East. The region is on the brink of an all-out war as Israel prepares to retaliate against the attack.&nbsp;

Reports suggest that the country is planning to go after Iran's oil facilities.&nbsp;

Israeli officials told Axios that the country would launch a "significant retaliation" within days and the oil production facilities inside Iran, along with other strategic sites, might fall prey to it.

Targeted assassinations and bringing down Iran's air defence systems are also on the list and might form part of the retaliation efforts.

Fighter jets might conduct airstrikes to destroy the country's infrastructure. The officials also told Axios that clandestine operations similar to the one that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh two months ago are also an option.

Following the attacks, Iran Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said that they had targeted "three military bases" near Tel Aviv. It added that the missile strikes were in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Lebanon and the killing of Haniyeh.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/davids-sling-and-arrow-the-anti-missile-systems-protecting-israel-together-with-iron-dome-763737">David's Sling and Arrow, the anti-missile systems protecting Israel together with Iron Dome</a>

Notably, the US and UK helped Israel against the strikes, as British jets countered Iran's strikes while the US destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea destroyed several Iranian missiles, US defence officials said.

Oil is one of the biggest sources of economic stability for Iran amid sanctions and the country is &nbsp;the third biggest producer of crude oil in the OPEC group of oil producing countries.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Tehran following the attacks, stating it had "made a big mistake tonight - and it will pay for it".

On the other hand, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi state later that it considers the matter "concluded... unless Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In that scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful."

Iran's General Staff of the Armed Forces said in a statement that any Israeli response would be met with "vast destruction" of Israeli infrastructure. It also warned against allys joining in, promising to target their regional assets. 
&nbsp;

Iran attacked Israel with over 200 ballistic missiles on Tuesday, further escalating tensions in the Middle East. The region is on the brink of an all-out war as Israel prepares to retaliate against the attack.

Iran attacked Israel with over 200 ballistic missiles on Tuesday, further escalating tensions in the Middle East. The region is on the brink of an all-out war as Israel prepares to retaliate against the attack. Reports suggest that the country is planning to go after Iran's oil facilities. Israeli officials told Axios that the country would launch a "significant retaliation" within days and the oil production facilities inside Iran, along with other strategic sites, might fall prey to it. Targeted assassinations and bringing down Iran's air defence systems are also on the list and might form part of the retaliation efforts. Fighter jets might conduct airstrikes to destroy the country's infrastructure. The officials also told Axios that clandestine operations similar to the one that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh two months ago are also an option. Following the attacks, Iran Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said that they had targeted "three military bases" near Tel Aviv. It added that the missile strikes were in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Lebanon and the killing of Haniyeh. Also Read: David's Sling and Arrow, the anti-missile systems protecting Israel together with Iron Dome Notably, the US and UK helped Israel against the strikes, as British jets countered Iran's strikes while the US destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea destroyed several Iranian missiles, US defence officials said. Oil is one of the biggest sources of economic stability for Iran amid sanctions and the country is the third biggest producer of crude oil in the OPEC group of oil producing countries. × Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Tehran following the attacks, stating it had "made a big mistake tonight - and it will pay for it". On the other hand, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi state later that it considers the matter "concluded... unless Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In that scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful." Iran's General Staff of the Armed Forces said in a statement that any Israeli response would be met with "vast destruction" of Israeli infrastructure. It also warned against allys joining in, promising to target their regional assets.

Israel planning to target Iran's oil facilities, resort to targeted assassinations: Report

After a wave of explosions from pagers and walkie-talkies swept Lebanon on Sep 17 and Sep 18 targeting Hezbollah group members, an Iranian MP now claims that the same kind of attack might have killed former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

This came after pager and other blasts killed at least 39 people and injured over 3000 across Lebanon and Syria. Lebanon has blamed Israel for allegedly carrying out such grave sort of attacks. Israel remains silent on this.&nbsp;

Iranian MP Ahmad Bakshayesg Ardestani said Raisi also used to have a pager with him and an image of the deceased Iranian leader with a pager on a table surfaced online recently, which raises similar doubts.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwirouCMhdmIAxWR3jgGHd96EEgQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-guards-ban-communications-devices-after-pager-explosions-in-lebanon-against-hezbollah-761103" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-guards-ban-communications-devices-after-pager-explosions-in-lebanon-against-hezbollah-761103&amp;ved=2ahUKEwirouCMhdmIAxWR3jgGHd96EEgQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE">Iran`s Guards ban communications devices after pager explosions in Lebanon against Hezbollah</a>

Ahmad believes the same kind of attack also has some link with Raisi’s death, primarily pointing fingers at Israel’s Mossad.&nbsp;

Raisi, who died in a chopper crash in May, was next in line to succeed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

"One likely scenario regarding the deadly helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi is the explosion of his pager," Ardestani said.

Watch |&nbsp;Lebanon Pager Blast: Taiwan-made pagers targeted: Reports

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However, the Iranian government released a final investigation report earlier in September, stating that severe weather conditions like thick fog were the primary causes of the May helicopter crash.

But Iranian MP Ahmad reiterated his speculation and added that Iran played a role in the purchase of the pagers that exploded in Lebanon, suggesting that Iranian agencies should also probe the incident separately.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwirouCMhdmIAxWR3jgGHd96EEgQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-how-were-the-deadly-hezbollah-pager-explosions-carried-out-in-lebanon-759700" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-how-were-the-deadly-hezbollah-pager-explosions-carried-out-in-lebanon-759700&amp;ved=2ahUKEwirouCMhdmIAxWR3jgGHd96EEgQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">Explained: How were the deadly Hezbollah pager explosions carried out in Lebanon?</a>

Raisi, a hardliner who was seen as the next in line to succeed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, took a strong stance in domestic and international politics. He was a long-time member of the Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for picking a successor for the supreme leader when he dies. His helicopter crashed on May 19 in a mountainous region near the Azerbaijan border.&nbsp;

Raisi became president in 2021 after succeeding Hassan Rouhani. He was also infamous for the 1988 mass execution that shocked the world was gave him the name of "Butcher of Tehran'.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

After a wave of explosions from pagers and walkie-talkies swept Lebanon on Sep 17 and Sep 18 targeting Hezbollah group members, an Iranian MP now claims that the same kind of attack might have killed former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

After a wave of explosions from pagers and walkie-talkies swept Lebanon on Sep 17 and Sep 18 targeting Hezbollah group members, an Iranian MP now claims that the same kind of attack might have killed former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. This came after pager and other blasts killed at least 39 people and injured over 3000 across Lebanon and Syria. Lebanon has blamed Israel for allegedly carrying out such grave sort of attacks. Israel remains silent on this. Iranian MP Ahmad Bakshayesg Ardestani said Raisi also used to have a pager with him and an image of the deceased Iranian leader with a pager on a table surfaced online recently, which raises similar doubts. Also Read | Iran`s Guards ban communications devices after pager explosions in Lebanon against Hezbollah Ahmad believes the same kind of attack also has some link with Raisi’s death, primarily pointing fingers at Israel’s Mossad. Raisi, who died in a chopper crash in May, was next in line to succeed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei. "One likely scenario regarding the deadly helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi is the explosion of his pager," Ardestani said. Watch | Lebanon Pager Blast: Taiwan-made pagers targeted: Reports × However, the Iranian government released a final investigation report earlier in September, stating that severe weather conditions like thick fog were the primary causes of the May helicopter crash. But Iranian MP Ahmad reiterated his speculation and added that Iran played a role in the purchase of the pagers that exploded in Lebanon, suggesting that Iranian agencies should also probe the incident separately. Also Read | Explained: How were the deadly Hezbollah pager explosions carried out in Lebanon? Raisi, a hardliner who was seen as the next in line to succeed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, took a strong stance in domestic and international politics. He was a long-time member of the Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for picking a successor for the supreme leader when he dies. His helicopter crashed on May 19 in a mountainous region near the Azerbaijan border. Raisi became president in 2021 after succeeding Hassan Rouhani. He was also infamous for the 1988 mass execution that shocked the world was gave him the name of "Butcher of Tehran'. (With inputs from agencies)

Mossad killed Ebrahim Raisi? Iran MP hints ex-president's pager exploded on chopper

Amid ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, Britain and Egypt have told their airlines to avoid Iranian and Lebanese airspace for three hours on Thursday morning. Reportedly, this directive came after Tehran sent a cautionary notice asking Egypt to avoid its airspace from 4:30 am to 7:30 am (local time) on Thursday.

Egypt's NOTAM, a safety notice provided to pilots, said the instruction would be in effect from 0100 to 0400 GMT.

"All Egyptian carriers shall avoid overflying Tehran (Flight Information Region). No flight plan will be accepted overflying such territory," the notice said.

Tensions in the Middle East have been escalating ever since Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran. Later, top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was also killed in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. There are fears of violence and a broader conflict in the region, because of which British and Egyptian flights have been asked to avoid the airspace of these countries.&nbsp;

Egypt was the first to issue the directive to its airlines, followed by Britain for safety reasons.&nbsp;

<h2>Commercial flights have been shot down in the past</h2>

Fears of airplanes being targeted stem from past incidents where commercial flights were mistakenly shot down during tense times. Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine by Russian-backed forces in 2014 killing all 298 people on board. It was flying from&nbsp;Amsterdam&nbsp;to&nbsp;Kuala Lumpur and was hit by a&nbsp;Buk 9M38&nbsp;surface-to-air missile. During this time,&nbsp;a&nbsp;war was going on in Donbas&nbsp;over territory controlled by&nbsp;Russian separatist forces

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-foreign-minister-katz-reveals-irans-plan-to-launch-attack-on-israel-urges-international-action-747507">Israeli FM Katz says Iran plans to attack Israel, conveyed warning via Hungary</a>

In 2020, Iranian air defence units admitted to mistakenly shooting down Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752. All 176 people on board died after the flight was shot down shortly after taking off from Tehran airport. Iran was on heightened alert at the time because of increased tensions with the United States.

<h2>Notice to airlines by Egypt</h2>

On Wednesday, Egypt's civil aviation ministry confirmed that the notice was intended to reduce flight safety risks due to a notification it received from Iranian authorities.

"Military exercises will be conducted over Iranian airspace on Aug. 7 from 11:30 to 14:30 and from 4:30 to 7:30 on Aug. 8 Tehran time," the statement said.

The press statement released by Egypt's ministry mentioned an unnamed source quoted by the state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV as saying that Iranian authorities had said to avoid flying in the country's airspace because of "military exercises."

As per the Iranian foreign ministry's website, Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani spoke over the phone with the Egyptian foreign minister about the matter.&nbsp;

<h2>Airlines change schedules</h2>

In light of the notice, schedules have been changed to avoid flying over Iranian and Lebanese airspaces. Most airlines have also cancelled flights to Israel and Lebanon. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 shows that British carriers are not flying to Lebanon.&nbsp;

Mark Zee, founder of OPSGROUP - a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk, said that Egyptian airlines have already been avoiding the Iranian airspace. Similarly, Singapore Airlines (OTC: SINGY) stopped flying through Iranian airspace last Friday.

WATCH:&nbsp;US, Israel brace for Iran's retaliation: US working round the clock to prevent escalation, says Biden

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(With inputs from agencies)

Amid ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, Britain and Egypt have told their airlines to avoid Iranian and Lebanese airspace for three hours on Thursday morning.

Amid ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, Britain and Egypt have told their airlines to avoid Iranian and Lebanese airspace for three hours on Thursday morning. Reportedly, this directive came after Tehran sent a cautionary notice asking Egypt to avoid its airspace from 4:30 am to 7:30 am (local time) on Thursday. Egypt's NOTAM, a safety notice provided to pilots, said the instruction would be in effect from 0100 to 0400 GMT. "All Egyptian carriers shall avoid overflying Tehran (Flight Information Region). No flight plan will be accepted overflying such territory," the notice said. Tensions in the Middle East have been escalating ever since Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran. Later, top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was also killed in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. There are fears of violence and a broader conflict in the region, because of which British and Egyptian flights have been asked to avoid the airspace of these countries. Egypt was the first to issue the directive to its airlines, followed by Britain for safety reasons. Commercial flights have been shot down in the past Fears of airplanes being targeted stem from past incidents where commercial flights were mistakenly shot down during tense times. Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine by Russian-backed forces in 2014 killing all 298 people on board. It was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur and was hit by a Buk 9M38 surface-to-air missile. During this time, a war was going on in Donbas over territory controlled by Russian separatist forces Also Read: Israeli FM Katz says Iran plans to attack Israel, conveyed warning via Hungary In 2020, Iranian air defence units admitted to mistakenly shooting down Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752. All 176 people on board died after the flight was shot down shortly after taking off from Tehran airport. Iran was on heightened alert at the time because of increased tensions with the United States. Notice to airlines by Egypt On Wednesday, Egypt's civil aviation ministry confirmed that the notice was intended to reduce flight safety risks due to a notification it received from Iranian authorities. "Military exercises will be conducted over Iranian airspace on Aug. 7 from 11:30 to 14:30 and from 4:30 to 7:30 on Aug. 8 Tehran time," the statement said. The press statement released by Egypt's ministry mentioned an unnamed source quoted by the state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV as saying that Iranian authorities had said to avoid flying in the country's airspace because of "military exercises." As per the Iranian foreign ministry's website, Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani spoke over the phone with the Egyptian foreign minister about the matter. Airlines change schedules In light of the notice, schedules have been changed to avoid flying over Iranian and Lebanese airspaces. Most airlines have also cancelled flights to Israel and Lebanon. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 shows that British carriers are not flying to Lebanon. Mark Zee, founder of OPSGROUP - a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk, said that Egyptian airlines have already been avoiding the Iranian airspace. Similarly, Singapore Airlines (OTC: SINGY) stopped flying through Iranian airspace last Friday. WATCH: US, Israel brace for Iran's retaliation: US working round the clock to prevent escalation, says Biden × (With inputs from agencies)

Two airplanes were shot down amid regional conflicts in the past. Airlines are playing safe now

West Asia is on the boil. Iran is all set to attack Israel. Reportedly, Iran could launch an attack on Israel within 48 hours. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned his counterparts from the G7 countries regarding the attack. Blinken set up a conference call with the U.S. allies to generate 'last-minute diplomatic pressure' on Iran.

Iran can attack Israel in next 24 to 48 hours: Blinken warns G7 countries

A&nbsp;drone&nbsp;claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels slipped through Israel's vaunted air defence system on Friday to hit a Tel Aviv building near a US embassy annexe, killing a civilian.

The Houthis&nbsp;fired at Tel Aviv a "new&nbsp;drone&nbsp;called 'Yafa', which is capable of bypassing the enemy's interception systems," said Yahya Saree, the Iran-backed Yemeni movement's spokesman.

The Houthis have targeted shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with numerous&nbsp;drone&nbsp;and missile attacks since November, citing solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

They have previously claimed attacks on Israeli cities including Ashdod, Haifa and Eilat, but Friday's strike appears to be the first to breach Israel's intricate air defences.

It comes after the rebels threatened an escalation.

An Israeli military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a "very big&nbsp;drone&nbsp;that can travel long distances" was used in the 3:12 am (0012 GMT) attack.

The&nbsp;drone&nbsp;was detected, he said, but due to "human error" the alarm was not raised in time, and it slammed into an apartment building.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-presence-in-palestinian-territories-illegal-rules-top-un-court-742450">Israel’s presence in Palestinian territories illegal, rules top UN court</a>

Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Israel believed the&nbsp;drone&nbsp;used was Iranian-made and upgraded so it could reach Tel Aviv from Yemen -- at least 1,800 kilometres (1,100 miles) away.

It was "likely a Samad-3 model, which we estimate was launched from Yemen and reached Tel Aviv," he said, adding one civilian was killed and others lightly injured. Medical services said four people suffered "relatively minor" injuries.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to avenge the&nbsp;drone&nbsp;attack.

"The security system will settle the score with all who try to harm the state of Israel, or sends terrorism against it, in a decisive and surprising manner," he said in comments released on social media platform X.

<h2>'Everything blew out'&nbsp;</h2>

In grainy security camera footage, the buzz of what appeared to be the&nbsp;drone&nbsp;was followed by an explosion that shook the building and set off car alarms.

The blast occurred about 100 metres (yards) from a US embassy annexe, said an AFP journalist who saw broken windows along the street lined with apartment blocks.

"It woke me up because the vibration of the sound was like a 747 coming in," said Kenneth Davis, an Israeli who was staying in a hotel opposite the struck building.

"And then the explosion... everything blew out in the room, the windows and things from the ceiling, and it was on me, nothing heavy, but lots of pieces of stuff," he told AFPTV.

Hagari said Israel "intercepted another&nbsp;UAV&nbsp;trying to infiltrate from the east" at around the same time as the Tel Aviv attack.

"We are investigating why the&nbsp;UAV&nbsp;was not identified as a threat and intercepted before it struck," he said. "I want to emphasise that (Israel's air) defence is not impenetrable."

In recent weeks, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-backed groups, has claimed&nbsp;drone&nbsp;strikes against targets in Israel, labelling many of them "joint operations" with the Houthis.

The United States and Britain launched a campaign of air strikes in January to deter Houthi attacks on ships.

The Gaza war was triggered by the October 7 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on southern Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

The militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom are still in Gaza, including 42 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israel's military retaliation to wipe out Hamas has killed at least 38,848 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, where fighting raged on Friday.

<h2>'Moral stain'</h2>

Residents said clashes were heard between Palestinian fighters and the Israeli army, with explosions and shelling in the Tal al-Hawa district of Gaza City.

The war has destroyed much of Gaza's housing and other infrastructure, leaving almost all the population displaced, short of food and drinking water.

Many are living in unsanitary conditions. Health authorities in Gaza and Israel said on Thursday that a highly infectious polio virus has been detected in Gaza sewage samples.

The World Health Organization said on Friday however that so far no cases of polio had been discovered in Gaza.

"The humanitarian situation... is a moral stain on us all," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that, despite mounting pressure both at home and from abroad, there would be no let-up in Israel's campaign against Hamas.

Far-right members of his governing coalition oppose a truce deal, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir who on Thursday said Netanyahu must not make a "surrender" accord with Hamas.

Netanyahu is set to address the US Congress next Wednesday.

Ahead of his trip, Israeli lawmakers passed a symbolic resolution opposing the creation of a Palestinian state -- a move criticised by the United Nations and one that clashes with US ambitions for the region.

Despite the vote, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reiterated "our firm belief in the power and the promise of the two-state solution".

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

A drone claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels slipped through Israel's vaunted air defence system on Friday to hit a Tel Aviv building near a US embassy annexe, killing a civilian.

A drone claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels slipped through Israel's vaunted air defence system on Friday to hit a Tel Aviv building near a US embassy annexe, killing a civilian. The Houthis fired at Tel Aviv a "new drone called 'Yafa', which is capable of bypassing the enemy's interception systems," said Yahya Saree, the Iran-backed Yemeni movement's spokesman. The Houthis have targeted shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with numerous drone and missile attacks since November, citing solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. They have previously claimed attacks on Israeli cities including Ashdod, Haifa and Eilat, but Friday's strike appears to be the first to breach Israel's intricate air defences. It comes after the rebels threatened an escalation. An Israeli military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a "very big drone that can travel long distances" was used in the 3:12 am (0012 GMT) attack. The drone was detected, he said, but due to "human error" the alarm was not raised in time, and it slammed into an apartment building. Also read: Israel’s presence in Palestinian territories illegal, rules top UN court Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Israel believed the drone used was Iranian-made and upgraded so it could reach Tel Aviv from Yemen -- at least 1,800 kilometres (1,100 miles) away. It was "likely a Samad-3 model, which we estimate was launched from Yemen and reached Tel Aviv," he said, adding one civilian was killed and others lightly injured. Medical services said four people suffered "relatively minor" injuries. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to avenge the drone attack. "The security system will settle the score with all who try to harm the state of Israel, or sends terrorism against it, in a decisive and surprising manner," he said in comments released on social media platform X. 'Everything blew out' In grainy security camera footage, the buzz of what appeared to be the drone was followed by an explosion that shook the building and set off car alarms. The blast occurred about 100 metres (yards) from a US embassy annexe, said an AFP journalist who saw broken windows along the street lined with apartment blocks. "It woke me up because the vibration of the sound was like a 747 coming in," said Kenneth Davis, an Israeli who was staying in a hotel opposite the struck building. "And then the explosion... everything blew out in the room, the windows and things from the ceiling, and it was on me, nothing heavy, but lots of pieces of stuff," he told AFPTV. Hagari said Israel "intercepted another UAV trying to infiltrate from the east" at around the same time as the Tel Aviv attack. "We are investigating why the UAV was not identified as a threat and intercepted before it struck," he said. "I want to emphasise that (Israel's air) defence is not impenetrable." In recent weeks, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-backed groups, has claimed drone strikes against targets in Israel, labelling many of them "joint operations" with the Houthis. The United States and Britain launched a campaign of air strikes in January to deter Houthi attacks on ships. The Gaza war was triggered by the October 7 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on southern Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. The militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom are still in Gaza, including 42 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's military retaliation to wipe out Hamas has killed at least 38,848 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, where fighting raged on Friday. 'Moral stain' Residents said clashes were heard between Palestinian fighters and the Israeli army, with explosions and shelling in the Tal al-Hawa district of Gaza City. The war has destroyed much of Gaza's housing and other infrastructure, leaving almost all the population displaced, short of food and drinking water. Many are living in unsanitary conditions. Health authorities in Gaza and Israel said on Thursday that a highly infectious polio virus has been detected in Gaza sewage samples. The World Health Organization said on Friday however that so far no cases of polio had been discovered in Gaza. "The humanitarian situation... is a moral stain on us all," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that, despite mounting pressure both at home and from abroad, there would be no let-up in Israel's campaign against Hamas. Far-right members of his governing coalition oppose a truce deal, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir who on Thursday said Netanyahu must not make a "surrender" accord with Hamas. Netanyahu is set to address the US Congress next Wednesday. Ahead of his trip, Israeli lawmakers passed a symbolic resolution opposing the creation of a Palestinian state -- a move criticised by the United Nations and one that clashes with US ambitions for the region. Despite the vote, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reiterated "our firm belief in the power and the promise of the two-state solution". Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

One killed, several injured after drone attack on Tel Aviv; Houthis claim responsibility for strike

A senior Iranian official said that Tehran would change its nuclear doctrine if Israel continues to threaten its existence amid the ongoing turmoil in West Asia stemming from the war in Gaza. The assertion has triggered newfound fears of a nuclear warfare in the region on boil.&nbsp;

<h2>What is Iran's nuclear doctrine?</h2>

Iran's public position is that it has no plans to obtain nuclear weapons. But the intelligence agencies across the world have long concluded that Tehran intends to obtain a nuclear bomb.&nbsp;

Kamal Kharrazi, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a sharp threat to Israel by indicating that Tehran might change its nuclear doctrine sooner than expected.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;Does Iran have nuclear weapons?

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Kamal Kharrazi said to Iran's Student News Network earlier this week, "We have no decision to build a nuclear bomb but should Iran's existence be threatened, there will be no choice but to change our military doctrine."

"Recently, the military officials also announced that if Israel wants to attack nuclear facilities, it is possible and imaginable to revise Iran’s nuclear doctrine and policies and divert from the previous declaration considerations," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iran-israel-conflict-what-it-means-for-indias-stakes-in-the-region-711069">Iran-Israel conflict: What it means for India's stakes in the region</a>

Earlier in 2022, Kharrazi had claimed that Iran was technically capable of making a nuclear bomb but had not yet decided whether to build one.&nbsp;

Supreme Leader Khamenei banned the development of nuclear weapons in a fatwa in the early 2000s.

In his latest comment on the matter, Kharrazi said, "In the case of an attack on our nuclear facilities by the Zionist regime, our deterrence will change."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-attacks-israel-in-numbers-what-makes-it-most-sophisticated-attack-on-israel-since-oct-7-711108">Iran attacks Israel: In numbers, what makes it most sophisticated attack on Israel since Oct 7</a>

Iran and Israel have long been arch enemies with Tehran refusing to recognise Israeli existence. But what was a proxy war for decades, became an open confrontation last month after Tehran launched hundreds of missiles and drones against Israel in response to a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A senior Iranian official said that Tehran would change its nuclear doctrine if Israel continues to threaten its existence amid the ongoing turmoil in West Asia stemming from the war in Gaza.

A senior Iranian official said that Tehran would change its nuclear doctrine if Israel continues to threaten its existence amid the ongoing turmoil in West Asia stemming from the war in Gaza. The assertion has triggered newfound fears of a nuclear warfare in the region on boil. What is Iran's nuclear doctrine? Iran's public position is that it has no plans to obtain nuclear weapons. But the intelligence agencies across the world have long concluded that Tehran intends to obtain a nuclear bomb. Kamal Kharrazi, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a sharp threat to Israel by indicating that Tehran might change its nuclear doctrine sooner than expected. Also watch | Does Iran have nuclear weapons? × Kamal Kharrazi said to Iran's Student News Network earlier this week, "We have no decision to build a nuclear bomb but should Iran's existence be threatened, there will be no choice but to change our military doctrine." "Recently, the military officials also announced that if Israel wants to attack nuclear facilities, it is possible and imaginable to revise Iran’s nuclear doctrine and policies and divert from the previous declaration considerations," he said. Also read | Iran-Israel conflict: What it means for India's stakes in the region Earlier in 2022, Kharrazi had claimed that Iran was technically capable of making a nuclear bomb but had not yet decided whether to build one. Supreme Leader Khamenei banned the development of nuclear weapons in a fatwa in the early 2000s. In his latest comment on the matter, Kharrazi said, "In the case of an attack on our nuclear facilities by the Zionist regime, our deterrence will change." Also read | Iran attacks Israel: In numbers, what makes it most sophisticated attack on Israel since Oct 7 Iran and Israel have long been arch enemies with Tehran refusing to recognise Israeli existence. But what was a proxy war for decades, became an open confrontation last month after Tehran launched hundreds of missiles and drones against Israel in response to a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran issues nuclear bomb threat to Israel amid escalating tensions, raging war

Iran President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to Pakistan showcased an overcoming of cross-border tensions that have dogged Iran-Pakistan relations over the last few months. The two signed as many as 8 agreements in areas ranging from security to economy and trade. But there can be no missing an undercurrent of tension between the two sides. Raisi was silent on the Kashmir issue raised by Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif. And the long overdue gas pipeline deal between the two festers due to Pakistan's fear of US sanctions.

isi visits Pakistan: Can broken bridges repair?

Does Iran have a cache of secret weapons? Reports in Iranian media say Tehran has kept aside its most powerful missiles for an all-out war with Israel, U.S. On April 13, Iran reportedly used mostly older weapons in order to not reveal its real fire power to Israel, U.S.

Iran vs Israel: Tehran's cache of deadly secret missiles

Iran on Sunday claimed to have caught three “Israeli spies” during a joint operation with Afghanistan’s Taliban.

According to Iranian&nbsp;state television, the three persons are said to be of Iranian nationality and were allegedly working for Israel’s Mossad spy agency.

The "three Mossad agents" were detained in the mountainous region between the two countries, the broadcaster said.

It said that the three had been "planning to launch kamikaze drone attacks from the Afghan border towards targets in Iran".

They "will be transferred to Iran for interrogation", it reported, without elaborating.

<h2>Taliban officials in Iran&nbsp;</h2>

The development came a day after a Taliban delegation arrived in Tehran on Saturday for meetings with top officials including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

This isn’t the first time that Iran has claimed to have foiled Israeli activities in its land.

In August, Iranian security services claimed to have thwarted an Israeli conspiracy to sabotage its ballistic missile production. Several people were arrested.

Tehran also accused Israel of being behind a January drone attack on a defence ministry site in the central province of Isfahan.

<h2>Israel-Iran ties</h2>

Iran and Israel share acrimonious relations, which went further north&nbsp;due to the latter’s conflict with Palestine. Tehran also doesn’t recognise Israel and both have engaged in a shadow war for years.

Iran and Israel have been in conflict since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, though there has never been an outright war between the two.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-stalemate-in-russia-ukraine-war-we-are-changing-strategy-volodymyr-zelensky-655510">No stalemate in Russia-Ukraine war, we are changing strategy: Volodymyr Zelensky</a>

However, Iran does support proxies in the region, including Hezbollah,&nbsp;the Shia militant group in southern Lebanon, and also funds the Hamas terror group, according to experts.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-turkish-police-disperse-pro-palestinian-protest-ahead-of-blinkens-arrival-655524">Israel-Hamas war: Turkish police disperse pro-Palestinian protest ahead of Blinken's arrival</a>

Notably, both used to have strong economic and strategic ties. Iran imported Israeli arms and Israel bought Iranian oil before the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Both countries also had close ties with the US and considered fighting the Soviet Union and the spread of Communism as a part of their foreign policy, according to the US Institute for Peace.

But the 1979 revolution brought in a hard-line Shia government that considered Israel usurpers on Muslim land — and considered the US an enabler.

(With inputs from agencies)

Iran on Sunday claimed to have caught three “Israeli spies” during a joint operation with Afghanistan’s Taliban. According to Iranian state television, the three persons are said to be of Iranian nationality and were allegedly working for Israel’s Mossad spy agency.

Iran on Sunday claimed to have caught three “Israeli spies” during a joint operation with Afghanistan’s Taliban. According to Iranian state television, the three persons are said to be of Iranian nationality and were allegedly working for Israel’s Mossad spy agency. The "three Mossad agents" were detained in the mountainous region between the two countries, the broadcaster said. It said that the three had been "planning to launch kamikaze drone attacks from the Afghan border towards targets in Iran". They "will be transferred to Iran for interrogation", it reported, without elaborating. Taliban officials in Iran The development came a day after a Taliban delegation arrived in Tehran on Saturday for meetings with top officials including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. This isn’t the first time that Iran has claimed to have foiled Israeli activities in its land. In August, Iranian security services claimed to have thwarted an Israeli conspiracy to sabotage its ballistic missile production. Several people were arrested. Tehran also accused Israel of being behind a January drone attack on a defence ministry site in the central province of Isfahan. Israel-Iran ties Iran and Israel share acrimonious relations, which went further north due to the latter’s conflict with Palestine. Tehran also doesn’t recognise Israel and both have engaged in a shadow war for years. Iran and Israel have been in conflict since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, though there has never been an outright war between the two. Also read | No stalemate in Russia-Ukraine war, we are changing strategy: Volodymyr Zelensky However, Iran does support proxies in the region, including Hezbollah, the Shia militant group in southern Lebanon, and also funds the Hamas terror group, according to experts. Also read | Israel-Hamas war: Turkish police disperse pro-Palestinian protest ahead of Blinken's arrival Notably, both used to have strong economic and strategic ties. Iran imported Israeli arms and Israel bought Iranian oil before the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Both countries also had close ties with the US and considered fighting the Soviet Union and the spread of Communism as a part of their foreign policy, according to the US Institute for Peace. But the 1979 revolution brought in a hard-line Shia government that considered Israel usurpers on Muslim land — and considered the US an enabler. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran claims it caught three Israeli spies during joint ops with Afghanistan: Report

Iran and other world powers resumed talk in Vienna on Thursday to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. The talks to revive the troubled deal have been complicated by Iran's decision to ramp up Uranium enrichment and sabotage at Natanz nuclear facility last week.

JCPOA talks resume in Vienna on Iran nuclear deal revival

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has said that Tehran's decision to boost uranium enrichment to 60% was a response to Israel's "nuclear terrorism," three days after an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility.

Iran says 60% enrichment response to Israel's 'Nuclear terrorism'

The cyber attack took place a day after Tehran unveiled new advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges at the Natanz facility

Iran blames Israel for Nuclear site incident, vows 'Revenge'

An investigation team of Delhi Police's Special Cell on Saturday visited the blast site near the Israeli Embassy to collect more evidence as part of its ongoing probe. Forensic experts have also collected some samples from the crime scene that will ascertain the chemical composition used in the low-intensity improvised explosive device (IED).

Official sources said ball bearings seized from the spot were found scattered on the ground and the impact of the explosion was felt within a radius of 20-25 metres.

The minor blast took place on Friday evening in a high-security zone of the national capital. No one was injured.

The bomb appeared to have been planted in a flower pot on the road divider, police said. An envelope addressed to the Israeli Embassy and containing a note was found at the site of the blast.

The letter, addressed “to Israel Embassy ambassador”, contains a threat and describes the explosion as a “trailer”, the sources said. It also refers to two “Iranian martyrs”, Qasem Soleimani and Dr Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the sources said.

Maj Gen Soleimani, who was assassinated in a United States drone strike in January 2020, was Iran’s most powerful general.

Fakhrizadeh, who was assassinated in November last year, was Iran’s top nuclear scientist. Tehran believes he was killed by Israel using a remote-control weapon.

A 10-member team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) had on Friday visited the blast site and collected residues which include metallic swab and ball bearings.

Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava too had visited the site in the evening and took stock of the situation.

All materials seized from the spot have been handed over to the investigating officer of the Delhi Police, a source said.

"We are yet to receive the samples collected from the spot. Once the investigating officer submits the samples conclusively, we will be sending them to our explosives team. Only a chemical test will help us identify the exact composition of the samples," FSL sources said.

The blast took place when President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present a few kilometres away at the Beating Retreat ceremony at the culmination of the Republic Day celebrations.

Investigators have scanned footage retrieved from CCTV cameras installed nearby and spotted a vehicle moving suspiciously near the embassy just before the explosion, sources said. 
The explosion took place on a day when India and Israel marked the completion of the 29th anniversary of establishment of their diplomatic relations.

An investigation team of Delhi Police's Special Cell on Saturday visited the blast site near the Israeli Embassy to collect more evidence as part of its ongoing probe.

An investigation team of Delhi Police's Special Cell on Saturday visited the blast site near the Israeli Embassy to collect more evidence as part of its ongoing probe. Forensic experts have also collected some samples from the crime scene that will ascertain the chemical composition used in the low-intensity improvised explosive device (IED). Official sources said ball bearings seized from the spot were found scattered on the ground and the impact of the explosion was felt within a radius of 20-25 metres. The minor blast took place on Friday evening in a high-security zone of the national capital. No one was injured. The bomb appeared to have been planted in a flower pot on the road divider, police said. An envelope addressed to the Israeli Embassy and containing a note was found at the site of the blast. The letter, addressed “to Israel Embassy ambassador”, contains a threat and describes the explosion as a “trailer”, the sources said. It also refers to two “Iranian martyrs”, Qasem Soleimani and Dr Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the sources said. Maj Gen Soleimani, who was assassinated in a United States drone strike in January 2020, was Iran’s most powerful general. Fakhrizadeh, who was assassinated in November last year, was Iran’s top nuclear scientist. Tehran believes he was killed by Israel using a remote-control weapon. A 10-member team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) had on Friday visited the blast site and collected residues which include metallic swab and ball bearings. Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava too had visited the site in the evening and took stock of the situation. All materials seized from the spot have been handed over to the investigating officer of the Delhi Police, a source said. "We are yet to receive the samples collected from the spot. Once the investigating officer submits the samples conclusively, we will be sending them to our explosives team. Only a chemical test will help us identify the exact composition of the samples," FSL sources said. The blast took place when President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present a few kilometres away at the Beating Retreat ceremony at the culmination of the Republic Day celebrations. Investigators have scanned footage retrieved from CCTV cameras installed nearby and spotted a vehicle moving suspiciously near the embassy just before the explosion, sources said. The explosion took place on a day when India and Israel marked the completion of the 29th anniversary of establishment of their diplomatic relations.

Delhi Police's special team visits blast site near Israeli embassy

Israel has been waging a "psychological war", a Iranian official Wednesday said after the Jewish state's army said new "offensive options" were being drawn up in case they were needed against the Islamic republic.

Mahmoud Vaezi, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's chief of staff, also vowed that his country was ready and willing to defend itself.

"We have no intention of going to war, but we are serious about defending the country," he said.

Israel, a close US ally, accuses Iran of seeking to build a nuclear bomb, a charge Tehran denies. The Jewish state also frequently targets Iran-backed militant groups in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip.

Israel's military chief General Aviv Kochavi said Tuesday he had ordered new plans be drawn up this year to counter Iran's nuclear capabilities, in case political leaders decided to target the country.

Iran's Vaezi shot back on Wednesday that "they are conducting a psychological war."&nbsp;

He also charged that Israel has "practically no plans, no capacity".

Iran's recent military manoeuvres, testing missiles and drones, Vaezi added, showed that "our armed forces are trained" to defend Iran.

Kochavi's remarks came nearly a week after the inauguration of US President Joe Biden, who has signalled he wants to return to dialogue with Iran.

His predecessor Donald Trump had unilaterally withdrawn Washington in 2018 from a nuclear deal Tehran had struck with major world powers.

Biden's team has argued Iran must first return to strict compliance with its nuclear commitments under the deal with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.

Tehran has demanded an "unconditional" lifting of punishing sanctions first, and called on Washington to stop seeking to "extract concessions".&nbsp;

Israel rejects the original nuclear deal, and Kochavi reiterated its view that "any agreement that resembles the 2015 agreement is a bad thing, both strategically and operationally".

(with inputs from AFP)

Israel has been waging a "psychological war", a Iranian official Wednesday said after the Jewish state's army said new "offensive options" were being drawn up in case they were needed against the Islamic republic.

Israel has been waging a "psychological war", a Iranian official Wednesday said after the Jewish state's army said new "offensive options" were being drawn up in case they were needed against the Islamic republic. Mahmoud Vaezi, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's chief of staff, also vowed that his country was ready and willing to defend itself. "We have no intention of going to war, but we are serious about defending the country," he said. Israel, a close US ally, accuses Iran of seeking to build a nuclear bomb, a charge Tehran denies. The Jewish state also frequently targets Iran-backed militant groups in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip. Israel's military chief General Aviv Kochavi said Tuesday he had ordered new plans be drawn up this year to counter Iran's nuclear capabilities, in case political leaders decided to target the country. Iran's Vaezi shot back on Wednesday that "they are conducting a psychological war." He also charged that Israel has "practically no plans, no capacity". Iran's recent military manoeuvres, testing missiles and drones, Vaezi added, showed that "our armed forces are trained" to defend Iran. Kochavi's remarks came nearly a week after the inauguration of US President Joe Biden, who has signalled he wants to return to dialogue with Iran. His predecessor Donald Trump had unilaterally withdrawn Washington in 2018 from a nuclear deal Tehran had struck with major world powers. Biden's team has argued Iran must first return to strict compliance with its nuclear commitments under the deal with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. Tehran has demanded an "unconditional" lifting of punishing sanctions first, and called on Washington to stop seeking to "extract concessions". Israel rejects the original nuclear deal, and Kochavi reiterated its view that "any agreement that resembles the 2015 agreement is a bad thing, both strategically and operationally". (with inputs from AFP)

Israel waging 'psychological war', Iran says

Israel's top general said on Tuesday (January 26) the military was refreshing its operational plans against Iran and any return, mulled by the new U.S. administration, to a 2015 nuclear accord with Tehran would be wrong.

Israel's top general says military refreshing operational plans against Iran

The Israel government has urged its citizens to avoid travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, citing threats of Iranian attacks.

Iran has been threatening to attack Israeli targets since its chief nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated last Friday near Tehran. It accuses Israel, which has been suspected in previous killings of Iranian nuclear scientists, of the killing.

Fakhrizadeh has notably long been on Israel's radar screen.

Quite in contrast to this, Israel has recently signed agreements establishing diplomatic relations with Gulf Arab states of the UAE and Bahrain -- in its first normalization deals with Arab countries in a quarter century.

The agreements were brokered by the Trump administration.

The Israel Airports Authority estimates that about 25,000 Israelis will fly to the UAE this month on the five airlines now plying the route between Tel Aviv and the Gulf state's airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The Israel government has urged its citizens to avoid travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, citing threats of Iranian attacks. Iran has been threatening to attack Israeli targets since its chief nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated last Friday near Tehran.

The Israel government has urged its citizens to avoid travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, citing threats of Iranian attacks. Iran has been threatening to attack Israeli targets since its chief nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated last Friday near Tehran. It accuses Israel, which has been suspected in previous killings of Iranian nuclear scientists, of the killing. Fakhrizadeh has notably long been on Israel's radar screen. Quite in contrast to this, Israel has recently signed agreements establishing diplomatic relations with Gulf Arab states of the UAE and Bahrain -- in its first normalization deals with Arab countries in a quarter century. The agreements were brokered by the Trump administration. The Israel Airports Authority estimates that about 25,000 Israelis will fly to the UAE this month on the five airlines now plying the route between Tel Aviv and the Gulf state's airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Israel urges citizens to avoid travel to Gulf, cites Iran threat

What started the problem?

On Sunday (January 29), a White House official, requesting anonymity, said Iran had conducted a ballistic missile test from a site east of Tehran.

But a United States defence official told CNN that the test failed and posed no immediate threat to the US or countries in the Middle East. The&nbsp;missile exploded after 630 miles (1,010 kms), the official said.

Iran&#39;s alleged violation of the nuclear deal signed by it and six world powers in 2015 has raised concerns around the world, especially in the Middle East and the US.

A United Nations resolution had barred Tehran from developing &quot;ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads&quot;.&nbsp;

That resolution ratified the July 2015 nuclear accord which aimed to scale down Tehran&#39;s nuclear activity.

In return, Iran won relief from debilitating economic sanctions.

International reaction

Iran&#39;s alleged contravention of Security Council Resolution 2231 has received widespread condemnation.

The United States, in particular, has come down hard on Tehran. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Iran&#39;s action is &quot;absolutely unacceptable&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;The United States is not naive. We are not going to stand by. You will see us call them out as we said we would and you are also going to see us act accordingly,&quot; Haley said.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner dubbed Tehran&#39;s action as &quot;provocative&quot; and &quot;irresponsible&quot;.

French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Iran had breached the nuclear accord that was so painfully drawn up and agreed to by Tehran and the six world powers --&nbsp;United States, Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France.

But he added that they were still in favour of the continuation of the nuclear deal and wants Tehran to avoid activities &quot;that could put the accord in jeopardy&quot;.

&quot;This deal has to be rigorously kept to,&quot; Ayrault said.

Israel&#39;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the missile test was a &quot;flagrant violation&quot; of the UN resolution. He also said he would raise the matter with the US later this month to impose stricter sanctions on Tehran. On his Facebook page, the Israeli premier said: &quot;Iranian aggression must not go unanswered.&quot;

Russia, however, has backed Iran, saying the missile test rumours were being circulated to &quot;heat up the situation&quot;.

&quot;Such actions, if they took place, do not breach the resolution,&quot; Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax news agency,&nbsp;

What does Iran say?

Tehran has neither confirmed nor denied the missile test. But they have denied contravention of the nuclear accord.

Earlier, the country&#39;s foreign minister,&nbsp;Javad Zarif, said the missile&nbsp;was not a part of the nuclear accord&nbsp;and insisted that Iran &quot;will never use missiles produced in Iran to attack any other country&quot;.

&quot;No Iranian missiles have been produced to carry nuclear warheads,&quot; said Zarif, speaking at a joint news conference held with Ayrault in Tehran on Wednesday (February 1).

Zarif said the country&#39;s missiles are &quot;not designed for the capability of carrying a nuclear warhead&quot;. Instead, they were testing the missiles as part of a self-defence exercise.

Later in the day,&nbsp;&nbsp;Iran&#39;s defense minister said confirmed the Islamic Republic had tested a new missile, but added the test did not breach Tehran&#39;s nuclear accord.

&quot;The recent test was in line with our plans and we will not allow foreigners to interfere in our defense affairs,&quot; Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan said, according to Tasnim news agency.

&quot;The test did not violate the nuclear deal or the (UN) resolution 2231,&quot; he said.

So where does it all lead to?

Israel has been vocal about the alleged violation, mainly because it wants the US to renew sanctions on Iran. Other countries in the Middle East and Israel were up in arms when the previous US administration, under Barack Obama, had decided to lift the crippling sanctions that had been in place on the Shia-dominated country.

Israel&#39;s criticism, in particular, seems to be a subtle way of pushing the Donald Trump administration to act tough on Iran. The matter is expected to come up when the leaders of the two countries meet in a fortnight&#39;s time.

Trump&#39;s action against Iran will be his first litmus test, more so because the United States president has previously demonstrated his hawkish stance against Tehran.

During the poll campaign, Trump had said he would blow up Iranian vessels &quot;out of the water&quot; if they threatened US ships. But the problem is that Trump has long stated downscaling of US presence in the Middle East. What remains to be seen is whether Trump will reimpose strict sanctions on Tehran or get into a diplomatic loggerheads with them.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

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Tehran said it was not a breach of the accord it signed with 6 world powers in 2015. So what happens next?

What started the problem? On Sunday (January 29), a White House official, requesting anonymity, said Iran had conducted a ballistic missile test from a site east of Tehran. But a United States defence official told CNN that the test failed and posed no immediate threat to the US or countries in the Middle East. The missile exploded after 630 miles (1,010 kms), the official said. Iran's alleged violation of the nuclear deal signed by it and six world powers in 2015 has raised concerns around the world, especially in the Middle East and the US. A United Nations resolution had barred Tehran from developing "ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads". That resolution ratified the July 2015 nuclear accord which aimed to scale down Tehran's nuclear activity. In return, Iran won relief from debilitating economic sanctions. International reaction Iran's alleged contravention of Security Council Resolution 2231 has received widespread condemnation. The United States, in particular, has come down hard on Tehran. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Iran's action is "absolutely unacceptable". "The United States is not naive. We are not going to stand by. You will see us call them out as we said we would and you are also going to see us act accordingly," Haley said. US State Department spokesman Mark Toner dubbed Tehran's action as "provocative" and "irresponsible". French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Iran had breached the nuclear accord that was so painfully drawn up and agreed to by Tehran and the six world powers -- United States, Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France. But he added that they were still in favour of the continuation of the nuclear deal and wants Tehran to avoid activities "that could put the accord in jeopardy". "This deal has to be rigorously kept to," Ayrault said. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the missile test was a "flagrant violation" of the UN resolution. He also said he would raise the matter with the US later this month to impose stricter sanctions on Tehran. On his Facebook page, the Israeli premier said: "Iranian aggression must not go unanswered." Russia, however, has backed Iran, saying the missile test rumours were being circulated to "heat up the situation". "Such actions, if they took place, do not breach the resolution," Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax news agency, What does Iran say? Tehran has neither confirmed nor denied the missile test. But they have denied contravention of the nuclear accord. Earlier, the country's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, said the missile was not a part of the nuclear accord and insisted that Iran "will never use missiles produced in Iran to attack any other country". "No Iranian missiles have been produced to carry nuclear warheads," said Zarif, speaking at a joint news conference held with Ayrault in Tehran on Wednesday (February 1). Zarif said the country's missiles are "not designed for the capability of carrying a nuclear warhead". Instead, they were testing the missiles as part of a self-defence exercise. Later in the day, Iran's defense minister said confirmed the Islamic Republic had tested a new missile, but added the test did not breach Tehran's nuclear accord. "The recent test was in line with our plans and we will not allow foreigners to interfere in our defense affairs," Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan said, according to Tasnim news agency. "The test did not violate the nuclear deal or the (UN) resolution 2231," he said. So where does it all lead to? Israel has been vocal about the alleged violation, mainly because it wants the US to renew sanctions on Iran. Other countries in the Middle East and Israel were up in arms when the previous US administration, under Barack Obama, had decided to lift the crippling sanctions that had been in place on the Shia-dominated country. Israel's criticism, in particular, seems to be a subtle way of pushing the Donald Trump administration to act tough on Iran. The matter is expected to come up when the leaders of the two countries meet in a fortnight's time. Trump's action against Iran will be his first litmus test, more so because the United States president has previously demonstrated his hawkish stance against Tehran. During the poll campaign, Trump had said he would blow up Iranian vessels "out of the water" if they threatened US ships. But the problem is that Trump has long stated downscaling of US presence in the Middle East. What remains to be seen is whether Trump will reimpose strict sanctions on Tehran or get into a diplomatic loggerheads with them. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Iran tests ballistic missile, sparks flutter and fury

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